Even if you drink responsibly, monitor your consumption, and avoid cravings associated with drinking you’re still left with the aftereffects of drinking on your organs, digestion system & metabolism.
We all heard the term “empty” calories which refers to the fact that alcoholic beverages provide your body with calories but contain little nutrients.
1. There are almost 155 calories in one 12-ounce can of beer.
2. 125 calories in a 5-ounce glass of red wine.
3. And between 150 and 200 calories in afternoon power snack.
Alcohol is burned first as a fuel source before your body uses anything else, including glucose from carbohydrates or lipids from fats.
When your body is using alcohol as a primary source of energy, the excess glucose and lipids become:
1. Adipose Tissue also known as Body Fat.
Our livers have two primary functions:
1. As the “filter” for any foreign substances that enter our bodies like Drugs and Alcohol.
2. As a major participant in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
3. It can’t do both efficiently at the same time and will focus on Alcohol & Drugs first.
The “beer gut” isn’t just a myth.
1. Foods that are high in simple sugars, such as those found in candy, soda, beer, and most mixers are also high in calories.
2. All extra calories not used for energy during exercise or normal life activity end up stored as fat in the body.
Here’s the timeline:
1. The day after a night of "fun" & drinking your weight likely drops a few pounds. This is mostly due to dehydration.
2. The next 3-4 days your weight may go up a few pounds But not from immediate fat gain. The gain is from inflammation, water retention, and the slowing of digestion.
3. The Body is working naturally detoxing and ridding the poison from your organs.
4. While the body is working on breaking down the alcohol it makes it very difficult to break down fats & carbs.
5. Alcohol DOES affect the scale and if you are trying to lose weight you should keep drinking to a minimum.
Remember, the scale isn’t the most efficient way to to measure progress because alcohol throws off the data. However, if your goal is weight loss, you should be MINDFUL that a night of drinking may SLOW DOWN YOUR PROGRESS.