Do you find it difficult saying no to a few drinks on the weekend or when you are around family?
As a good host or guest when you go to your family’s house or social occasion, it is pretty difficult to say no to food and alcohol! Unless of course you want to feel ostracised… When I work with my clients, we need to find a strategy to work around this!
Firstly, is alcohol that bad when it comes to weight loss?
Here are 5 common reasons people struggle to consume alcohol and continue to make progress:
❌Alcohol contains calories which need to be accounted for
❌Alcohol can lower your inhibitions and lead to you overeating or under reporting on food consumption
❌Alcohol in excess will most likely lead to lower output the next day
❌Alcohol can effect insulin sensitivity which combined with a high carbohydrate diet and higher body fat levels will have a negative effect on reducing body fat
❌Alcohol in excess can have an irritating effect on the gut and impair it's ability to utilise food
So can you drink and still lose body fat?
YES! Well if you and your body can handle it!
Here is how in 5 steps:
✅ Ensure you remain in a calorie deficit.
✅ Track your drinks and account for the calories you’ve consumed.
✅ Hydrate and get in some electrolytes the next day.
✅ Take steps to bullet proof your gut health and clear phytoestrogens from your system.
✅ Get straight back into your nutrition, activity and lifestyle structures!
A calorie deficit is essential for your fat loss goal! If you aren’t sure how to create a calorie deficit, then CLICK HERE!
Tracking calories may sound like a little much, but if you can do this for 7 days you will get a real insight into the quantity of calories you actually consume! When I discuss a clients food diary in our initial consultation, there are a few brief pauses, some white lies and a shed load of under reporting! The biscuit with the tea with the milk and sugar… once maybe twice probably three times a day… you see where I am heading with this! Use MyFitnessPal and start tracking your calorie intake. Once you have found your calorie deficit number (see point one) factor in around 7kcals per gram of alcohol (CLICK HERE to see the specific calories in your favourite drinks). Incorporate this into your daily intake and pull down from foods or increase activity to account for the excess intake!
The hangover the next day is likely to be the next biggest set back! Ensure you hydrate as much as possible, plenty of water whilst you drink and a few glasses of coconut water the next day will give you a little impetus to get back on track!
Ensure your diet is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fibre! Through plenty of vegetable and fruit intake you should achieve your micronutrient targets, however, if you are not a fan of veggies, then try the Juggy Juice (CLICK HERE to find out more).
It is important to avoid feeling sorry for yourself the next day!!! Get straight back into eating your healthy, nutritious diet and start moving more! The laziness caused by drinking to excess can really hold you back, so start your day with a brisk walk and refocus on the goal in hand!
Most people struggle with the notion that alcohol can be worked into a plan. Just like with most things in life, the key is moderation!
