Consumption of alcohol has become an acceptable part of human culture these days. It has become as common as breathing and eating. And while some prefer to drink moderate levels of the so called ‘feel good’ drug, others tend to consume it at a mass level.
There has been a long-standing debate about the possible effects alcohol would have on weight gain in individuals. Recent studies have directly linked both and have revealed that drinking alcohol regularly can make individuals gain weight fast. The points mentioned below would reiterate the same fact.
Supplies Empty Calories
Alcohol fills up the body with empty calories without adding any nutritional value to the same. As such, it is used up by the carbohydrates first to provide energy to the body. This in turn, would delay the fat burning process, increase fat storage and contribute to weight gain.
Supplies double the amount of calories
Unlike proteins and carbohydrates , alcohol is known to supply double the amount of calories at almost seven calories per gram. The calories supplied by alcohol are also more concentrated when compared to other foods. This would therefore, lead to the individual absorbing more calories without even realizing it. To top it all, several alcoholic drinks supply the body with extra calories derived from other sources. All these would lead to the addition of body fat in a short span of time.
Loosens Inhibitions
The deceptive nature of alcohol allows it to keep on adding more calories to the body without the individual even realizing it. The drug leads to a relaxed thinking that lets individuals lose their inhibitions and continue drinking without stopping with a glass or two.
Stimulates Appetite
Alcohol also stimulates the appetite considerably. The lack of nutrients in the drink forces the body to crave for other foods that contain the nutrients it needs. This in turn, would lead to more food consumption as one keeps on drinking. When combined with the salty and fatty foods that usually accompany alcoholic drinks, there is no doubt that one would gain substantial weight simply by boozing.
Deters Motivation
Many individuals out there tend to do anything and everything possible to lose weight without thinking about that one substance that they need to forgo to lose weight but don’t. That’s right. We are talking about alcohol. The ‘feel good’ drug actually affects an individual’s motivation so much that sticking to a healthy diet would be practically impossible for them. Therefore, as long as an individual drinks alcohol, he/she will not be able to maintain the resolve to lose weight let alone work towards achieving that goal. The end result is imaginable; no diet and no exercise would lead to significant weight gain.
Lowers testosterone levels
Testosterone is known to be a very potent tool for fat loss in the body. Adequate levels of testosterone in the body would enable individuals to lose weight and remain fit. However, regular alcohol consumption can reduce the testosterone levels in the body and inhibit its fat burning potential.
Testosterone also contains an anabolic hormone which helps increase lean muscle mass in the body. Reduced testosterone levels triggered by alcohol consumption can inhibit this process and in turn, reduce the body’s metabolic rate.
A reduced metabolic rate would make it harder for the body to burn fat stores, thus making it very hard for an individual to lose weight. Worse yet, regular consumption of alcohol would have the opposite effect on the body with the individual gaining weight rapidly as opposed to losing it. Thus, drinking alcohol regularly would reduce the rate at which the body uses energy and contribute to the creation of more fat depositories in the body, thereby leading to weight gain.
Summary
Alcohol has been shown to be indirectly linked to weight gain in individuals. Regular alcohol consumption can in fact increase body weight as mentioned in the points above. Hence, one would need to be extremely wary of drinking alcohol regularly if he/she intends to lose weight.