The Impacts of Alcohol on our Goals
Before we dig deeper into the topic of alcohol, we want to make one thing perfectly clear: the message here is not to give up alcohol; it is to assess our relationship with alcohol and how drinking aligns with our goals.
Can alcohol impact fat loss?
The short answer is yes.
Can you fit alcohol into your macros, drink in moderation, and still achieve your goals?
Also yes.
In our experience, it’s very hard to make progress with routine or frequent alcohol consumption. Lets discuss the ways alcohol can affect your health and biofeedback:
Alcohol increases hunger. It impairs decision making and lowers inhibitions, which increases the tendency to over-consume and a lessened awareness of how much we are consuming.
Alcohol leads to poor food choices and overconsumption. Studies show that people underestimate their alcohol consumption and make poor food choices, which can impact weight loss goals.
Alcohol is calorically dense. Alcohol is the 4th macro with seven calories per gram and has a disproportionally high caloric value for minimal nutrients.
Alcohol provides zero nutritional benefit and your body prioritizes the digestion of alcohol ahead of anything else, which can impact recovery and weight loss.
Alcohol doesn’t trigger fullness cues. It doesn’t trigger the hormone that regulates appetite, so it’s difficult to feel full or satiated when alcohol is consumed.
Alcohol consumption leads to impaired sleep quality, increased inflammatory response, disrupted sex drive, increased stress, and compromises the immune system.
More important than the metabolic effects are the behavioral ones. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs decision making around food. A person looking to change their eating habits or achieve fat loss will face more challenges with alcohol in the mix.
