Does drinking alcohol impact fat loss?
A close look into how alcohol impacts your metabolism
This is a conversation that I have with my clients quite often. Sometimes they don’t necessarily like the answer, but I’m always going to give it to you straight. The answer to the question is YES. The impact varies on the individual, but it can shut down all of the other metabolic pathways to focus more on metabolizing the alcohol instead. Alcohol can shut down fat burning for up to 12 to 36 hours depending on the individual and the dose. So yes, you can have a few cocktails on Saturday and on Monday, your body can still be working on metabolizing the alcohol. The older you are, the longer it takes. If you are wondering why you can’t drink like you did in your 20’s, that’s why. As we get older and our bodies change, our ability to tolerate alcohol changes too.
Here’s how:
As we age, muscle mass is replaced by fat tissue. This means that an older person who drinks the same amount as someone younger will generally have a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
The older you are the longer alcohol stays in your liver before it moves into the general bloodstream or is metabolised – increasing the risk of damage to your liver. Blood flow to your liver is decreased, along with your liver enzymes.
Physical and mental functions such as coordination and reflexes become impaired as you age, putting you at higher risks of accidents such as falls, slips or car crashes.
If you take prescription medication, you should always seek medical advice before drinking due to the possibility of side effects.
If you are on a fat loss journey, and you feel your progress has stalled, take a look at how often you consume alcohol. Here are some reasons why you might consider cutting back.
Alcohol is essentially empty calories.
Unlike food, the calories in alcohol contain little to no nutritional value. Alcohol calories don’t fill you up like food calories do, hence the term “empty calories.”
Alcohol can slow down your body’s fat-burning process.
Your liver is responsible for storing and processing all of the fat, carbohydrates and protein that you consume, breaking them down and metabolizing them into energy. Your body cannot store alcohol, meaning it must be broken down ahead of everything else. This interrupts and slows down your metabolic rate and reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy.
Alcohol is very calorie dense.
For every gram of alcohol you consume, you’re taking in almost double the amount of calories than if you were to consume the same quantity of protein or carbohydrates. With seven calories per gram, alcohol is an extremely concentrated source of calories.
Alcohol can make you hungrier.
Alcohol can trigger the part of the brain that makes you feel hungry, which could explain why people often overeat after drinking.
Can you hit your goals and still drink a cocktail or two? Sure. If drinking alcohol happens more often than not, you will have a difficult time with fat loss. I work with my clients to navigate through awareness of the calorie content and help them make choices. Awareness and strategy are key!
What are your thoughts? Comment below!
In health,
