How Does Alcohol Affect Weight Loss?

Losing weight is often a process, one that involves a healthy diet, exercise, and time. Many people, however, face roadblocks on their way to achieve their fitness goals. For instance, drinking alcohol habitually can prevent someone from losing weight. Alcohol affects the body in numerous ways that can make losing weight difficult.

Alcohol is High in Calories

If you’re enrolled in Newtown, PA, weight loss programs, or trying to lose weight on your own, you’re probably concerned about your daily caloric intake. Excessive calories have to go somewhere, and it’s usually to the waistline. Of course, the body needs so many calories each day to function optimally. Unfortunately, alcohol can raise a person’s daily caloric intake but offer no nutritional benefits in return. When drinking pushes those calorie counts past one’s daily limit, the result is usually weight gain rather than weight loss.

Alcohol Interrupts Fat-Burning Processes

The body prefers to burn alcohol to fuel its energy needs rather than fat. When alcohol combines with carbohydrates and some of the other nutrients it eats, it becomes the body’s first choice for fuel. Consequently, it postpones using stored fat, which prevents weight loss. While an occasional drink should not compromise a person’s weight loss goals, routine drinking can cause this fat-burning interruption.

Alcohol Has a Sedating Influence

Alcohol is a depressant, and that means that it slows down the brain and body, particularly in excessive quantities. This is why Yardley, PA, weight loss programs advise participants to limit or even avoid alcohol altogether. In short, alcohol makes a person feel relaxed, even tired. That can reduce the quality and intensity of workout sessions. In fact, after drinking, a person might postpone exercise. Maintaining a fitness routine is crucial for healthy weight loss. Drinking can make the body “unfit” to jog, cycle, or perform other healthful exercises effectively.

If you are struggling to lose weight, schedule a consultation with Signature Medicine. Our weight loss programs may offer you the tools and resources you need to achieve your weight loss goals. Alcohol can be one impediment to weight loss, but there could be others. A medical weight loss program under the guidance of medical professionals could unlock the key to achieving your ideal weight. Call to schedule your consultation today!