The Basics of Alcohol
Knowing the basics of alcohol and how it will affect your diet and nutrition when you choose to indulge is important to your success in the fight
against loosing weight and getting healthy.
Ethanol is a member of the alcohol group which has been enjoyed by humans for centuries as not only a social enhancer but also a compliment to meals.
The government diet and nutrition guidelines recommend that a male should consume no more then 3-4 units and a woman should consume no more then 2-3
units of alcohol per day. If you are over that guideline, cutting back or eliminating it from your diet will help you in getting healthy and loosing
weight. A unit is measured as one small beer or one small glass of wine.
You may not be a heavy drinker or think that you are not one but when it comes to your intake you should be aware of some important facts that are more
then likely contributing to you being unsuccessful at loosing those pounds. You may be surprised that you are consuming a whole meal calorie wise after
you went out drinking the night before.
Alcohol is fat free and low in carbohydrates but you need to remember that the calories count in your diet and nutrition and it is especially important
when it comes to your weight management. Your body processes the alcohol first which then leaves the carbohydrates and fats to be stored as fat instead
of being burned as fuel.
Some things to keep in mind when you are about to consume alcohol is that you should eat a healthy meal before you drink so that you will not miss out
on those essential nutrients. Always go for the lower alcohol drinks and dilute the alcohol with a low calorie mixer or water. Take smaller sips and
pace yourself when drinking. Do no drink again for at least 48 hours if you have over indulged with alcohol. Also do not snack while drinking alcohol
because eating will just add to your fat and calories and those salty foods will just make you thirstier.
Some people believe in the theory if I drink too much I can increase my physical activity to assist in the loss of any weight gain when they drink
alcohol. When people consume alcohol it is converted into fat and your liver then converts most of the alcohol into what is called acetate. When
acetate is released into your bloodstream it replaces the fat as a sort of fuel. Our bodies do not store alcohol so if you are working out you will
burn the alcohol before you burn the fat. The reason for this is that your body is working on eliminating the alcohol calories.
The bottom line for your diet and nutrition guideline when it comes to alcohol consumption is that having an alcohol drink every now and then will not
hurt you but keep in mind that it suppresses the number of fat calories your body will burn for energy. Even if you are able to increase your physical
activity to help weight gain, you should always keep your intake of alcohol at a safe level because your liver will still have to remove that alcohol
from your body.