Boozing and weight loss don’t actually mix well when it comes to practical life. ‘Too much alcohol’ is an accelerator for weight gain.

What causes this weight gain?

CALORIES. It is as simple as that. We all know carbohydrates give us energy and we spend our entire life fearing carbs. Low -carb diets are the latest trend. But what we miss here is that while one gram of carbohydrate or protein gives only 4 kcal energy, alcohol provides almost double ie 7 kcal energy per gram. And what we never do is keeping a check on its amount consumed. Weekends are a summon to pints and jugs of beer and innumerable vodka shots! Moreover, drinking increases our appetite and cravings and we don’t realise how much calories we are stuffing ourselves with.

What’s top on your body’s priority list after you booze?

Consuming gallons of alcohol pushes our body immediately into work. Our body cannot store alcohol, so it starts functioning to eliminate this ‘foreign substance’ out of our body. This doesn’t mean that the body will stop metabolizing and utilizing the other nutrients i.e. carbohydrates, fats or protein. But it will slow down its rate. Ultimately a combination of various metabolic changes in our body leads to a slowing down of metabolism and pushing us towards weight gain.

So, Is it possible to lose weight and drink simultaneously?

The answer to this question is just one word-‘MODERATION’. Having one to two drinks once a while is OK. But overdoing alcohol will lead you nowhere except that fatty liver and bulging belly. Also, keep in mind to have less carbonated drinks although they contain fewer calories. No matter what you drink, keep on sipping water in between.

Can skipping meals compensate the calories consumed?

It's never ever recommended. I repeat ‘NEVER EVER’. Having a meal loaded with proteins, fat, and fiber before drinking always help. And having protein while drinking is also very essential. Otherwise, those sugary drinks give a spike to our blood sugars and the meals if skipped cause a sudden decline in the sugar levels. This makes us feel terrible.

The final word

Making out a balance between weight loss and drinking can only be established with some realistic goals and moderation. Stop drinking mindlessly and drink smartly!