Today we’re covering a topic that I’m sure a lot of you are interested in learning more about… how alcoholic drinks process & work in your body, and how it may affect your health goals!
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While doing research and working to pull together information for you, I actually came across this really helpful video put together by registered dietitian, Becca Bristow. She does a GREAT job of breaking down how alcohol processes in your body in simple terms.
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NOTE: This is NOT an anti-alcohol video! Having that glass of wine or margarita is not kill you, but I want you to be equipped with the facts of how our bodies process alcohol, so that you can the best decisions when it comes to drinking for YOU!
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A few things that she covers in this video:
⭐️How much alcohol is recommended for men and women
⭐️How it breaks down in your body & side effects
⭐️How alcohol can contribute to higher calories consumed
⭐️Overview of different types of alcohol & their calorie counts
⭐️Tips on how to lower your calorie consumption when drinking
⭐️Red Wine & Heart Health
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WATCH HERE: https://buff.ly/2RdHynS
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I think that the most important takeaways when it comes to alcohol and your body are these things:
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⭐️ When you drink alcohol, your body puts ALL other metabolic processes on hold until after it has processed the alcohol, which can take up to 48hrs! Your body cannot convert the calories from alcohol to fat, meaning it needs to use them up, and will delay ALL other fat-burning and energy use until ALL the alcohol in your system has been metabolized! So, besides not tapping into the stored fat you want to get rid of, any and all calories (good or bad) you consume while alcohol is in your system can get stored as additional fat!
⭐️ Alcohol consumption can easily lead to extra calories that we aren’t paying attention to: from the mixers, extra food we may consume, etc. This can easily lead to unwanted body fat, and really is where the term “beer belly” gets it’s name from!
⭐️Alcohol can really mess with your endocrine system (where your hormones are regulated), cause cortisol spikes which increases blood pressure, and can cause problems with your reproductive system (check out more here: https://buff.ly/2XIbbzZ)
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One idea that I thought was interesting was in the video, she recommended finding a food comparison to your go-to drink so that you could “see” what you were consuming calorie-wise!
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I found these two articles that have comparisons (with pics) and thought that you might be curious to see them too! https://buff.ly/2X83WV3 and
https://buff.ly/2WCPOPs
🍹Margarita = 2 Slices of Domino's Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
🍹Long Island Iced Tea = Medium Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard
🍸Piña Colada = Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl
🍺Pint of Cider = Slice of Cheese Pizza
🍺Pint of Beer = Bag of Popcorn
🍷Glass of Wine = Piece of Bread
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⭐️So what does this mean for me?⭐️
I think at the end of the day, more than anything, it’s important to be aware and understand these things so that you can make the best choice for YOU. If you’re concerned that have a few extra drinks on the weekend may be causing a weight plateau, try swapping every other drink with a full glass of water to help cut calories. I think that as with everything in life, moderation is KEY! Enjoy yourself & food and drinks, and don’t go so crazy restrictive that it’s not a sustainable lifestyle, but also be aware of times that you are throwing your system out of whack and what it could mean for your health.
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⭐️ACTION: Share something new that you learned today about your body & how it processes alcohol!