This newsletter aims to educate, inspire, and support my subscribers in achieving their fitness goals while prioritizing hormonal balance.
Hey Reader
I wanted to touch on a topic that often flies under the radar in discussions about weight loss: the role of alcohol. Whether you're striving to shed a few pounds or maintain a healthy lifestyle, having the knowledge of how alcohol affects your body can be crucial to achieving your goals.
The Hidden Calories of Alcohol
Alcohol is often referred to as "empty calories" for a reason. While it contains calories, it provides little to no nutritional value. These calories can add up quickly and sabotage your efforts. Just a few drinks can easily contribute hundreds of extra calories to your daily intake. Just being aware of this can help you decide on how many drinks you consume.
Metabolic Impact
Beyond the calorie content, alcohol can also have a significant impact on your metabolism. When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it over other nutrients, temporarily putting fat burning on hold. This can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to burn fat effectively, ultimately hindering your weight loss progress.
The Aftermath of Alcohol
Have you ever noticed that after a night of drinking, you tend to crave unhealthy foods? There's a scientific explanation for this. Alcohol disrupts the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, leading to increased appetite and cravings for high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods. This can make it challenging to stick to your healthy eating plan and stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Strategies for Smart Drinking: Balancing Enjoyment and Weight Loss
While cutting out alcohol entirely may not be necessary for everyone, moderation is key. Here are some strategies to help you enjoy alcohol while still making progress toward your goals:
Find your limit: Be mindful of how much and how often you drink. Consider setting limits for yourself and keeping track of your alcohol consumption to stay within your goals. My personal limit is 4 drinks.
Choose Wisely: Opt for lower-calorie alcoholic beverages such as light beer, wine spritzers, or spirits mixed with calorie-free mixers like soda water or low-sugar tonic. My go-to drink is gin and coconut water or gin and light tonic.
Plan Ahead: If you know you'll be drinking alcohol, plan your meals and snacks accordingly to accommodate the extra calories. Although I don't normally put emphasis on calories, if you're wanting to lose belly fat then this can help. Focus on nutrient-dense foods and avoid mindless snacking while drinking.
Stay Hydrated: Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to stay hydrated and help pace yourself throughout the night. This can also help reduce the likelihood of overindulging in alcohol and unhealthy foods.
Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how alcohol affects your body or mood. If you notice that drinking alcohol consistently hinders your weight loss/fitness progress or makes it harder to stick to your healthy habits, consider cutting back or substituting it altogether. I keep fizzy water in my fridge(like Bubly or Pellegrino), so if I crave alcohol and just don't want it hindering my wellness goals, I reach for this substitution.
The ReFit Challenge
I am so excited to announce open enrollment for my new 6 week challenge & hormone program which is set to start March 8th! It will include a 6 week strength training program, hormone balancing education, meal plans AND my gut reset plan!
