4 Ways Alcohol Hinders Fat Loss

Alcohol has well documented adverse effects, ranging from impaired judgement, diminished performance to possible addiction and liver disease. However, less well documented is alcohol's effect on body composition.

Alcohol is not calorie free

Despite what many may believe, alcohol provides 7 calories per gram, almost twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates and only two fewer per gram than fat, which has 9. However, unlike fat, the calories in alcohol don't supply anynutritional value to the body, instead, they are just empty calories. Additionally, alcohol is used in preference to fat, carbohydrates and protein as a fuel in the body, so it is the first fuel to burn. This means that whilst the body is burning alcohol for energy it will not burn fat, thus postponing the fat burning process and increasing fat storage.

But most alcoholic drinks contain more than just alcohol. Some cocktails also contain fats, whilst wine and beer both have high carbohydrate contents, which adds to the overall calorie content of alcoholic beveragse and increase fat storage. As an example of how many calories you may unknowingly be consuming, a small glass of wine contains approximately 110 calories, 90 of which come from alcohol and the remaining 10 from carbohydrates.

Alcohol lowers testosterone

Testosterone is an anabolic hormone that can contribute to lean muscle mass development, which can result in a higher metabolic rate. However as alcohol lowers testosterone levels, it can result in less lean muscle mass and a lower metabolic rate. This can make the job of losing fat all the more difficult because our metabolic rate is what governs the way we use energy. Having a higher metabolic rate means more calories are burned at rest so more weight is lost.

Alcohol increases appetite

As you probably know from previous nights out, alcohol increases appetite both whilst you drink and also the day after, which explains how we can so easily eat a full English the morning after the night before. By increasing your appetite, you are likely to eat more food, which is never ideal if you are trying to watch your weight. This is only made worse by the lessened inhibitions associated with alcohol, and the cravings that you get for sweet and fatty foods- just look at snack trays at any bar.

Alcohol damages the liver, kidneys and stomach

Alcohol is a by-product of yeast digestion, which means that it can irritate the stomach lining and weaken the liver and kidneys resulting in less efficient food digestion. This ultimately means that healthy metabolism and weight loss are reduced. Further to this, as the liver (which normally processes toxins and breaks down fats for fuels) is damaged by alcohol, food is less well metabolised and toxins are not removed as effectively. This results in reduced weight loss, nutrient absorption and an increased likelihood of illness.

Concluding thoughts:

For most people, as alcohol plays a large role in celebrations, it can be hard to completely abstain. In these cases, cutting back on consumption and opting for low calorie drinks can help. However, those wanting to improve performance, or lose weight should steer clear of alcohol if they are serious about their goals as it can negate efforts to lose body fat, and will alter performance for the worse.

MARCH 5, 2018