When embarking on a weight loss journey, you often hear that alcohol can sabotage your weight loss goals and hinder your performance in the gym.
It’s common knowledge that a hangover can put a damper on your workout motivation, while a couple of drinks are sure to give you the “drunchies” – the desire to eat unhealthy foods during or after a night of drinking.
However, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to stop drinking forever.
As a personal trainer, I don’t believe in depriving yourself of certain foods or drinks.
It goes against my principles, and it always will.
Why?
Because there’s so much more to life than just being at the gym and eating clean food.
Don’t get me wrong – This isn’t a free pass to pop open a champagne bottle while reading this post or treat yourself to five mojitos on Saturday night.
I believe that maintaining balance in everything we do is key, especially for our health and well-being.
In this post, I share a few tips and tricks to help you stay on track with your healthy lifestyle and still enjoy your weekends to the fullest.
How Does Alcohol Impact Your Weight Loss?
I understand that drinking is a cultural ritual. For many people, drinking is connected to emotional bonding and enjoying the company of friends and family.
We down a drink, and the stress melts away for a few hours.
However, even if you eat clean Monday to Friday, drinking too much alcohol over the weekend can sabotage your weight loss efforts and lead to fat gain.
Firstly, alcohol can hinder your weight loss efforts from a calorie perspective. Many mixed drinks can pack as many calories as a meal, minus the nutrients that nourish your body.
Unlike nutrient-rich foods, the calories in alcohol (also known as “empty calories” because they contain little to no nutritional value) can’t be used to fuel your workouts, build muscles, or promote a sense of fullness.
Secondly, if you’re drinking and then you feel sick the next day, chances are you won’t be able to work out.
Not to mention that insane craving you have for salty, greasy, fried foods that comes after a night of drinking alcohol.
Researchers at the University of Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions revealed that people who drink heavily tend to eat before going to bed, especially foods containing a lot of fat, oil, and added sugars. Plus, they tend to eat unhealthy snacks on the day after drinking.
This happens because alcohol can alter blood sugar levels and interfere with the hormones needed to maintain a healthy blood sugar level, causing it to spike and then rapidly fall. This, in turn, can intensify hunger pangs, causing unhealthy food cravings.
Additionally, alcohol can change the way your body burns fat. When you drink too much, your liver is more focused on breaking down the alcohol over burning fat.
As alcohol is considered a toxin by your body, breaking down the alcohol takes precedence over other metabolic processes.
As a result, the fat-burning process is slowed down, and your body ends up storing more fat.
That’s why achieving a balance between drinking socially and maintaining your weight loss goals is key to ensuring that your body continues to burn fat for energy.
How to Drink Socially Without Sabotaging Your Weight Loss
As I mentioned before, everything in life needs balance.
While it’s common to hear that you need to cut out “bad” foods from your diet, the exact opposite is true.
Denying yourself all the foods you love almost always backfires as a weight loss strategy, because you end up feeling deprived. Over time, these restrictions can lead to cravings and overeating.
Holding yourself to an impossible standard and never drinking that glass of red wine you crave for it’s simply unrealistic.
Doing so may even make you develop negative feelings towards healthy eating in general, which you don’t want.
Sure, alcohol is for the occasional indulgence, but not every day. That’s why striking a balance between maintaining a healthy diet and allowing yourself to enjoy occasional treats is the key to success.
Once you find this balance, you’re on the right track.
So, how do you enjoy a glass or two every once in a while without sabotaging your weight loss?
Here are a few tips to help you maintain that proper balance for a healthy lifestyle and have an enjoyable weekend too.
- Cut down on excess calories from your drink
Instead of choosing high-calorie drinks that contain a lot of sugar syrup, opt for clear spirits or dry wine that contain fewer calories.
Here’s what you should steer clear of:
◦ Sugary cocktails that contain up to 500 calories per serving (e.g., Espresso Martini, Moscow Mule, Piña Colada, etc.)
◦ Frozen beach drinks that contain up to 300 calories per serving (e.g., Frozen Mojito, Strawberry Margarita, Frozen Daiquiri, etc.)
◦ Craft beer that contains approximately 160-180 calories per pint of beer
Instead, opt for alcoholic drinks that have fewer calories:
◦ Vodka soda (96 calories)
◦ Brut champagne (90 calories)
◦ White wine (82 calories)
◦ Sparkling wine (120 calories)
◦ Hard seltzer (100 calories)
◦ Dry martini (125 calories)
◦ Tequila with lime (99 calories)
◦ Light beer (120 calories)
If you decide to enjoy a delicious cocktail, make sure you opt for a low-sugar one. Great cocktails don’t need extra sugar when prepared with high-quality ingredients.
- Limit yourself to one or two drinks & watch your serving size
It’s okay to indulge yourself with a glass or two every once in a while, but make sure you don’t go overboard.
When going out, limit yourself to one or two drinks and watch your serving size. You can switch to soda water with fresh lime or low-calorie non-alcoholic drinks when you reach your limit.
- Drink plenty of water
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it can cause dehydration by increasing urine production and reducing the amount of water in your body.
Sometimes, this dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.
Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after drinking alcohol. This will help you prevent hangovers and help you feel better the next day.
- Eat a healthy meal before you start drinking
Some experts use the term “drunkorexia” to describe the trend of cutting back on food to make room for booze.
It’s a mistake many people make in a misguided attempt to control their calorie intake.
According to a U.K. report, 40% of people aged 25-34 admitted they’d skipped a meal to compensate for the alcohol consumed.
But the truth is, having a healthy dinner filled with lean protein will actually slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. Drinking on an empty stomach is often a dangerous shortcut to getting drunk.
Plus, this will also prevent you from getting the “drunchies” and making a beeline for the nearest fast food place.
The Bottom Line
Staying on track while losing weight doesn’t necessarily require constant dieting.
Even if you have a couple of drinks over the weekend, it doesn’t mean you’ve completely derailed your progress. It’s okay to indulge once in a while.
Rather than falling into a downward spiral of negative thoughts and punishing yourself with restrictions, get back on track as soon as you can and move on.
If you’re not drinking on a regular basis, a few glasses of booze won’t have a significant impact on your ability to lose weight or gain muscle.
Here at Bring on Life, we are on a mission to help women achieve their weight loss goals and make a positive change in their lives. If you want to build the body of your dream without sacrificing your lifestyle, you’ve come to the right place. Get started with our one-on-one coaching program today and get all the tools you need to get the body you want in just 12 weeks.
Sources:
Gregory Traversy and Jean-Philippe Chaput – Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: An Update