Dear Stephanie, Is it Friday yet? I would like an alcoholic beverage. If you had to pick the “top 3” that aren’t going to derail my efforts, what would you choose? How about the worst?
Here is the real deal with the alcohol… it goes beyond the calories in the drink. Ok, so to answer your first question… worst would be a super sugary drink like a daiquiri. “Best” would be liquor like vodka and soda. Red wine is better than white. If you are going to drink beer, I say go for the good stuff and enjoy it. As a matter of fact, if you are going to drink at all, go for the good stuff and enjoy every drop. Why else drink it? Just like your “treat” meals, moderation and enjoyment are the important take-aways.
NEVER make alcohol your “cheat meal”. Don’t “save up” all day because you are going to take in the extra calories that evening. Eat as you normally would (clean, balanced, and portioned) throughout the day, enjoy a satisfying and nutritious meal before you start indulging in alcoholic beverages, not after.
Now for the real deal on alcohol… when working out, your body uses carbohydrates as its first energy source, then eventually you will dip into fat as your energy source.
When you drink alcohol, your liver converts it into acetate which is deposited into your body. Now, when you go to the gym, your body first has to burn the acetate as its source of energy, then carbohydrates, and finally fat. Depending on how much “fun” you had over the weekend, you could be experiencing the after effects for a couple days. This article explains this process in more detail. The moral of the story is to enjoy in moderation. http://www.livestrong.com/article/126358-just-bad-alcohol-weight-loss/
Then there are the poor choices being made after drinking… late night pizza anyone???
Get right back on track the next day and enjoy your clean nutrition and get moving.. sweat it out and drink plenty of water. A few nights of celebration will not undo all of your hard work. Like everything in life, it is what you do on a regular basis that will result in your outcome.
Some people choose to “just deal with it” after the holidays and it is this choice that makes for some very big challenges in the new year. Start 2013 out right by finishing 2012 strong.
