It’s not exactly straight forward
It has been shown time and time again in studies that provided…
1. Calories are equated (in other words it doesn’t matter what food or alcohol you consume); and
2. You actually are in a Calorie Deficit;
You will lose weight.
However consuming Alcohol doesn’t do your Fat Loss goal any favours.
As you may remember from last week, a gram of alcohol is the second most energy dense macronutrient (7 calories), so that alone makes it slightly harder to budget your total daily calories.
In addition, the majority of Alcoholic beverages contain extra Calories from sugar
Furthermore, Fatty Acids oxidation (burning fat), absorption of nutrients and water are inhibited by having alcohol in the system as alcohol takes precedence to be metabolized.
Not to mention alcohol has been shown to increase appetite and therefore may increase the chance of overeating.
So it’s a given most fitness coaches tell you not to drink but given how many people mix socially drinking with work events and blow off steam after a hard days work (alcohol slows the passages of messages through nerves which gives the sensation of relaxation)
Nonetheless here are some practical tips we put forward
1. Minimize food for the day, calculate the calories in excess of you caloric target and limit the drinking to that amount
2. Drink less sugar rich alcohol drinks
3. Avoid eating whilst drinking
4. If you have a big event – the days leading up to the event minimize the calories prior
5. Plan food and exercise for the day after so you don’t lounge around the day after.