Friday, November 28, 2008

Weight Loss, How Alcohol Will Make You Fatter

By Ricardo d Argence

There has been a lot of information over the years about weight loss. New diets here and a new gadget over there. However, there has been little said about the effects of alcohol on weight loss efforts. That is what we will look at here today.

Alcohol contains calories like everything else, but there are a few differences. Extra calories from alcohol might not seem like a bad thing, but these calories have no nutritional value to your body. These empty calories are worthless and you will still need to ingest quality calories in addition to these useless ones.

As with other calories, those from alcohol are converted in the liver in the body. Alcohol calories are kind of like bullies, as they must be burned first, all other calories are patiently stored. And we all know what stored calories are, they are fat.

Adding to the problem is the fact that alcohol provides twice as many calories as carbohydrates and proteins. What this means is alcohol provides seven calories per gram as opposed to carbohydrates, which contain four calories per gram. To put it in even simpler terms when you drink four 12-ounce beers you have consumed 600 calories! It is easy to see how prolonged use of alcohol could pack on the pounds.

One last note about the caloric effects of alcohol are the mixers. Many popular alcoholic drinks are actually a mix of different substances. These additives can add to the calorie count in a hurry. For example, one long island ice tea has an astounding 740 calories. In one drink, you could get half of the day's recommended daily allowance!

An important factor in losing weight is speeding up your metabolism. A definition of metabolism is the cumulative energy resulting from cellular electrical, physical, and biochemical activites and interactions. Or more simply put the rate at which your body processes calories into energy. It has been proven by a study from the New England Journal of Medicine that alcohol slows down the body's metabolism. It states that a person on a 1250 calorie diet, who has ingested 250 calories from alcohol could have reduced their metabolic process by as much as 36%. This indicates your body is handling calories almost forty percent less effectively.

It has been reported that people who drink everyday state they feel a lot better. But, alcohol is a depressant and actually move to true clinical depression. When you're depressed you may find it difficult to diet because food is sometimes used to make yourself feel better. A vicious cycle if you stop and think about it. Depression can cause a person to have no motivation along with also making you feel as if you cannot continue on with any type of exercise program.

For basic health water is essential but it is also needed to build muscle. Muscles need adequate hydration levels in order to work properly; lacking it, they may grow weaker and less efficient. Your body becomes dehydrated when drinking alcohol because of the massive amounts of water used in the kidneys required to remove the toxin from your body.

While a moderate amount of alcohol is good for the system regular drinking and drinking to excess is harmful. Along with all the problems it can cause with weight loss, you have the added medical issues to be concerned with. The bottom line is this if you are overweight and trying to lose it you may be better served by abstaining from the use of alcohol. At least until your weight is under control, if you must drink red wine is considered the safest alternative. - 15275

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