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| Hot Devil Girl with Beer Greeting Card- Zazzle.com |
I cut beer out completely when in weight-loss mode, and because I think light beer is generally disgusting, I really haven't incorporated it back into my lifestyle. That's not to say that I don't drink... because I do, almost every day! I always have a couple bottles of wine on hand, and dirty martinis have been a recent favorite after a long day. When I do go for beer, though, I like 'em rich and dark, easily packing 175-200 calories per 12 ounces. Last night I had three pints during happy hour with my coworker and barely feel like I can breathe today. I gained 1.4 lbs since the previous day, which can be attributed to the beer, the fried appetizers ordered after the first two beers, and the skipping of my workout due to severe tipsiness!
Here are a few things you might not realize about beer's effect on your diet:
- Beer slows the metabolism of fat- All alcohol is metabolized by enzymes in the liver, but your liver can't process it all at once, so any excess flows into the bloodstream, where it becomes the body's main source of energy. Basically, your body burns alcohol calories instead of fat calories while the alcohol is in your system. (Source: The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)
- Beer stimulates the appetite- Drinking alcohol relaxes your inhibitions, making you more likely to grab that slice of pizza on the table. It also dehydrates the body, and we all know that your body can easily mistake thirst for hunger. And it doesn't stop there! A study from Denmark's Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University showed that having a beer before a meal resulted in more increased calorie consumption than drinking a soda before the meal.
- Beer can affect your diet in the days following your drinking binge- Can you say HANGOVER? Anyone? I only had 3 pints last night, but this morning I felt absolutely terrible. People seem to turn toward coffee laden with sugar and cream or a fattening, greasy meal as their perfect hangover cure. Plans to wake up early for a workout are tossed in the garbage. And if you do make it, the dehydration and fatigue is sure to keep you from performing at your usual level.
- Beer has far less alcohol than wine or liquor, so people typically drink more of it- You probably know that a serving of alcohol is 12oz of beer to every 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of liquor. Because it takes me longer to drink a beer than to take a shot, by time I have finished the beer, my body has already started metabolizing the alcohol, so I feel less intoxicated than if I just took a quick, potent shot. However, one could note on the contrary that because it takes longer to drink, you drink less over an extended period of time. Personally, I can usually stop after one glass of wine, but it's difficult to stop after just one beer.
I love my occasional beer, and let's be honest-- I'm NOT going to consider it completely off limits! At the same time, it's important to keep these things in mind so you don't overdo it...
- Order your first drink WITH your meal. If you drink before ordering, you're more likely to make bad choices (and we all know how tempting that salty, fried bar food can be after a couple of beers)! Plus, your meal will fill you up and make you less inclined to drink excessively after the meal.
- If at home, keep healthy snacks visible while drinking so you won't be tempted to nosh on potato chips or throw a frozen pizza into the oven!
- Alternate servings of alcohol with glasses of water (for example, one glass of wine, then one glass of water).
- If you know ahead of time that you'll be drinking that night, be sure to take your vitamins (alcohol can mess with absorption of nutrients, especially the B-vitamins), drink plenty of water, and squeeze in that exercise, if you can!
Cheers!
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