30 Jun Alcohol and Metabolism

Enjoying cocktails is a huge social piece as well as a relaxing addition to your day. But you don’t often realize how these beverages are affecting your body and impacting other aspects of your life. Alcohol has numerous effects on how you feel and the choices you make, which is directly related to your health goals.

You can absolutely include alcohol into your life and still make progress towards your goals, if this is something you genuinely value. Understanding what is happening from a biological standpoint can help you make decisions based on what will support you best.

Alcohol plays a role in metabolism and digesting your food. When you consume alcohol it is broken down into ethanol which is a toxin in the body. Your liver is responsible for detoxifying the body and breaking down fats. When alcohol is present in the bloodstream, the liver prioritizes processing of the alcohol so the body can eliminate it. As a result, all other food metabolism takes a back seat. The more alcohol you drink, the more the liver has to work to remove the toxins from the bloodstream and fat metabolism is temporarily stalled.

Alcohol also affects caloric intake and eating behaviors. Alcohol brings a lot of calories to the table without nutritional quality. When you’re trying to lose weight, recognizing calories you are receiving from liquids can add up without realizing because you aren’t feeling a sense of fullness. Calories especially from sugary mixed drinks and beer can add up quickly. In order to create a calorie deficit AND give your body adequate nutrients, alcohol intake should be mindful.

Alcohol impairs judgment, and you are more likely to snack on higher fat, calorie dense foods while drinking. It’s also easier to over eat these foods because your awareness is hindered. It’s helpful to have a plan before you enjoy some cocktails around how many drinks you are choosing to have and what nutritional quality looks like with this. If you are having alcohol with a meal, choose a more nutrient dense meal with lean protein, high fiber carb sources, and more moderate fat.

Eating behavior is also indirectly affected by alcohol through sleep! When you consume alcohol it tampers with your sleep schedule. Do you ever find yourself waking up early the morning after drinking or feeling overly tired the next day? This is because alcohol delays and reduces the onset and duration of REM sleep. This leaves you in slow wave sleep for a longer period of time than REM sleep. REM sleep is a crucial phase of sleep responsible for allowing your body to recover from a long day of energy expenditure. This period of sleep also helps with memory consolidation and regulates parts of the brain responsible for food intake. When you don’t get enough sleep, it can impact eating the next day, and feeling the need for more energy from calories to get you through the day.

Alcohol is dehydrating. It’s recommended to drink one 8-16 ounce glass of water for every beer or 4-6 ounce liquor drink. That means in order to actually stay hydrated you should be drinking a glass of water with every drink at the very least. Not only is hydration key for maintaining homeostasis within the body, it is also vital for many other body systems and organ functioning.  Your muscles are made primarily of water and hydration is key for muscle contraction and tone. Drinking alcohol can decrease performance of physical activity and decrease muscle building. Hydration also allows for better cognition and decision making when it comes to eating choices, creates clearer hunger and fullness cues, and helps aid in the digestion that is interrupted when you drink!

So it’s clear that alcohol can have more negative than positive effects on the body, especially when trying to lose weight. However, I am all about sustainability with health and weight goals. It’s important you are able to include foods and drinks you truly enjoy into your diet so you don’t feel overly restricted. It’s really about what’s worth it to you and what you enjoy. If you really enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine, here’s some tips to include alcohol and still work towards your health goals.

If you’re choosing to cheers this weekend here are some tips!

Awareness

Just like being aware of your nutrition, being aware of alcohol servings is important too.

A standard 5 oz pour of wine has about 125 calories, sadly! This amount is also typically less than the “glass of wine” you think you are drinking in a restaurant or even at  home. Most restaurants pour about 6-8 oz. Being aware of this gives you the tools and facts to be a conscious consumer and allows you the freedom to make your own choices.

Choose lower calorie options

Alcohol can bring a lot of calorie to the table without any nutrients.

Prosecco, champagne, clear liquor and wine are going to have less calories than mixed drinks with added sugar. Flavor cocktails with seltzer or club soda, citrus, fruit & herbs over juice, soda & sugary mixers.

Have a plan

If you are choosing to drink, set an intention of how much you actually want to drink and try to stick to that. This could mean a limit of 1-2 drinks. Nothing good usually happens after more than that ;-). The best plan is more about the quantity if alcohol you are having at once even more than the calories of a certain drink. Have what you actually enjoy, and keep quantity in check. This will also help with how you feel the next day and play a direct role in the nutrition and movement choices you make.

Hydrate

For every drink, have at least 8oz of water. Keep hydrated while drinking, before and after.

Choose a Balanced Meal

Prioritize a high quality diet, especially when choosing to drink.

Your liver prioritizes processing the alcohol over your food because ethanol is a toxin. Your bodies main focus is metabolizing the alcohol first, so fat and other nutrient metabolism slows down while the body is using its efforts towards getting ethanol out of the system. While drinking, inhibition is lower and you are more likely to choose the more calorie dense options which can really add up with the alcohol. Try choosing more nutrient dense foods with lean protein, fiber and healthy fats while drinking and in general!

Mix in Non Alcoholic Options

If you are choosing not to drink, fill a wine glass with ice, seltzer & fruit for a refreshing drink in a pretty glass. Another alternative is making a fun mock tail which can be just as refreshing as the real thing! Do what is going to support you best in the moment, and think about how you want to FEEL!

Enjoy the precious moments and memories! Food and drinks are often in the mix, but the time with those you love is what really matters!