Let's talk about alcohol and your diet. I'm going to talk about the bad then the not so bad.

First: 1 gram of..

Protein = 4 calories

Carbs = 4 calories

Alcohol = 7 calories

Fat = 9 calories

• Alcohol is calorie dense 1 gram of alcohol has around twice as many calories as a gram of carbohydrate or protein.

• Alcohol gets turned into energy.

• Your body stops using carbs and body-fat as energy sources when a lot of energy comes so easily from alcohol.

• When your body gets too much energy from alcohol, it starts to store the extra energy into body-fat storage.

HOW ALCOHOL LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN

1. Alcohol Consumption Leads to Excess Energy

2. Alcohol Increases Appetite

3. Alcohol Alters Fat Distribution in the Body

Alcohol increases the amount of subcutaneous fat. This fat specifically deposits in the abdominal area of the body. This is due to a hormonal response.

Heavy Drinking vs. Mild to Moderate Drinking

Not all drinking patterns result in weight gain.

The weight increasing effects of alcohol mentioned so far are mostly seen with heavy drinking.

Mild to moderate drinking can be fine. There are even studies that show moderate drinking can help weight loss, disclaimer there is not enough research on this. The reason why mild to moderate drinking may help promote weight loss is due to increased thermogenesis.

Thermogenesis is the natural heat generating process of your body. Like fire needs fuel to burn, your body needs fuel to generate heat. That fuel comes from the calories your body burns.

Research suggests that among all other food sources, mild to moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the maximum amount of thermogenesis. So maybe it can help weight loss...

Not All Alcohol is Equal

Can I drink alcohol and still lose weight?
Yes, you can. The key is moderation. Here is what you should aim for:

• Drink not more than 2 drinks per day if you are a male.

• Drink not more than 1 drink per day if you are a female.

What is the best type of alcohol to drink?
Go for red wine. Red wine has positive effects for your body obviously there is a fine line when the negative effects outweigh the positive. Dry red wine, try not to drink to sweet of wine.

Disclaimer: The information on this site is intended to provide general educational information only, and does not constitute, nor is it a substitute for, medical advice.