When it comes to curbing weight gain, Substance abuse it’s also about how much you drink. A glass of red wine or a beer can definitely be part of your weight loss regimen, but try to keep portions in check. Cocktails — especially those made with sugary mixers, fruit juices and syrups — tend to be the worst offenders, while beer can also be high in calories. Instead, consider drinks like light spirits (vodka, gin, tequila) with low-calorie mixers (soda water, fresh lemon or lime juice), or low-carb beer.
Does Liquor Make You Gain Weight? Calories and Portions
Here are eight ways alcohol can impede your weight loss and what you should drink instead. The morning after a night of over-imbibing can cause some temporary effects on your brain. Things like trouble concentration, slow reflexes and sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds are standard signs of a hangover, and evidence of alcohol’s effects on your brain. If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. That’s because alcohol can weaken your immune system, slow healing and make your body more susceptible to infection. Heavy drinking can also lead to a host of health concerns, like brain damage, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver and even certain kinds of cancer.
- The worst alcohol you can drink is anything that contains sugar.
- Some evidence suggests that heavy drinking may cause your adrenal glands not to regulate how much cortisol they secrete.
- Alcohol decreases inhibitions, making you more likely to do things that you wouldn’t normally do otherwise.
- When excessive alcohol consumption disrupts your exercise routine, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy balance.
Mental Health
As I mentioned above, lower testosterone levels means a reduced ability to burn fat. Now that alcohol is in your body, it is being converted to acetate, which your body LOVE, LOVE, LOVES. Or maybe you’ve had a rough day and treated yourself to half a standard bottle of Rosé. The United States General Services Administration also offers a list of resources for alcohol use disorders. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat.
Inadequate intake of micronutrients
Even when two people of the same weight have a similar diet, adding alcohol to the mix might have different consequences for each person. Yes, you can drink alcohol and still lose weight, but you must manage your intake and make healthy food choices to avoid increased hunger and poor decision-making. Managing your weight while enjoying alcohol is possible with some practical strategies. Opting for low-calorie alcoholic options, like light beers and dry wines, helps avoid unnecessary weight gain. Using calorie-free mixers with distilled alcohol can also reduce your total caloric intake.
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But if you’re able to make smart choices about your alcohol diet, exercise the rest of the time, and get a good night’s sleep, drinking alcohol won’t make you put on weight. If you’re trying to slim your waistline does alcohol make you gain weight and count your calories, you should be aware that alcohol will contribute more calories than other macronutrients. There is no doubt calories play some role in weight loss and weight gain, so the amount of alcohol you consume will impact it. Many people think that drinking makes them gain pounds, but that’s not always the case.