How Alcohol Will Effect Your Waist

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If you've been trying to lose weight for any length of time, you're probably pretty good at monitoring your calories. Even if you don't keep a detailed food journal, you probably have a rough idea of the calories you're eating.
But there's one area we often fall short and that's in the calories we drink. Energy drinks, juice and smoothies can add extra calories, but alcohol is often our biggest enemy, going down so smoothly, we may have no idea just how many extra calories we're taking in.
If cocktails are a regular part of your diet and you're trying to lose weight, being more aware of what and how much you drink can make a difference.

Drinking, Weight Loss, and Your Health

If you're a moderate drinker, which is defined as two drinks a day for men or one drink a day for women, some studies have found possible health benefits such as:
  • Reduced risk of developing heart disease
  • Reduced risk of ischemic stroke
  • Lower risk of dying of a heart attack
  • Lower risk of developing diabetes
Of course, there are other ways to achieve all of these things without tipping a glass - exercise, for one, and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet. While there may be some health benefits to moderate drinking and, of course, many of us just like it, there are some drawbacks as well, starting with your waistline.
I reblogged this post from WebMD, but I have a few observations I want to add. I'm of German decent and I like beer and red wine and I do have one drink a day or maybe two but I'm maintaining, not trying to lose weight.  I found, over a period of several years, that when I was trying to lose weight alcohol would keep me from losing and I don't think it was because of the calories. Alcohol will slow down your metabolism and keep you from burning calories. So does one glass of beer or wine really hurt you? That's a question you have to answer for yourself. All you can do is try one drink maybe every other day for ten days and see if it stops your weight loss. I believe substituting calories never works either. A coke and a beer will have about the same calories, right. But can I change my coke a day habit for a beer a day habit? That's where I believe that all calories are not the same so you can eat 2000 calories a day of healthy foods, like fresh foods (those are foods that have no label) or 2000 calories of manufactured foods (foods you buy in packages, cans, or bottles). 2000 calories of fresh foods will keep you healthy and 2000 calories of manufactured food will keep you in the doctor's office with problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight problems and even malnutrition. 
Have you ever heard of the Paleo Diet or Caveman Diet. It's called the Caveman Diet because you don't eat anything that wasn't around 10,000 years ago. So, in other words, you don't eat anything that man has processed in some way. You wouldn't even buy the lettuce in a bag that has been cleaned and cut. You don't buy anything in a can, bottle, or any kind of a package, fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried. Now, this is where some people might have a problem with this diet because there would n't be any cheese or other dairy products.  But to be honest, most doctors and dietitians will tell you to cut out dairy when you're trying to lose weight. 
Food companies are quick to blame you for your health problems, they say you over-indulge, you eat too much sugar, or you should exercise more. They don't want to say anything about the food they make. But when the sales of that food item start to go down, they are quick to drop the item or change the item, but as long as they can sell that item and make money, no matter how unhealthy it is, you will still find it on the shelf. Believe me, food manufacturers only want to make food that you will buy and that won't make your sick. The idea that they make food that's actually healthy and good for you would only happen if they could make more money doing it. 

How Alcohol Can Pack on the Pounds

One of the obvious side effects of alcohol is that it adds calories to your diet. But so does a soft drink. What the point? A couple of alcoholic drinks will increase your appetite and because alcohol will impair your judgment, you will make bad food choices that add even more calories. A night out once a week with your friends can easily add 5000 calories to your day's consumption. If you were dieting all week and working out every day that extra 5000 calories turned a 2-pound loss into a 2-pound gain that will take you 2 weeks to undo. But if your going out every Friday night with your friends all the dieting and workout may be for nothing. You don't have to quit going out, but you have to quit drinking alcohol, change to Club Soda w/twist and maybe you can do the driving.
While many of us have a handle on the calories we eat, we often don't know how many calories are in our drinks.This statement is the truth. Many overweight people consume more calories in their drink than in their food but don't keep track of their drinks.
While alcohol doesn't contain fat, it does contain 7 calories per gram. That's more than protein and carbs, both of which contain 4 calories per gram. To get an idea of what you're drinking, check out this brief list of common cocktails.
Does your favorite drink have more calories than you thought?
  • 1 can (12 oz) Beer - 135-145 calories
  • 1 can (12 oz) Light Beer - 101 calories
  • 1 glass (3.5 oz) Red or White Wine - 70-75 calories
  • 1 shot (1.5 oz) Gin, rum, vodka or whiskey - 97 calories
  • 1 glass (6 oz) Cosmopolitan - 143 calories
  • 1 glass (4.5 oz) Pina colada - 262 calories
  • 1 glass (2.2 oz) Martini - 135 calorie
These drinks don't have that many calories, but some mixed drinks will contain more than 500 calories. If it tastes too good then it's probably loaded with calories.
A couple of beers can easily add more than 300 calories to your diet, the equivalent of 30 minutes of jogging for a 150-lb person. Having a few drinks after a workout may end up undoing all that hard work. Find more information about your favorite drinks at Calorie Counter.com. An experienced person who works out regularly will only burn about 300 calories in a one hour workout period.
 Increased Appetite
Some studies suggest that alcohol can actually stimulate the appetite, at least in the short term. This is especially true when you're at a party or some other social event where tempting foods are everywhere you turn. It's hard enough to avoid fatty or sugary foods when you're sober, but add alcohol and an increased appetite and it may become impossible.

 License to Indulge

Not only does alcohol add calories, it makes it harder to stick to a healthy diet. It takes a high dose of willpower to turn down high-calorie foods and that requires energy.
One study has shown that acts of self-control, like bypassing a piece of chocolate cake for a carrot stick, can actually deplete glucose levels, leaving us vulnerable in situations where we don't have control over our choices. Adding alcohol to the mix drains that energy, even more, leaving you less concerned about blowing your diet than satisfying your cravings. After a few drinks, that healthy diet you've been following so diligently suddenly doesn't seem all that important anymore. Yes, alcohol is the main reason the Pizza business is booming. After a couple of drinks, you get hungry and want comfort food. 

The Day After

A night of drinking, even if it's just one too many, not only leaves you vulnerable to temptation, it may leave you too tired or hungover to exercise the next day.
When you're hungover, you're dehydrated, clumsy and nauseous - all things that preclude a workout.
Like everything else, moderation is the key when it comes to enjoying alcohol while watching your weight. Treat alcohol the same way you treat other things in your diet - as something you can enjoy from time to time without going overboard. Learn more about safe drinking to ensure that you're keeping your body healthy and safe.
I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

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