Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to living a quality life free of medical complications. Unfortunately, being overweight increases the risk of heart conditions. Being a heavy drinker only exacerbates the situation, as alcohol is always bad for anyone trying to lose weight.
It’s difficult for most humans to function properly without alcohol. It is a drink of choice for humans who want to remain socially active and rejuvenated. Nevertheless, it could be a nightmare when taken excessively. Taking it in moderation can help lower the risk of heart disease while helping one stay functional. However, for people struggling with weight problems, it can prove to be counterproductive.
Ways Alcohol Affects Weight Loss
Empty Calories
Drinking excessively increases the risk of being overweight, as alcohol is made up of empty calories that don’t have any nutritional value. For example, in one 12-ounce beer, one would take in about 155 empty calories, and 125 calories in a 5-ounce glass of red wine.
Taking alcohol with mixers such as fruit juice or soda only increases the intake of unnecessary calories that increases the risk of being overweight. If you are eating healthy but drinking excessively, you will not be doing any justice in the attempt to cut weight. Therefore, for anyone looking to cut weight, drinking excessively should be the last thing on their mind.
Triggers Hunger Signals
One of the way alcohol affects weight loss is by affecting judgment calls. It’s a proven fact that alcohol leads to poor decision-making and judgment that, at times, are costly. For starters, heavy alcohol drinkers find it difficult to control their eating habits. In addition, studies have shown that alcohol triggers brain hunger signals, leading to increased urges to eat.
While one is trying to lose weight, the focus is usually on regulating the amount of calorie intake. If one cannot control their appetite, the prospect of overeating and eating junk food is usually high. Therefore, the prospect of losing weight through dieting becomes difficult.
Alcohol as a Source of Fuel
Whenever alcohol is ingested, it is burned first as fuel before the body uses anything else. Therefore, if anyone had taken a high-calorie meal, most of it will be broken down and not utilized but stored as fat. The excess glucose and lipids end up in adipose tissue or fat.
Therefore, people who take alcohol daily end up with excess glucose and lipids stored in their adipose tissue as the body resorts to utilizing the energy generated from alcohol first. In this case, one will only end up adding weight.
Damages the Liver
The liver is an important organ that helps metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Excessive alcohol intake results in a fatty liver that does not work optimally. A liver that cannot function at optimal levels affects how the body breaks down and stores carbohydrates and fats.
In return, any changes in how the body stores energy from food only makes it difficult to lose excess weight, resulting in one becoming overweight with time.
Excessive belly fat
One of the ways alcohol affects weight loss is that it contributes to excess belly fat. Alcohol, like most fizzy drinks and candy, are known to be high in calories. However, their extra calories are mostly stored as fat in the body and mostly on the belly.
Bottom Line
Alcohol will always be part of the favorite pastime for humans. It can also have health benefits, including reduced risk for heart disease. Nevertheless, taking it in excess while looking to shed some weight is counterproductive. Considering the various ways alcohol affects weight loss, you might consider taking alcohol in moderation or skipping it altogether.
