If you took a look at the title of this article, you may have cringed. When it comes to fitness, nutrition, weight loss, and overall health, many of us have problem areas. There are some people who have a glass of red wine with dinner every night. Others skip drinking entirely on weekdays, then start drinking a few on Thursday or Friday night and continue through Sunday. Others don’t drink for two or three weeks, and then go on a weekend binge of a few dozen drinks or so (you know who you are!). Finally, while there are dozens of people who don’t drink any alcohol and won’t really find this article personally helpful, I encourage you (if you’re one of those people) to read it anyway and share the information with someone you think might help. .

So… how does alcohol make you fat, especially when it’s fat-free? To understand how this process occurs, let’s examine the consumption of a 5-ounce glass of red wine by a fictional character named Vinny.

Vinny takes a drink. As alcohol enters digestion, it is broken down into two compounds: fat and acetate. The fat is taken up through the bloodstream and stored where Vinny tends to deposit fat. The acetate is carried into the bloodstream and is used as Vinny’s primary energy fuel.

If you take anything away from this article, please read the last sentence again. Acetate is used as Vinny’s primary energy fuel. This means that instead of burning carbs, protein, or fat for fuel, Vinny’s body relies on acetate for energy. Stop burning anything else altogether. Suddenly, Vinny has an excess of carbohydrates, protein, and fat circulating through his body with nowhere to go. So where does it all end? You guessed it… it turns to fat and settles on Vinny’s waist.

But that’s not the only effect on Vinny. Alcohol also acts as a powerful aperitif. Have you ever heard of an appetizer? It’s an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to increase your appetite, and many restaurants find that this is a great way to get you to order more food. There are several studies that show a sharp increase in caloric intake when an alcoholic beverage is consumed before a meal (compared to a glass of water, or even a soft drink!). So now Vinny wants: A) another glass of wine or B) food (probably something salty or greasy).

Thats not all! Let’s say Vinny succumbs to his appetite and finishes the bottle. A single bout of heavy drinking will greatly increase cortisol hormone levels, while significantly lowering testosterone hormone levels. Besides his headache, here’s why Vinny should be worried: cortisol causes the body to break down muscles and suppresses recovery from exercise, while low testosterone makes the body less likely to build muscle. lean or burn fat for fuel. So Vinny has a big belly and skinny arms and legs.

Now let’s consider the actual caloric content of a glass of red wine. Before you begin, keep in mind that at most parties, social gatherings, and restaurants, a typical glass of red wine is actually 6 to 8 ounces. But we will be conservative. So Vinny’s glass of wine contains about 110 calories. Contrary to popular belief, there are very few carbohydrates in wine, only about 5 grams. This is because when grapes are made into wine, most of the sugars in the fruit are converted to alcohol. For comparison, this glass of wine has about the same amount of alcohol and calories as a 12-ounce light beer or an 80-proof shot (yes, that means one shot of tequila = about one full glass of wine). . A regular beer, not light, is even higher in calories, since it contains more than twice the carbohydrates of light beer.

But keep in mind that alcohol itself contains around seven calories per gram, making it almost twice as calorie-laden as carbohydrates or protein, which contain just four calories per gram. However, these calories do not contain beneficial nutrients, vitamins or minerals. Sure, Vinny gets some benefit from the compounds in grape skins and grape juice, but if he drinks a big glass of red wine every night with
dinner, consume more than 1,000 extra calories per week, and gain an extra dozen pounds of fat a year.

I haven’t really discussed mixed drinks and won’t say too much. If you read my article “How Sugar Makes You Fat”, you’ll know about the powerful effect of sugar on fat levels in the body, and if you’ve read the label of any soft drink or blender lately, you’ll know how much sugar is in it. For you! Basically, you can take everything that I just illustrated in Vinny’s case and multiply it by 4-5. Margaritas, Long Island Iced Tea, Mudslides, and other sweet mixed drinks can hurt your diet more than a Big Mac and cheese.

So let’s be practical and suppose you’re not going to stop drinking completely, but you want some tips for your next social event. Here are some ideas:

Dilute the alcohol with diet soda. While there are health concerns with artificial sweeteners and chemicals in diet sodas, this will lower your total caloric intake.

Use lots of ice. It makes your drink seem bigger without adding actual calories.

If you have to choose between fruit juice and soda in a blender, choose fruit juice.

Avoid salty snacks. They will make you want to drink more.

At the bar, restaurant, or grocery store, try to find a premium product or fine wine you like, then shell out those extra dollars and sip it slowly. Savoring a drink will reduce binge drinking.

Drink as much water as possible. Try to have two drinks of water for every drink of alcohol.

Did you enjoy these tips and tricks? You might want to check out my free blog and podcast at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which offers weekly advice on everything from nutrition to fat loss to sports performance. Mark it now!