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Alcohol's effect on fat loss
Rammer123
Posts: 679 Member
What are people's thoughts on this?
I think it most definetly does have a negative effect on fat loss and slows it down for sure, but I have found ways that work for me, to still incorporate drinks a couple times week and sustainably lose weight consistently.
Thoughts?
I think it most definetly does have a negative effect on fat loss and slows it down for sure, but I have found ways that work for me, to still incorporate drinks a couple times week and sustainably lose weight consistently.
Thoughts?
2
Replies
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Alcohol gets metabolised first by the body so in that sense it slows down fat loss.
If I consume alcohol in the place of some of my calories then in the grand scheme of things it makes no real difference.4 -
Alcohol is metabolised under a higher priority pathway, so when you imbibe, your body is going to metabolize the alcohol first. This pathway also does not utilize fat. Note that this is on a molecular scale, so does not amount to much of anything in detectability. The rate that this restricts fat burning is contained within a few hours after drinking and is below the degree of error in medical instrumentation.
On that note - slàinte !6 -
Having got to goal and maintained it for well over a year now while drinking almost every day, I think the problem with alcohol and weight loss is usually more a problem of lowered inhibitions leading to overeating when consuming alcohol than from the actual alcohol itself.27
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Trying to make the best of it if desired.
http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Having got to goal and maintained it for well over a year now while drinking almost every day, I think the problem with alcohol and weight loss is usually more a problem of lowered inhibitions leading to overeating when consuming alcohol than from the actual alcohol itself.
This. When people drink they tend to make worse food decisions
Also, most alcohol is calory dense.5 -
For myself, I have found it best to nearly eliminate alcohol. I have a low calorie target (short and fairly sedentary) and spending calories on drinks doesn't always leave me enough food to feel satisfied.5
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In my opinion it's a simple matter of staying within your calorie limit. You could lose weight eating Snickers bars and drinking vodka. On the other hand I wouldn't recommend that as far as what it would do to your body not the best idea.
I'll give you my experience January 1st 2016 my weight was 288 lb. When on vacation in March ate too much drink too much definitely drank too much some days drank my calorie limit. Finally reached maintenance around September 2016 weighing about 200 lbs.Went on vacation to Puerto Rico in October for10 days same exact thing ate too much drink too much had a great time. January 2017 stayed with friends in Florida for approximately a week ate too much drink too much definitely drank my calorie limit a couple days. My current weight is about 208 lbs.
In my opinion I think the reason alcohol slows down or increases weight is your simply going over your calories. Look at it this way 4 bottles of beer is probably the equivalent of eating one Big Mac from McDonald's or 5 beers can equal a large french fry from McDonald's.
It also depends on what you're drinking if you're drinking beer or straight alcohol probably the calories are under 200 per serving but if you're having an exotic drink you could have a couple hundred maybe a thousand calories in there
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@RuNaRoUnDaFiEld @CSARdiver, do you have a source for the statement that alcohol is metabolized first? Not an expert in this area, but in my Google-fu, I've seen that it is metabolized preferentially as quickly as possibly, limited by the toxic acetaldehyde intermediate (source: http://hams.cc/metabolism/ ), but nothing that states it is burned first before all other fuels, and it does not seem possible based on some quick calcs (see below post).
Copy and paste of part of my post from another thread:
Source for the first statement? I've heard this before, but I have never seen where this comes from. Just going by alcohol metabolism rates, and some common sense, this seems unlikely to impossible. At my weight (150 lbs), 3 shots of 80 proof liquor at 291 calories would take 5-6 hours to metabolize. My sedentary TDEE is ~100 cal/hour. I still need to metabolize 300 calories from other sources (fats/carbs/proteins) to make up the difference.
In addition, so what if alcohol is burned first? Carbs in the form of glycogen are burned preferentially during hard aerobic exercise, but this doesn't affect body fat loss (hence the misconception of the "fat burning zone" and low intensity exercise being preferable for losing weight). This misses the forest from the trees.
If alcohol has anything to do with weight loss, it's probably more to do with the other decisions that get made when you are drinking alcohol...4 -
I think alcohol has a negative affect on the body in general (not necessarily weight loss) but I smoke so I have no real leg to stand on lol2
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Not in that sense - no. Alcohol metabolism has a nominal effect in application and nearly undetectable on a macro scale. This doesn't shut off other metabolic pathways, but prioritizes, so apologies if my use of "first" was misleading.
There is a secondary impact of alcohol as it reduces vasopressin production - inhibiting the signalling of the renal system to reabsorb water. This has the potential to impact every metabolic pathway theoretically; however again in application - undetectable.
That's much of the confusion - what may be a truth on a micro/molecular scale holds a very different context on a macro scale. Forest vs. Trees.The_Enginerd wrote: »
If alcohol has anything to do with weight loss, it's probably more to do with the other decisions that get made when you are drinking alcohol...
Very much agree.1 -
Yeah, I find that I make worse choices when drinking, so I try to limit it to 1 litre of craft beer per week. That way the most I can drink at once is my mini-growler, and when that's done... so am I!
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I firmly believe it's CICO. So as long as you account for your cocktails, it shouldn't (theoretically) have any effect on weight loss. But overindulgence is overindulgence, whether it's cocktails or pie or turkey. Anyone said "portion control" lately?
And trust, me....I like my cocktails. So I build them into my plan. 1 -
For me, food tastes so much better when accompanied by a well-paired wine. This causes me to consume much more food......in addition to the wine calories. Of course, weekends are more of a challenge.
I have actually committed myself to stop drinking for one year and immediately began dropping weight again after being stalled at a plateau.2 -
The_Enginerd wrote: »@RuNaRoUnDaFiEld @CSARdiver, do you have a source for the statement that alcohol is metabolized first? Not an expert in this area, but in my Google-fu, I've seen that it is metabolized preferentially as quickly as possibly, limited by the toxic acetaldehyde intermediate (source: http://hams.cc/metabolism/ ), but nothing that states it is burned first before all other fuels, and it does not seem possible based on some quick calcs (see below post).
Copy and paste of part of my post from another thread:
Source for the first statement? I've heard this before, but I have never seen where this comes from. Just going by alcohol metabolism rates, and some common sense, this seems unlikely to impossible. At my weight (150 lbs), 3 shots of 80 proof liquor at 291 calories would take 5-6 hours to metabolize. My sedentary TDEE is ~100 cal/hour. I still need to metabolize 300 calories from other sources (fats/carbs/proteins) to make up the difference.
In addition, so what if alcohol is burned first? Carbs in the form of glycogen are burned preferentially during hard aerobic exercise, but this doesn't affect body fat loss (hence the misconception of the "fat burning zone" and low intensity exercise being preferable for losing weight). This misses the forest from the trees.
If alcohol has anything to do with weight loss, it's probably more to do with the other decisions that get made when you are drinking alcohol...
Studies posted in the link I gave above, because Martin is always going for science based opinions and info.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11115785
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3280601
Ditto's to idea that in the view of a day - it doesn't matter.
But as link above shows - you can tweak things to make the effect not as bad.2 -
What are people's thoughts on this?
I think it most definetly does have a negative effect on fat loss and slows it down for sure, but I have found ways that work for me, to still incorporate drinks a couple times week and sustainably lose weight consistently.
Thoughts?
For me quitting drinking played a major role. I'm 3 1/2 years alcohol free. Within 12 months of quitting I lost 30 pounds. I'mm sure there were other factors involved but in my case it definitely helped. Not to mention the more positive numbers in my blood work.2 -
I'm a huge believer in CICO for the most part. When I drink at home, I weigh my wine or vodka and count it towards my daily allotment. But alcohol being a sedative, it slows me down and I can enjoy sitting for hours with a few drinks in me. So my CO decrease even though I'm accounting for the CI. Put a zero calorie sparkling water in me instead and I'm still the antsy worrier who can't sit still and chill out.5
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If any, alcohol should be used as an occasional treat. I stick to my mantra; I can do anything 1 day in 14.3
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As much as I like a pint of IPA and a glass of wine, I hate the fact that drinking any alcohol results in an increase in empty cals that makes it difficult to meet my macro/cal goals.
So, in general, for each pint of beer or glass of wine that I drink, I also have to plan to exercise (rowing is my preference) at least 15 mins at a moderate pace to make up for one of each.3 -
I don't like how alcohol messes with my appetite. If I drink, my appetite the following day is totally different - I crave sweets and I feel way more hungry than usual. I went back to IF last Saturday; no booze until I had 2 drinks last night. I went from zero cravings all week to wicked cravings today. I didn't give in (go me!) but it was a remarkable difference in appetite for sure. I'll still have a night a week of a couple drinks going forward, but I have to have serious discipline to not let it screw up my good eating habits. If it becomes an issue, I'll stop any drinking - nothing tastes as good as fit feels to me 4
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Any opinions on the best Irish Whiskey for the money?0
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I don't care what it does or doesn't do, first, last or in between. You'll get my Scotch when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.6
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I have found the third drink negatively effects my ability to say no to bar nachos and potatoe skins and other similar foods8
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I'm a very social person!!! I would say on average we have friends or family here 4 days out of 7! Which really hampers my no drinking! I've tried spritzer, no drinks till Thursday, faking it,( a glass with a drink but no Booze) indulging, having one and I know it's my drinks that hampers my weight loose!! Please don't judge I'm never drunk but enjoy a social!! Any additional tips would be great! I want a life style that blends both in a healthy manner but when I look at my reality a beer or drink on the deck is my life. Any drink ideas that are low carb, and calories wise would really be appreciated.1
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I'm a very social person!!! I would say on average we have friends or family here 4 days out of 7! Which really hampers my no drinking! I've tried spritzer, no drinks till Thursday, faking it,( a glass with a drink but no Booze) indulging, having one and I know it's my drinks that hampers my weight loose!! Please don't judge I'm never drunk but enjoy a social!! Any additional tips would be great! I want a life style that blends both in a healthy manner but when I look at my reality a beer or drink on the deck is my life. Any drink ideas that are low carb, and calories wise would really be appreciated.
Find different friends?4 -
It makes me binge on nachos3
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I'm a very social person!!! I would say on average we have friends or family here 4 days out of 7! Which really hampers my no drinking! I've tried spritzer, no drinks till Thursday, faking it,( a glass with a drink but no Booze) indulging, having one and I know it's my drinks that hampers my weight loose!! Please don't judge I'm never drunk but enjoy a social!! Any additional tips would be great! I want a life style that blends both in a healthy manner but when I look at my reality a beer or drink on the deck is my life. Any drink ideas that are low carb, and calories wise would really be appreciated.
Just make your drink last as long as possible and try to limit to one. Depending on your calorie goals, fitting in a 125 calorie glass of wine or a 160 calorie beer into your goals 4 times a week may be totally possible! Many people find room to fit in a daily treat, who says that that 'treat' can't be an alcoholic beverage?! Stick to the lower calorie options like beer or wine, or a liquor with seltzer and fruit or diet soda as a mixer. Skip the juices and sugar mixers and you'll save hundred of calories.
ETA: Remember - losing weight shouldn't be miserable and it *should* fit into your life! Enjoy your friends and family and don't beat yourself up!1 -
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It effects my sleep. sleep is huge.2
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I've mostly cut it except once per week or less I'll have a bit of Vodka and use no mixers. Just club soda, lime, ginger, some muddled berries and that's it. Keeps it under 100 Calories and low sugar compared to other liquors or wine.
But since doctors are still deciding whether or not 1 glass of dry, red wine has health and weight loss benefits (or not) there's still hope.1
This discussion has been closed.
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