Some evidence suggests that drinking can trick you into feeling hungry when you’re not. To keep the calorie count as low as possible, avoid mixers and added sugar when possible. Keep in mind that even low-calorie, low-alcohol drinks add up. The more you drink, the higher the possibility of weight gain. Alcohol use is one of the many factors that can contribute to weight gain.

A typical beer has 150 calories – and if you down several in one sitting, you can end up with serious calorie overload. Alcohol affects your decision-making and lowers your inhibitions. So when you drink, you may find yourself saying yes to eating more or throwing your diet to the wind (Brenes, 2021). Drinking too much alcohol could affect your weight and how your body functions in a few different ways. Examples of a drink include a beer of 12 fluid ounces or a serving of wine (5 fluid ounces).

How alcohol can influence weight gain

However, if you like to have a drink once in a while, that’s okay. Swap the super-sugary cocktail for a shot on the rocks, a light beer, or a glass of wine. While this hormone may be most well-known for its role in sex, it’s also involved in your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat.

That being said, don’t get too carried away with drinking since alcohol is not an essential nutrient and the empty calories in mixed drinks and beer can add up quickly. Take a 2018 study published in the journal Obesity, which examined data from 4,901 overweight or obese individuals with https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/can-you-gain-weight-because-of-alcohol/ Type 2 diabetes who had participated in a yearslong weight loss program. One group received intensive lifestyle interventions, and was told about the number of calories in alcohol. Members of this group were advised that they could decrease drinking as a means of reducing caloric intake.

Alcohol Sugar Content

Finally, while we often think of alcohol as a sedative, because it is, it also disrupts the quality of our sleep (Park, 2015). Lower sleep quality causes sleep deprivation, affecting several bodily functions, including hormone production. Poor quality sleep can wreak havoc on the hormones that regulate your appetite. In particular, sleep deprivation raises levels of ghrelin, the hormone that tells you you’re hungry, and lowers levels of leptin, the hormone that tells you you’re full (Cooper, 2018).

A small percentage of the calories you drink from alcohol turns into fat. All of the content and media on Lifesum is created and published for information purposes only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Users should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice.

How Much Alcohol Makes You Gain Weight?

Most people have a pretty heavy pouring hand and don’t abide by serving sizes. You might also consult a reliable source on the sometimes surprising differences in calorie content among similar alcoholic drinks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published such a list, available at Search for “Which alcoholic beverages have the most calories?

They’re not always the lowest in calories, though, and some may be higher in alcohol than you’d like. While your liver is processing alcohol, it’s too busy to produce glucose, which impacts blood sugar levels. Feeling hungry is an early sign that your blood sugar is too low.

Does Alcohol Slow Metabolism?

For some people, alcohol may affect their decision-making to the point where it does actually affect their weight. “So it seems like for those highly impulsive participants, reducing their alcohol intake really does benefit their weight loss over time,” she says. In excess, alcohol consumption may cause adverse effects on your body, leading to weight gain. For example, alcohol may affect hormones that control appetite, hunger, and stress. Alcohol is high in calories and is likely to increase abdominal fat.

• Any kind of calories — whether from alcohol, sugary beverages, or oversized portions of food — can increase belly fat.
• The only way to really know what you’re consuming and how much is to host parties yourself.
• Measure your drinks, have your loved ones keep an eye on you (and you can return the favor), and as a perk, you’ll save big bucks by not doling out for those [G3] [G4] [G5] $13 cocktails at the bar.

Keep reading to learn how alcohol can impact your weight and what some low-calorie drink options are for a night out on the town. If you are someone who engages in drinking and want to lose weight, the dietitians will help you find a way to incorporate drinking into your lifestyle without sabotaging weight loss goals. If you are someone who engages in drinking and want to lose weight, our dietitians will help you find a way to incorporate drinking into your lifestyle without sabotaging weight loss goals.