Not the usual combination I would put together however given some of our fit fam like to occasionally enjoy their favourite alcoholic beverage, it poses the question; Can you still drink alcohol and reach your goals?
It’s no secret that alcohol is far from a health food and with side effects linked to poor performance, reduced fat metabolism, diabetes and liver disease it really doesn’t sounds like it has a lot going for it.
So what is alcohol?
Believe it or not alcohol is a macro nutrient. It contains 7 calories per gram, which is nearly double that of protein and carbohydrate which contains 4 calories per gram! (Fat has 9 calories per gram).
Unlike carbohydrates, proteins and fats, alcohol supplies the body with what we often refer to as empty calories: calories without nutrition.
To add to this there are a few ‘Fat Traps’ we can find ourselves in when drinking alcohol;
Alcohol is often paired with high sugar liquids such as soft drink, tonic water or juice, postponing the fat burning process and contributing to greater fat storage.
When your enjoying your favourite drink, you're relaxed and your more likely to eat foods which aren’t good for you (you know... the salty fatty kind) and eat more of it to.
Alcohol increases your appetite, when drinking you're often in a social environment so you may not be focused and present on what your doing, one chip can easily turn into “oh my where did that packet go” and even midnight munchies.
So where does that leave my six-pack and my glass of wine you may be wondering...
Life should have balance. Meaning you make time for all these things that are important to you. With that said balance with purpose will move you forward to achieving results.
The 80/20 rule works well for most, 80% of the time you stick to the plan and fuel your body with great nutrient dense foods and 20% of the time you can relax a little and treat your self.
To break it down 1200 calorie day – 80% = 960 calories, 20% = 240 calories.
If your results plateau or you want results in a shorter amount of time change it up and try 90/10.
1200 calorie day – 90% = 1080 calories, 20% = 120 calories
As alcohol is a toxin and slows the body’s fat burning down by 70%! I don’t recommend it regularly.
However if you are doing everything you should be with training and nutrition, you may be able to get away with a glass of wine once or twice a week.
