How Alcohol Affects Your Weight

We’ve all heard the cautionary tales about alcohol, weight loss, and how the two don’t mix.

As it turns out, this is good advice. There are some very sound reasons to avoid alcohol when you’re trying to lose weight.

There are also plenty of healthier options for dieters who like a little drink now and then.

Here is a list of the reasons why alcohol can slow your weight loss and affect your weight.

Table of Contents

Alcohol is high in empty calories.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. By way of comparison, protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, and fat contains 9 calories per gram.

The difference is that proteins, carbohydrates, and fats pack nutrition into their calories. Calories from alcohol do not provide nutrition, and will not satisfy your hunger. This makes it easy to keep drinking – and racking up a high calorie count.

Alcohol delays the fat-burning process.

According to Dr. Robert Atkins, the human body burns alcohol before any other fuel source. That means your body will burn off all the alcohol you’ve consumed before turning to its store of carbohydrates and fat. This can delay your weight-loss efforts or plans to lose calories, especially if you drink frequently.

If you can’t bring yourself to abstain from alcohol, try sipping wine instead of beer or cocktails. Dr. Atkins considered the most diet-friendly drinks to be wine, hard liquor, or either of the above mixed with seltzer, tonic water, or diet soda.

Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to higher BMIs.

There is a direct correlation between the amount of alcoholic drinks a person consumes during a day, and that person’s Body Mass Index (BMI). According to a study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), study participants with the lowest BMIs drank three to seven times a week, but had only one drink during those days.

Participants with the highest BMIs drank alcohol less frequently, but consumed several drinks at a time. As with any food, alcohol isn’t disastrous in small quantities. The real danger lies in overindulgence.

Alcohol ads are misleading.

The latest alcohol marketing campaigns refer to certain alcoholic beverages as “low-carb” or “zero-carb”. These campaigns are obviously targeting dieters, who have long avoided alcohol in their quest to shed pounds.

While it is technically true that straight liquors are distilled and therefore contain no carbs, they still contain plenty of calories and no nutritional value.

Beer and wine do contain carbohydrates, which can lead to cravings and bloating. Mixed drinks are the worst of the lot, as they contain all sorts of added sugar and calories.

Alcohol lowers inhibitions.

When we drink alcohol, our inhibitions go down. This can cause us to make decisions we would never consider while sober. When a dieter’s inhibitions are lowered, they may find it difficult to say no to overeating or eating rich foods that are high in calories.

Intoxicated dieters might be susceptible to friends’ urges to try “just one bite”, or their insistence that “just one time won’t hurt”. Mindless snacking is also common while drunk.

While the occasional planned splurge can actually help you stay on track to lose weight, alcohol can lead to an unplanned splurge followed by guilt and discouragement and make you gain weight on weekends.

It’s up to you. The bottom line is that any diet boils down to how many calories you consume versus how many you burn.

In small quantities, alcohol can be an occasional part of your weight loss plan. Just tread carefully, save the harder drinks for special occasions, and factor the extra calories into your daily total.

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