You can meticulously count every calorie in the foods you eat, but if you fail to include your beverage calories you may inadvertently sabotage your weight-loss success. It is essential to consider the amount of calories in each of your drinks while dieting, including your alcoholic beverages. While alcohol contains a significant amount of calories, it is possible to indulge in weekend drinking without affecting the success of your diet.
The Effect of Alcohol on Weight
Alcohol is a calorie-dense beverage. It has 7 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrates only contain 4 calories each per gram. The only calorie source that contains more calories than alcohol is fat, which has 9 calories per gram. Since the body processes the calories from alcohol before the calories from other sources, drinking alcohol may cause your body to temporarily stop burning fat. However, research is conflicting about how this may affect a person's overall weight. While some studies show an association between alcohol consumption and weight gain, others do not and some research indicates that moderate alcohol consumption may even cause weight loss.
Weight Loss
You can only lose weight when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. Find out how many calories your body typically uses in a day. Since this amount is based on your specific circumstances, you will need to use an online calculator or ask a healthcare professional to determine this amount. Once you know how many calories a day your body uses, analyze your current diet and make whatever changes are necessary to keep your daily caloric intake less than this amount. As long as your weekend alcohol consumption does not cause you to exceed the amount of calories your body burns, you should still be able to lose weight. If your alcoholic drinks do put you over your limit, consider switching to a lower-calorie alcoholic beverage or cut out other food or beverages that day so you can create a calorie deficit.
Calories in Alcoholic Beverages
The calories of alcoholic beverages can vary greatly, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. A 12-oz. can of regular beer typically contains about 153 calories, while a 12-oz. can of light beer usually has around 103 calories. A 1.5-oz. shot of a distilled spirit, such as vodka, run, gin, whiskey, tequila and bourbon, has about 124 calories per serving. A 5-oz. serving of white wine has 121 calories while the same sized serving of red wine contains about 125 calories. However, keep in mind that these amounts are just averages. Always check the nutrition label on the bottle or can to determine the specific amount of calories. Also remember to consider the amount of calories in any mixers you may add to the alcohol, such as juice or soda.
Nutrition and Exercise
While creating a calorie deficit is essential for weight-loss, keep in mind that proper nutrition is also important. Do not sacrifice getting the essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need just so you can consume alcoholic beverages on the weekend. Instead, consider increasing the amount of exercise you get. This will increase the amount of calories your body burns in a day, enabling you to eat enough nutrient-rich foods to meet your nutritional needs, drink alcoholic beverages and still maintain a calorie deficit.
Considerations
A study published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" notes that the pattern of your drinking may also play a role in your weight. Researchers R.A. Breslow and B.A. Smothers examined the drinking habits and weight of 37,000 non-smokers and found that those who consumed small amounts of alcohol frequently throughout the week had the lowest body mass index while those that indulged in binge drinking once a week had the highest body mass index. Given this research, it may be beneficial to consume one or two drinks several times a week instead of drinking large quantities of alcohol on the weekends.
Warning
Drinking alcohol often lowers inhibitions. While it may be relatively easy to say no to sugary foods while sober, you may have a harder time resisting temptation while under the influence of alcohol. Because of this, try to avoid drinking alcohol in places where unhealthy foods are easily accessible. If this is not possible, telling the people you are with about your diet and asking them to help you avoid consuming unhealthy foods while drinking may help.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Rethink Your Drink; February 2011
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Alcohol Beverage
- "American Journal of Epidemiology"; Drinking Patterns and Body Mass Index...; R.A. Breslow et al.; February 2005
- State University of New York Potsdam; Alcohol, Calories and Weight; David J. Hanson
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