Can you Drink Alcohol Without Gaining Weight?
Written by: Martin Ebner
I'd like to offer a symposium on the benefits of total abstinence from alcohol while following a fitness routine. But then again, I do live in the real world! Alcohol is an integral part of our society and I am frequently asked about it. "Is one glass of wine/beer once a day/week/month ok?" Naturally, that really depends on your lifestyle and your fitness goals. Are you a social drinker trying to lose a little weight? Are you training for the Iron Man Triathlon? Or are you somewhere in between? It's tempting to make a blanket policy about how much to drink, or not drink, but we need to be honest with ourselves too. If you really enjoy a tipple, how likely is it that you’ll refrain from joining your friends and colleagues at the bar after work, decline to toast the happy couple, or turn down a refreshing alcoholic beverage to complement a beautiful summer evening? We are a drinking society: according to Merriam-Webster's Finest Words for Drinking, there are over 350 synonyms for drunk. In fact, the word "symposium" originally comes from the ancient Greek sympinein, meaning "to drink together." (See what I did there?)
What is Alcohol?
The word "alcohol" is a chemistry term and there are limitless types of alcohol. You've probably used isopropanol, also known as rubbing alcohol. Windshield wiper fluid usually contains methanol. The type of alcohol that we drink is called ethanol. Yes, the very same as the gasoline additive, designed to make your car less polluting. Maybe you didn't realize that ethanol will burn? It does because it contains energy. Ethanol is basically half sugar, chemically speaking. So yes, ethanol contains calories. A shot of 80 proof (40%) vodka has around 100 calories, mostly coming directly from the alcohol itself. That’s roughly the equivalent of walking or running one mile.
Choosing the "Right" Alcohol
It can be very tempting to determine how much extra time we need to spend on the treadmill or stationary bike today based on how many drinks we had last night. However, there are some things to consider. Most types of alcohol contain residual sugars, especially those fermented from sugar, such as rum. This means that there can be additional calories in there besides those from just the alcohol.
Now, I don’t like to talk overly about calories and I don’t necessarily believe you should ever count them but for the purpose of the article, I shall proceed. Distilled spirits are the lowest in calories, followed by wine and then beer. Beware of mixed drinks as juice and soft-drinks tend to contain a lot of sugar. A margarita can contain up to a whopping 750 calories and 56 grams of carbs. Personally, I'd prefer a giant piece of chocolate cake, please! A dry martini is a great choice and is among the lowest calorie options for an alcoholic beverage at about 120 calories. If opting for mixed drinks, always go for diet, light, or streamlined versions. Dry wine and light beer are also great options. Just be sure that a light beer doesn't lead to pints of craft beer. As a physician friend once said, "When you think of a pint of microbrew beer, picture a hot-fudge sundae." He wasn't joking.
Related article: How to lose 50lbs in one year
How to Balance a Couple Drinks a Week While Offsetting Weight Gain
Committing to a fitness routine means committing to proper rest, a healthy diet, and good lifestyle choices. Only you know what your goals are and how flexible you can be in achieving them. All fitness trainers emphasize the need to commit to a plan, be consistent, and stay disciplined. When determining your daily dietary requirements - how many calories, how much protein, how many carbs, etc, try to be realistic. If you know you have a glass of wine every night with dinner, include that in your calculations. If you know you'll have a couple of beers with the family while you watch the game, include that too.
One of the big issues with alcohol is that it can lower our commitment and distract us from our goals. "Oh sure, what's one more beer?" And before you know it, you've knocked back 5 extra pints and consumed 1000 empty calories. This is where good lifestyle choices will be crucial. Do you have a friend that won't allow you to leave without "just one more?" Do you have a family member who, despite knowing your goals, insists on offering you high fat/calorie snacks to go along with drinks? Does the group go to lunch at a place renowned for their margaritas (and nachos, etc)? Try to get into the habit of saying no and certainly don’t feel guilty or ashamed for doing so! If someone fails to support you for drinking less, it might be worth giving them a wide berth for a while. After all, drinking less is a good thing, not something you should feel guilty for.
Before having alcohol, have a big glass of water and regularly alternate between drinks and water. Alcohol is a diuretic. When we drink it, we feel thirsty and it is easy to absent-mindedly have another drink. Drinking water helps keep us feeling full as well as hydrated. Bars, pubs, and restaurants will always provide drinking water. It may feel awkward at first, but get into the habit of asking for water and refills. When you're offered a beer at your friend’s BBQ, say, "Sure! And can I have a glass of water too?"
Always eat something, preferably healthy and from your meal plan, while drinking. Alcohol is metabolized differently than food, so eating something helps regulate your metabolism. Alcohol on an empty stomach can cause a spike in blood sugar which then leads to low blood sugar which can then lead to poor dietary choices later.
Lifestyle Choices and Alcohol
I can't emphasize enough the need to examine your lifestyle choices before committing to a fitness routine. As I mentioned above, alcohol is woven into the fabric of our culture. According to Health.com, nearly nine in ten people have had alcohol at some point and over half have had it in the last month. You may need to make some difficult choices. Balancing your goals vs FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is difficult. One thing that helps is choosing one's friends wisely. If that "aw-come-on-just-one-more" friend and life of the party is the glue of your social group, it may be time to find a new social group or at the very least let yourself be ok with missing out on the drunken hilarity.
Greasy food like pizza, burgers, and fried anything go together with alcohol in a horror-show gut-expanding way. If you can, avoid the greasy dive bar. Actually, it's probably best to avoid the greasy up-scale bar too, come to think of it! Seriously, restaurant food tastes good because of the fat, salt, and large portions. We are unlikely to cook like that in our own kitchens, but we're willing to look the other way when someone else does the cooking. "Out of sight, out of mind!" It is perfectly conceivable to eat and drink two thousand calories in one meal.
When out with friends, avoid the "round system." When folks take turns getting the next round, it inevitably leads to drinking much more than you normally would have. You don't want to be rude and refuse a round, and it's even ruder to skip your turn to reciprocate. If it's a large group, that can really add up. Simply order for yourself from the bar. It may feel a little anti-social at first, but if your friends know why they’ll be nice about it. If they’re not, they’ll soon be too drunk to care anyway!
Another question that comes up a lot: "Is it ok to have a beer, wine, or a cocktail after my workout?" Well, it's better than before your workout! Seriously though, I recommend against rewarding yourself with a post-workout drink. To recover properly after exercise, your body needs to stimulate the synthesis of muscle proteins, rehydrate, and replenish glycogen. Alcohol is a diuretic, so no help with hydrating. It is also metabolized first, so your system won’t utilize the post-workout protein snack your body needs for muscle repair and recovery.
Exercise Can Help to Offset the Health Risks of Alcohol
Exercise offsets most health risks, so it probably comes as no surprise that it offsets the long-term health effects of drinking alcohol as well. Everybody knows someone who cites "sources" as saying that a glass of red wine a day keeps the cardiologist away. However, a paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine says that the prophylactic effect of alcohol needs to be activated with exercise. It was not a controlled study, but the authors' findings do indicate that physical activity has the potential to curb some of the harmful health effects of drinking.
As reported in an article on WhatIsEpigenetics.com, researchers have also found that physical activity decreases long-term alcohol-induced cognitive deficiencies. As you know, drinking alcohol on a regular basis, even in moderation, can cause damage to the brain. Physical activity, however, has been reported to protect cognitive function. The researchers do not recommend even moderate drinking, however, they do indicate that regular physical activity seems to keep the minds of social drinkers sharp and helps prevent dementia.
Takeaways
Alcohol contains calories.
Not all alcohol is created equal.
If you’re trying to determine your energy expenditure and macronutrient needs (calories, protein, carbs and fat) to lose weight and/or maintain a healthy body composition, make sure to include the calories and carbs from your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can encourage poor dietary and lifestyle choices.
Formulate a plan prior to drinking socially.
Surround yourself with people who support your health and fitness goals.
It's best to avoid drinking alcohol immediately following physical activity.
Exercise helps lessen the long-term physical and mental effects of alcohol.
Conclusion
How much alcohol you drink is a very personal choice. Only you know the right balance between your fitness goals and your enjoyment of a drink or two. By sticking to a plan and making informed and conscious decisions, you can achieve your goals without depriving yourself of something you enjoy. If you are disciplined enough to stick to your fitness routine and food plan, then you can certainly indulge in your favorite alcoholic drink within reason and still lose weight and/or maintain your current physique!
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References
British Journal of Sports medicine - Recommended weekly physical activity to offset dangerous harms of alcohol consumption.
