Weight Loss and Alcohol

Hi guys,

Once again… it’s been about a week since my last post. And yes, you guessed it, I haven’t been doing too good. In fact, I have picked up 1.5kg!
This is quite depressing since I have stuck with the running routine (almost) to the letter. I mean, running 5-6 times a week, went to gym once or twice as well… I just had a few too many parties lined up the last week and I lost count of the number of Smirnoff spins I had…

Mel

Jeni:
Hey,

I have bad news for Mel and anyone else who is trying to mix the party scene with the weight loss program: Partying and weight loss is not the same as gin and tonic. They don’t mix!

OK, I don’t mean that you can never go out and have a drink when you are trying to lose weight, but as Mel figured it out this week – one needs to establish some boundaries. You can’t drink too much and you definitely can’t drink more than one night per week. (Even that – may be OK when you are trying to maintain the weight you have lost, but for actual loss… not recommended!)

Here is what happens to your body when you drink alcohol:
1. The calories in alcohol (and the mixers that go with it) add to your total caloric intake. But you knew that, didn’t you? Alcohol has 7 calories per gram (compared to 4 cal/gm for protein and carbs and about 9 for fat). So, a double spirit drink (double vodka, whiskey, you name it) has about 130 calories. Then, we add the coke, orange juice or whatever it is that you mix the drink with and we are easily looking at 300 calories per drink! Those of you drinking Cosmopolitans… don’t fool yourselves! Only the girls in Sex in The City can drink that much and stay so thin!
2. Then, there is the metabolism of alcohol. Normally, the liver metabolizes fats, but when alcohol is consumed, alcohol takes preference. The liver breaks down alcohol for energy first, causing a build-up of fatty acids. What this means is that the body uses the calories supplied from alcohol before it is able to expend the calories from fat. This characteristic is referred to as "fat sparing," meaning alcohol's presence spares the fat from being utilized for energy.
3. And thirdly… Alcohol also stimulates appetite in many people. In the best of cases, even if your appetite doesn’t go up, your self-control definitely goes out of the window. So, those pastries and bad-for-you finger foods on the platters that you were avoiding before the first drink… suddenly seem to call your name and cannot be refused, right? This may thwart your weight loss efforts even more.

So, to make a long story short... No, you can’t drink and lose weight! A glass of wine on your off-day is perfectly fine, but Smirnoff Spin parties four times a week… you knew that, didn’t you?

Ciao!
Jeni