Alcohol - yes or no
Are you feeling stuck on your weight loss journey? Maybe you've been diligently hitting the gym, getting those daily steps in, watching your food portions and macros, and saying "no" to those tempting sugary treats, but the scale and measurements just won't budge. Well, before you start blaming your metabolism or your genetics, let's get something very clear, don't blame other factors without taking a closer look at your lifestyle choices, in this case, your drink of choice: alcohol
Yes, I know the majority of us all love to unwind with a beautiful glass of wine or a refreshing cocktail after a long day, but what many of you don't realize is that those drinks are in fact sabotaging your weight loss results.
Yep, you heard it right—alcohol and weight loss don't exactly mix well like a peanut butter and jelly sarmi.
But why is that? Let me share a few points to explain why......
1.Alcohol is basically a big ol' bundle of Empty Calories, unlike nutritious foods that provide our bodies with essential vitamins and minerals. Just one gram of alcohol contains about 7 calories and absolutely zero nutritional value.
So, you know your favourite fruity margarita or that creamy pint of stout that tastes delicious, I'm sorry to inform you about the real truth, ..... it's not providing your waistline with any favors and definitely is messing up your hormones.
2. Yes, our metabolism slows down when we drink alcohol. Our bodies prioritize metabolizing alcohol over everything else.
That means while your liver is working hard at breaking down those cocktails, it's not burning fat or carbohydrates for energy, fat burning comes to a strong "halt". As a result, your metabolism takes a hit, and your body's ability to torch those extra calories slows down big time.
3. And you wonder why you have an increased appetite. Ever notice how you suddenly feel ravenous after a night of drinking? Alcohol has a sneaky way of revving up our appetite and lowering our inhibitions, which leads to overeating and making less-than-healthy food choices. Those late-night pizza runs or post-party snack binges quickly undo all your hard work.
4. Liver Health is absolutly paramount! Our liver is our superhero when it comes to detoxifying and taking care of our bodies, but they can only handle so much at once. Do Not Abuse Your Liver! Excessive alcohol consumption overloads the liver, leading to fatty liver disease and other serious health problems. A stressed-out liver will NOT help burn body fat effectively.
But no need to fear, you don't have to swear off alcohol entirely to reach your weight loss goals, but you do need to make changes. Moderation is the magical key!
Here are a few of my quick tips to help you not derail your progress:
- Pay attention to what you are choosing to drink. Always opt for lower-calorie options like light beer or wine spritzers, pure and clean white spirits or whisky.
- When following a focused fat loss regime, consider keeping your weekdays powerfully clean and lean in terms of eating habits, allowing yourself a social drink or two only over the weekends. This approach not only helps you stay on track during the weekdays, but it gives your body the time to focus on fat burning without the interference of alcohol.
- Another good tip is to alternate alcoholic beverages with water to stay hydrated and help mitigate some of the alcohol's dehydrating effects.
- Stay far away from sugary sodas and syrup mixes, as this adds tons of extra calories. Best is to always grab a club soda, or a "skinny" tonic water mix instead.
Remember, stay wise with your alcoholic choices, not only to keep winning at your fat loss goals, but first and foremost to keep your Liver health in check. Always add a liver support supplement, like Milk Thistle to your daily supplement and vitamin regime. Milk Thistle is a powerful helping hand.
Enjoying a drink or two with friends can be fun, but it's important to be mindful of how it's impacting your health and weight loss journey. So here's to making informed choices and raising a glass to our health -Salute!
PS: I’ll catch you in the best virtual coaching studio in the world, the PowerfulME platform - Don’t Be Late!
Ciao!
Michelene Adamo
Power Punch Message From Michelene:
Changing what and how you think, changes everything!!!
Let me just list a few; it changes the words you choose, the circles you hang out with, your partners you commit to, your daily actions, the places you visit, and yes even how you look in a pair of jeans.