The truth about alcohol
- Alcohol has 7 cals in them per gram
- Weekly alcohol limit 14 units = low risk
- Weekly alcohol over 14 units a week is high risk and best spread out over 3+ days.
1 unit of alcohol is 10ml of pure ethanol
Eg a 500ml drink that is 4% alcohol will have 20ml -2 units
When you drink alcohol it reaches the stomach and is then emptied into the small intestines for absorption, if you have eaten eg fat, protein or fibre beforehand this will slow the emptying time down hence you don’t get drunk so quick.
E.g. lining the stomach
Alcohol consumed alongside food results in not only a lower blood alcohol level but a reduced total blood alcohol absorption.
Alcohol and body weight
If you want to lose weight it is not advisable to be plying yourself with loads of alcohol every weekend…. Even the shorts
Regular binge drinking and daily consumption of over 5 drinks per day is associated with greater waist circumference and bmi than being tee total, those that spread it over the course of the week are not more likely to be overweight than those that don’t drink at all.
Alcohol reduces inhibitions and increases appetite and desire to eat highly palatable foods….again not good if your in a weight / fat loss phase, You are more likely to be impulsive and make decisions you probably wouldn’t have before.
You need to be mindful with alcohol calories as both drunk and hung over eole tend to eat a lot of junk, alcoholic drinks are relatively calorie dense.
If going out be prepared…. You know potentially you’re going to be hungry afterwards and the next day, so have some healthy food ready, lots of fruit and vegetables, water to limit lost minerals and help hydrate the body.
Create a healthy fry up, lean bacon poached eggs, brown bread, chicken sausages
Be active…get out walking in the fresh air, low intensity exercise
Options
2-4 midweek alcohol free days
Alternate alcohol and soft drinks eg water in between
Singles rather than doubles
Don’t have shots
Opt for weaker beers
Never drink on an empty stomach
Then they’s the other stuff
Heavy drinking causes, sickness ,possibly blackouts, impaired sleep, increased risk of snoring, increase in blood pressure, heart arrhythmia, erectile dysfunction, unprotected sex, risk of unwanted pregnancy, infertility
