Because alcohol is extremely detrimental to health as well as weight-loss efforts, you
must understand just how bad it is.
must understand just how bad it is.
You may have heard that certain types of alcohol are good for your heart and reduce
cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, because of its high calorie content and toxic effects on the liver,
alcohol does not support weight-loss efforts. I also argue that wine consumption could negatively
affect heart function more than help it.
A standard mixed alcoholic drink contains 100–250 calories, but that’s only part of the
problem. Most people eat more when they drink. So although you may rationalize your drink
choice by thinking that you will eat less at dinner, it rarely works that way. Alcohol often makes
you crave the foods you should avoid: more carbohydrates and sugar. It also may cause you to
eat unhealthy foods the day after, if you feel groggy and dehydrated. Why drink something that
will make it difficult for you to make healthy choices?
Alcohol is considered a carbohydrate, but your body processes it differently from other
carbohydrates. Made from fermented wheat, barley, grapes, or some other carbohydrate (e.g.,
potatoes), alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, compared with 4 calories per gram in most carbohydrates.
The human body treats alcohol as a toxin, and as a result, the liver processes alcohol
calories before all others in an attempt to clean the toxins from the bloodstream. As other calories
wait on line, so to speak, the body senses a rise in calories and stores many of them away in fat
cells, which is exactly what you don’t want when you’re trying to lose weight.
In short, alcohol is the absolute worst beverage you can drink when you are trying to control
the amount and types of carbohydrates in your diet. For all the reasons stated here and more,
keep alcohol consumption to an absolute minimum while on a weight-loss program (Kirsch
2005, 118). After you have improved your eating habits, your body will become unable to handle
as much alcohol as it did before, and you’ll likely feel better overall without it. As a result, most
people find that they feel best drinking no more than one glass of wine with dinner, on occasion.
Action Steps
• While following the Diet Solution Program to lose weight, drink no more than one
glass per week, or, preferably, eliminate alcohol completely.
• If you drink alcohol, choose organic red wine. The rich flavor encourages you to drink
slowly. Red wine also contains fewer calories and carbohydrates than other types of
alcohol.
• A second-choice alcohol option is vodka on the rocks; fruit juice only adds empty
sugar calories. The best brand is Chopin, which is made from potatoes, not wheat.
• After you reach your ideal weight, you can be a little more lenient, but minimize alcohol
consumption to maintain a healthy weight.
