We have all heard health organizations and fitness trainers give cautionary warnings about the effects of alcohol on our health and fitness. If your goal is weight loss then alcohol is counter-productive to your goal. I may be striking the obvious here but it is worth remembering everyone that alcohol can literally sabotage all of your healthy eating efforts to strike out all that you are doing well with your training and clean eating.
Things you need to know about alcohol and your fitness goals.
- Alcohol is high in calories compared to protein and carbohydrates. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram where as protein and carbohydrates contain 5 calories per gram.
- Calories from alcohol do not provide nutrition, and will not satisfy your hunger. This is the reason why it is easy to keep drinking once you are on a roll. It's easy to get carried away with a drinking session once you start.
- Alcohol slows your fat burning. Putting it in layman's terms your body will burn off all the alcohol you've consumed before it then turns to carbohydrates and fat.
- There is a direct correlation between higher Body Mass Index (BMI) results and excess alcohol consumption. A recent study has shown that those with the lowest BMIs drank 3 to 7 times a week but only had on average 1 drink per drinking session. Those with higher BMIs drank less on average but had more drinks per session. (Ie Binge drinking)
- Beer and wine contain a lot of carbohydrates in the way of sugar., 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.
- Just like so called low-fat foods, "low-carb" or "zero-carb" alcoholic drinks are very much a gimmick targeted towards a health conscious market. Keep reading below for better choices for alcohol consumption.
Better choices for alcohol:
- Distilled liquor is technically a straight liquor and contain no carbohydrates. Where this option typically falls down is the mixer which tends to be a high sugar soda drink or high sugar juice option. If possible find a low sugar option to mix in with your spirits.
- Sipping wine instead of beer and high sugar cocktails has been shown to be the best option if you are wanting to partake in alcoholic drinks while on a diet or ongoing nutrition plan.
Alcohol is a big part of our culture and society. When consumed in moderation it helps us to relax and adds to a great social atmosphere with friends. I have personally seen people make the decision to switch to drinking a glass of wine instead of beer and mixed drinks with really good results as far as weight loss results go.
If you are determined to drop some weight from your body it is a really good idea to abstain from alcohol for period of time. Once you have trimmed down and are training harder, then re-introducing alcohol in moderation (Ie a glass of wine a few times a week) should not be a problem.
Source by MJ Tulloch
