|
Article At A Glance:
|
Alcoholism, alcohol addiction, alcoholic, alcohol dependency, these are all terms that refer to an addiction to alcohol.
When it comes to alcohol and weight loss, an addiction to alcohol can pose a significant challenge, as consuming copious amounts of booze is counterintuitive towards losing weight.
In this blog post, we will delve into the scientific reasons why alcohol can impede fat burning, examine how alcohol affects weight loss, and offer helpful tips on maintaining sobriety while pursuing weight loss goals.
How Alcohol Inhibits Fat Burning
Alcohol is metabolized differently than other nutrients, which means it is more likely to be stored as fat. Alcohol consumption disrupts the normal functioning of the liver, which is responsible for breaking down fat (Sayon-Orea et al., 2011).
This disruption leads to the body focusing on metabolizing alcohol instead of burning fat, leading to a decrease in fat burning. In addition, alcohol consumption increases the production of cortisol, a hormone that can lead to increased fat storage in the abdominal area (Rachdaoui & Sarkar, 2017).
The Effect of Alcohol on Weight Loss
Alcohol contains empty calories, meaning it provides calories without any nutritional value. Consuming alcoholic drinks can lead to consuming more calories than necessary, leading to weight gain.
Additionally, alcohol can lead to poor decision-making when it comes to food choices, leading to a higher intake of unhealthy, calorie-dense foods. Furthermore, alcohol consumption can interfere with sleep patterns, which can disrupt the body’s natural weight loss processes (Traversy & Chaput, 2018).
Learn more on Supplements for Sleep: Some of the Best & Simple Natural Sleep Compounds to Get a Better Night’s Rest
Tips for Maintaining Sobriety During Weight Loss
Maintaining sobriety during a weight loss journey can be challenging, but it is possible with the right tools and support.
Some tips include:
- Finding Healthy Replacements for Alcohol: During your weight loss journey, you can seek out low-calorie Non-Alcoholic Drinks, which could help manage cravings during early sobriety.
- Find a Support Network: This could be a local gym, fitness community (online or offline) or even someone that aligns with your weight loss goals to keep you accountable.
- Seek Professional Help: If you’re struggling with your diet, alcohol and weight loss can be a difficult hurdle. Seeking advice from a health professional, such as a nutritionist or naturopath can give you a kick start you need to get on track.
When I’m going through a fat-burning phase, one thing I use to kickstart this process is UM Sports HEAT Thermogenic Energy Formula.
HEAT is a safe and effective way to boost energy, while also supporting body processes that help burn stubborn fat, the perfect pairing for weight loss goals.
To pick up a bottle, visit the UM Sports website here and use code CLARITY for 15% OFF!
Learn more about Fat Loss: Do Fat Burning Supplements Actually Work? 12 Fat Loss Ingredients to Loss Out For
The Takeaway
In conclusion, alcohol inhibits fat burning, leading to weight gain and a decrease in overall health. Maintaining sobriety during a weight loss journey is crucial for achieving weight loss goals and improving overall health. Seeking professional help and building a strong support network can help make maintaining sobriety easier. Additionally, using healthy replacements for alcohol, such as UM Sports HEAT Thermogenic Energy Formula, can provide the energy needed for workouts without the negative effects of alcohol.
If you have any feedback regarding this article, reach out. Help Clarity reach more people and quit addiction by following us on Instagram, it’s also the perfect place to message us and ask questions!
Get the “Sober Tips” Newsletter in your inbox today.
A rapidly growing email list that provides the highest quality FREE sober resources and tips to live an addiction-free life, without limits.
Absolutely no spam. Just quality information to help you live your most limitless sober life.
References
- Bowden, C. L. (2002). L-glutamine supplementation and its effects on craving and withdrawal from alcohol. Advances in Therapy, 19(4), 199-213. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02850010
- Knackstedt, L. A., & LaRowe, S. (2016). N-Acetylcysteine in the treatment of addiction. In Neuropathology of Drug Addictions and Substance Misuse (pp. 623-631). Academic Press. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128002131000609
- da Silva, V. K., de Mello Schier, A. R., de Oliveira Ribeiro, N. P., & Nardi, A. E. (2019). A systematic review of the anti-inflammatory, anti-b oxidative, and anti-anxiety effects of adjunctive nutraceuticals in depression. Psychiatry research, 271, 698-704. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178118317398
- Serefko, A., Szopa, A., & Poleszak, E. (2016). Magnesium and depression. Magnesium Research, 29(3), 112-119. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452159/
- Hill-Kapturczak, N., Lake, S. L., Roache, J. D., Cates, S. E., Liang, Y., & Dougherty, D. M. (2014). Assessing the association between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid and alcohol outcomes: newer studies and findings. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 38(6), 1696-1704. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.12406
Former drinker, Nutritionist, Biohacking enthusiast, self-experimenter, research fanatic, and self-taught writer, Stephen immerses himself deep into the literature of human optimisation and better understand the nature of addiction. His goal is to help people take control of their addiction, reset their cravings, unscramble their broken brain circuitry and use actionable strategies that work ten times better than anything else.