Alcohol doesn't cause weight gain?
Hoshiko
Posts: 179 Member
Can anyone help explain this concept to me? It's breaking my brain!
A few days ago someone made a comment here about alcohol calories being unable to convert to fat stores (I'm sorry, if I could remember where I saw it I would ask you by name!) I thought that there was no way that could be right, so I looked it up and sure enough they were right.
What I don't understand is how alcohol can have calories at all (energy) and not contribute overall to weight gain. So, even if you're not converting it to fat, wouldn't you still be using up that energy at the exclusion of other food that you're eating? And if it's true, then why don't alcoholics lose massive amounts of weight?
It just feels so counter-intuitive. I know it's probably a lot to get into over a message board but if anyone knowledgable about nutrition could point me to some (hopefully peer-reviewed) info I'd appreciate it.
And no, I'm not just asking because it's St. Paddy's Day
A few days ago someone made a comment here about alcohol calories being unable to convert to fat stores (I'm sorry, if I could remember where I saw it I would ask you by name!) I thought that there was no way that could be right, so I looked it up and sure enough they were right.
What I don't understand is how alcohol can have calories at all (energy) and not contribute overall to weight gain. So, even if you're not converting it to fat, wouldn't you still be using up that energy at the exclusion of other food that you're eating? And if it's true, then why don't alcoholics lose massive amounts of weight?
It just feels so counter-intuitive. I know it's probably a lot to get into over a message board but if anyone knowledgable about nutrition could point me to some (hopefully peer-reviewed) info I'd appreciate it.
And no, I'm not just asking because it's St. Paddy's Day
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Replies
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Alcohol is a poison. Your body will stop processing the rest of the food for energy and store it as fat while it attempts to save you from dying. Drinks are not 100% alcohol, so all the sugar and carbs added to the drink would be stored for later if you tried to drink over your energy needs in alcohol.5
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Alcohol has to be metabolized out of the system. So until that's done, NO OTHER ENERGY SOURCE is utilized. That means no calories burned from carbs and fat. So if one continues to drink alcohol with every meal, and even if they accounted for the calories from food, if they don't account for the calories from alcohol, they will gain weight.
Alcohol especially isn't great before going to sleep since this is when you actually burn the most stored body fat.
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It was me who stated this, I'm sure. The other two posters already covered the why.
This is why there is a correlation between being underweight for heavy drinkers among females (they tend to not eat when on a bender) vs. overweight in males (as they tend to eat large amounts of bar food and the like).6 -
1g of pure alcohol = 7kcal and there's 28g to an ounce so a shot of 200 proof liquor (1oz) = 196kcal of "empty" calories, proofs of liquor, mixed drinks, and beers will vary with alcohol content and calories, but yes..you can still drink alcoholic beverages and lose weight if you know what your doing ; )0
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Ok, that's what I thought.
But let's say I eat my usual 1600 cals, and then drink another 400 cals of pure tequila on top of that (which I would never do, I'm more of a beer girl.) While my body was metabolizing the alcohol it wouldn't process the food, but would those 400 cals contribute to my daily calorie intake? Or would it just put things on pause while my body broke down the alcohol, and then go back to burning the food?
I guess my main question is do those alcohol calories contribute to my overall energy intake, or are they just used to burn themselves, so to speak?0 -
Alcohol is weird but I still count the cals and don't fudge them, it's still CICO. If it makes me undershoot a little in calorie estimate while on a nutrient dense core diet, no harm. Keep it simple.2
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ALL calories contribute to your overall energy intake.Ok, that's what I thought.
But let's say I eat my usual 1600 cals, and then drink another 400 cals of pure tequila on top of that (which I would never do, I'm more of a beer girl.) While my body was metabolizing the alcohol it wouldn't process the food, but would those 400 cals contribute to my daily calorie intake? Or would it just put things on pause while my body broke down the alcohol, and then go back to burning the food?
I guess my main question is do those alcohol calories contribute to my overall energy intake, or are they just used to burn themselves, so to speak?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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ALL calories contribute to your overall energy intake.
So the body utilizes those calories for energy? It just can't store the excess as fat?
What percentage of those calories are used to process the alcohol itself, then?
I know it seems like I'm overthinking it and getting too technical but I just really don't understand how something can have calories, be processed as energy by the body and yet not be stored as fat by the body.
And none of this changes my logging habits in any way. I'm just curious.1 -
I saw that too and thought they meant alcohol calories didn't count. I was like wha? This person is clueless.Rebecca0224 wrote: »
According to the article my adult protein shakes are a good way to consume alcohol, just need a little fiber. I knew I was doing something right.5 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »It was me who stated this, I'm sure. The other two posters already covered the why.
This is why there is a correlation between being underweight for heavy drinkers among females (they tend to not eat when on a bender) vs. overweight in males (as they tend to eat large amounts of bar food and the like).
Thank you! I'm sure it was you. I looked for evidence of a correlation between weight and alcohol intake but all I could find was bodybuilding forums-type sources. I'll keep looking but that makes more sense.0 -
Rebecca0224 wrote: »
It did help, thank you!
"In fact, large, long-term studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and International Journal of Obesity found that middle-aged and older women who drank moderately (about one drink a day) gained less weight over time than those who never imbibed at all; they were also less likely to become obese."
Stuff like this blows my mind because it's so counter to what I was taught about alcohol. But good news for me, I guess.0 -
ALL calories contribute to your overall energy intake.
So the body utilizes those calories for energy? It just can't store the excess as fat?
What percentage of those calories are used to process the alcohol itself, then?
I know it seems like I'm overthinking it and getting too technical but I just really don't understand how something can have calories, be processed as energy by the body and yet not be stored as fat by the body.
And none of this changes my logging habits in any way. I'm just curious.
The way I understand is... since it can't be stored, it is used for your current energy needs, and then any food you've eaten is stored instead. So if you eat your 1600 calories along with 400 cals of alcohol, your body will use 1200 calories of food, 400 calories of alcohol, and then that last 400 cals of food isn't needed so it gets stored.
Honestly, the short answer is - yes those calories count so log them! It's really only if you are displacing a lot of food you should be eating with alcohol that the specifics come into play in a measurable manner, if I understand correctly.4 -
I think that's the part I was missing. I just assumed the food would sit there for a while because it couldn't be processed or used. Didn't occur to me that it could be stored as fat that quickly, but that does make sense.0
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Yes and yes.
No idea. Just know that until alcohol is metabolized, no other energy sources get burned.What percentage of those calories are used to process the alcohol itself, then?
Unlike fat or carbs, alcohol is directly absorbed into the bloodstream and then to the liver. The liver senses it not as carbs or fat, so it produces enzymes to metabolize it right away. Since it's the PRIMARY energy used till it's metabolized, that's WHY it never gets stored as excess. It's also toxic to the body. Unlike fat or carbs where you can overeat them and just get fat, uncontrolled consumption of alcohol WILL KILL YOU. Hope that answered your questions.I know it seems like I'm overthinking it and getting too technical but I just really don't understand how something can have calories, be processed as energy by the body and yet not be stored as fat by the body.
And none of this changes my logging habits in any way. I'm just curious.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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So I presume if you consume nothing but alcohol you won't store any fat but you will die pretty quick0
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Yep.comeonnow142857 wrote: »So I presume if you consume nothing but alcohol you won't store any fat but you will die pretty quick
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
1 -
Unlike fat or carbs, alcohol is directly absorbed into the bloodstream and then to the liver. The liver senses it not as carbs or fat, so it produces enzymes to metabolize it right away. Since it's the PRIMARY energy used till it's metabolized, that's WHY it never gets stored as excess. It's also toxic to the body. Unlike fat or carbs where you can overeat them and just get fat, uncontrolled consumption of alcohol WILL KILL YOU. Hope that answered your questions.
It did. Way to crush my dreams!
Just kidding, I appreciate the insight
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I think that's the part I was missing. I just assumed the food would sit there for a while because it couldn't be processed or used. Didn't occur to me that it could be stored as fat that quickly, but that does make sense.
The food will be digested and stored. As niner explained, the alcohol doesn't need digested and that's why it is processed first.0 -
Rebecca0224 wrote: »
It did help, thank you!
"In fact, large, long-term studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and International Journal of Obesity found that middle-aged and older women who drank moderately (about one drink a day) gained less weight over time than those who never imbibed at all; they were also less likely to become obese."
Stuff like this blows my mind because it's so counter to what I was taught about alcohol. But good news for me, I guess.
This is so wrong, but reading this, the thing that popped into my mind was "A shot a day keeps the fat away." Bwahahaha. sorry, had to share.1 -
I always eat when I drink so this is not good news for me.0
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jennybearlv wrote: »I saw that too and thought they meant alcohol calories didn't count. I was like wha? This person is clueless.Rebecca0224 wrote: »
According to the article my adult protein shakes are a good way to consume alcohol, just need a little fiber. I knew I was doing something right.
Wait. Tell me more about these adult protein shakes.1 -
The other part to consider is that most people don't drink straight grain alcohol. Beers and mixed drinks have other ingredients which do have calories (some are quite calorie heavy) and certainly do count toward your daily calories. Most beers are around 3% - 8% alcohol (with some being a bit higher) and 'hard' alcohols are usually somewhere around 43% alcohol. So even if you're drinking straight vodka, whiskey, etc., you're not consuming pure alcohol. I guess you could stick to straight Everclear (98% alcohol), but it wouldn't make for a very fun night out drinking.3
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My father brother and ex husband all chronic alcoholics my father died aged 54 they were all very slim as they didn't eat much nothing to do with no calories in alcohol there's lots but they drank less calories then they body burnt
But I have seen my ex and my brother eat more and become over weight
It's all to do with cico anything with calories too much will gain us weight0 -
Alcohol is a weird one. One weekend I had a night out and drank a half bottle of vodka with lemonade, 3 stella artois and 3 lagers. I weighed myself the next morning to see the affect and I had lost 5lb. As soon as I started eating again the 5lb went back on!0
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