Can you lose fat & drink alcohol?
Can you lose fat & drink alcohol?
Short answer: Yes, but it’s a lot harder to do…
When it comes to fat loss, it’s not just about Calories. Yes, Calories matter, but so do a lot of other things such as hormones, inflammation, gut microbiome, and more…
Our bodies are chemistry labs, not bank accounts. Whenever we consume something, whether it’s food or a beverage, it starts a chain reaction of events to metabolize the substance. It’s not as simple as 300 Calories gets deposited & 300 Calories gets withdrawn.
A Calorie is simply a unit of measurement, in a lab, that determines how much energy is expended when you burn a substance for energy… which is great as a standard of measurement, but not so great when the machine (i.e. our bodies) is made of many complex systems that work together.
First, let’s talk about the gut microbiome… EVERYONE has a different gut microbiome makeup, and those microbes all metabolize different compounds differently. It has been shown that you can give a lean person & an obese person the exact same Calories in the exact same meal, and the obese person’s microbiome will metabolize the exact same food in a different way to extract as much as 25% more Calories than the lean person. This example alone shows how Calories in does not always equate the same between different individuals. A healthy gut microbiome is correlated to being leaner, and alcohol has a negative impact on your gut microbiome.
Next, let’s talk hormones. Hormones are chemical compounds released by different organs (and now there is evidence that mitochondria may release hormones) that signal a chain reaction of events in your body. Most people think of sex hormones, such as testosterone & estrogen, when they hear the word hormone… and yes, those can be affected by alcohol (I’ll talk more on that in a minute), but there are many other hormones in the body such as insulin, thyroid hormones, cortisol, etc. Alcohol can affect how much of these hormones are released & how the body uses them…
For instance, alcohol is “fat-sparing”, which may sound like a good thing, but it’s not… alcohol cannot be stored in the body to be used as fuel later, because it’s a poison. What this means is when you drink alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol to get it out of your system, and it will store Calories from other foods you consume to be used at a later time, because they can be stored safely. Where are those Calories stored? Your fat cells.
Alcohol also inhibits the hormones that produce muscle growth, because again, your body is trying to save you from the poison circulating in your system… so, growing bigger biceps isn’t a priority. This effect has been shown to affect the body up to 48 hours after consumption. So, if you’re drinking alcohol on a regular basis, you’ll have a hard time adding muscle, which is metabolically active. Alcohol also reduces testosterone in both men & women, and it increases aromatization of the remaining testosterone. This means that the testosterone that is produced, is more likely to be converted to estrogen… this is what leads to beer bellies & man boobs overtime because there is an imbalance of testosterone & estrogen. (in both sexes) This imbalance also makes you more susceptible to developing estrogen-related cancers. (Not to mention alcohol increases your risk of head, neck & throat cancers, liver cancer, and colon & rectal cancer)
Finally, let’s talk about inflammation… inflammation occurs as your body’s response to trauma, stress & environmental triggers. As I said before, alcohol is a poison (an environmental trigger) which stresses the body as it’s trying to remove it from the system. Acute inflammation is a good thing, because it repairs damage from the things trying to hurt us, but chronic inflammation never allows the body to heal… the body is in a chronic state of fight or flight. When the body is in fight or flight, it holds onto body fat as a protective mechanism. The body doesn’t know if this stress is because there’s a famine or something else that will prevent you from being able to get food for extended periods of time… having 6 pack abs isn’t the priority- saving your life is. Chronic inflammation slows down your cellular metabolism to make sure you have enough energy stores to survive a long time without food.
The body’s intelligence is amazing. Much smarter than our brains can fully comprehend. Storing body fat is a protective mechanism, not a punishment. So, when you’re struggling to lose fat, don’t fight your body - thank it for protecting you, then identify what your body needs to run optimally… fat loss will happen when the body is nourished & cared for.
As far as alcohol goes, there is no morality around the decision to drink or not… there’s simply a decision about what’s best for you, your body, and the health/life you want. Understanding the true effects of a substance is the first step in making an educated decision for what’s best for you in this moment… if you partake - enjoy! If you abstain - enjoy! 😉 You have full agency over your health & body. Own it.
XO,
Stacie