ALCOHOL AND FAT LOSS.
“Adam, I want to drop body fat, but I do not want to give up my whole life, is it possible?”
That’s the million-dollar question; anything is possible provided you are willing to put the work in for it. So, you are saying that you like to party now and then, which includes alcohol. Like with anything in life, “the danger is in the dose”.
But if partying includes getting hammered every weekend and, in turn, followed by a day of binging on, then your goal will take you quite some time to achieve. You can fit in some events during a fat loss phase, consume alcohol and get in shape!
But you just need to act like an adult and have a plan. You simply cannot act like a kid in a sweet shop with €1 and want to get everything in sight.
I coach my clients to get in the best shape of their life whilst having a life. If you want it, let’s chat, and I will show you how, step by step!
So, alcohol is, in fact, a macronutrient alongside the others (Protein, Carbohydrate & Fat).
Alcohol contains 7kcal per gram. Spirits still do contain calories contrary to belief, albeit lower than others. But unlike other macros (carbs, fat), it cannot be stored and used for fuel, but rather it stays in the body until eliminated (Khanna & Israel, 1980).
The problem is not the night itself but the following day, so if you could “control” that, you can certainly lose body fat! It may not be optimal, but you can still be successful. However, adherence may become an issue due to increased hunger levels and impaired sleep quality!
This may lead to higher consumption of food which equals more calories, which could push you towards maintenance calories and in some cases a surplus, both of which may mask your fat loss efforts.
You can still enjoy yourself and have drinks but just be realistic about things and you should be fine. However, if building muscle is the primary goal, then we may need another day to discuss this further.
