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Alcohol and weight loss
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(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
The term "empty calories" may seem overused but it certainly is a fitting label for alcoholic beverages. However, it isn't just the calories that are detrimental to your weight loss efforts.
When many try to lose weight by cutting calories, the calories get the main focus. Alcohol is like the 5th Beatle, only it is the 4th macro nutrient. You have carbohydrates and protein which are three calories per gram, fat which is nine calories per gram, and then you alcohol with seven calories per gram.
Do you know the calorie content of some of the popular drinks? Information from AskMen.com:
Beer
| Brand | Calories | Carbs (g) |
| Budweiser | 145 | 10.6 |
| Coors Light | 102 | 5 |
| Miller Genuine Draft | 143 | 13.1 |
| Michelob | 155 | 13.3 |
| Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | 200 | 12.3 |
| Sam Adams Boston Lager | 160 | 18 |
| Heineken | 150 | 11.5 |
| Corona | 148 | 14 |
| Guinness Extra Stout | 153 | 17.4 |
Wine
| Type | Calories | Carbs (g) |
| Cabernet Sauvignon (red) | 90 | 2.5 |
| Merlot (red) | 95 | 2.5 |
| Chianti (red) | 100 | 2.5 |
| Chardonnay (white) | 90 | 1.1 |
| Sauvignon Blanc (white) | 80 | 1.1 |
| Port (Ruby) | 185 | Up to 10 |
Cocktails
| Type | Calories | Carbs (g) |
| Gin & Tonic | 200 | 4 |
| Vodka Cranberry | 220 | 5 |
| Bloody Mary | 180 | 4 |
| Margarita | Up to 500 | Up to 10 |
| Long Island Iced Tea | Up to 550 | Up to 11 |
If it were just the calories, you could still have the occasional light beer or low calorie mixed drink. That isn't the case, though. Alcohol has other effects that many aren't aware of.
One of your main goals in losing weight is to burn fat. Your body will first burn excess carbohydrates for energy so they will be burned first. After the excess carbohydrates are burned, your body will then begin to burn fat. This is what you want!
If you have alcohol in your system, you can throw all of that out of the window. Only a small part of the alcohol is turned into fat. Most of it is converted to acetate by your liver and is then released into your bloodstream. It then replaces fat as your body's source of fuel. Instead of burning the fat you want to burn, you're burning the alcohol.
Is that drink really worth it?
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