| It's common knowledge that alcohol is detrimental to | | | | of high calorie alcohol at the same time. So alcohol |
| your weight loss or maintenance efforts. There's even | | | | makes us fat not just by itself but with what goes with |
| a known term to describe this effect: the beer belly. | | | | it. |
| But why is that the case? Does alcohol really have | | | | Contrary to popular assumption, alcohol and belly fat |
| such a terrible ability to make us fat? What's the | | | | aren't specifically connected. I don't mean that alcohol |
| connection between alcohol and fat? And do alcohol | | | | doesn't increase our belly fat. What it does is increase |
| and belly fat really go together? | | | | our total body fat. Some people, especially men, are |
| In fact, most alcohol is low on fat. The problem is that | | | | just genetically more inclined to gain belly fat than in |
| it's high on sugar and calories. You see, once our body | | | | other parts of their body. That's why the term beer |
| gets too much sugar, it quickly converts that sugar to | | | | belly was coined. Of course, you should cut down on |
| fat. That's why whenever you look for low fat food, | | | | alcohol to reduce belly fat, but this is true for total body |
| you should also make sure it's low on sugar. High sugar | | | | fat as well. |
| foods can be just as fattening as high fat foods. That's | | | | Alcohol makes us fat due to another thing as well: it's |
| exactly what alcohol is: a high sugar, high calorie food. | | | | effect on our energy levels. We all know that alcohol |
| What's even worse is that alcohol isn't a solid food, of | | | | can make us feel drowsy and lethargic. This means |
| course, it's a beverage. One of the keys to any diet is | | | | that when we drink alcohol or immediately afterwards, |
| to stop drinking your calories. The reason is that many | | | | we usually experience a decline in our energy levels. |
| of the normal day drinks we're used to like Coca-Cola, | | | | To put it simply, we're just less active. Being less active |
| 7Up, beer, and other alcohol are full of calories and | | | | also means that we're burning less calories. This, of |
| sugar and they don't even fill us up, they just make us | | | | course can lead us to gain belly and total body fat. |
| crave more food and drink. By drinking your calories | | | | I'm not saying that you should give up on alcohol |
| you're basically preparing yourself to overeat. | | | | entirely. I haven't, and I have 9% body fat. However, I |
| We all know how alcohol goes with snacks. I mean, | | | | don't overdo it. And if you wish to lose some fat and |
| we sit in a bar with a shot or a bottle of beer in front | | | | look fitter, I suggest that you do the same. It doesn't |
| of us and the bartender sets before us a bowl of | | | | matter which diet you follow. Cutting down on alcohol |
| peanuts or pretzels or something. Without even | | | | will help with any diet. |
| noticing, we eat a lot of useless calories and drink a lot | | | | |