Weight Loss: Here's How Alcohol Is Affecting Your Weight Loss Goals

Believe it or not, boozing has no place in a healthy individual's life. If you are drinking alcohol regularly, even if it is in limited quantities, your weight loss goals will be affected negatively. No matter how much you diet or spend extra hours training in the gym, alcohol will act as a potential hurdle in your way. And all this is attributed to the calorie content of alcohol. One pint of beer contains the same amount of calories as three chocolate-chip cookies. Similarly, two glasses of wine contain the same amount of calories as a glazed doughnut. So instead of taking you on a road to fitness, this may take you backwards and increase the numbers on your weighing scale every month.

Let's take a look at the calorie content of your favorite alcoholic beverage. This may make you question your love for alcohol.

2. 30ml of vodka contains 55 calories

3. One serving of light beer (650ml) contains 280 calories

4. One glass of wine, about 120 ml contains 89 calories

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If this doesn't sound convincing enough, we'll give you some more reasons as to how alcohol is affecting your weight loss goals.

1. It results in dehydration

We bet you have all experienced a dehydrated feeling after the consumption of alcohol. This happens because alcohol leaves you dehydrated. When you drink too much alcohol and do not take enough water, it pulls water from your brain which results in a hangover. When your body loses water, it loses essential minerals, electrolytes, calcium, zinc and magnesium. All these are required for the normal functioning of your metabolism.

2. It prevents you from sleeping properly

Alcohol consumption may help you sleep once but it will not let you get the benefits of a deep and peaceful sleep. It will leave you restless and irritated during the day. Also, because it leaves you dehydrated, you may end up waking up again and again craving for water.

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3. It can trigger hunger pangs

Alcohol triggers unnatural feelings of hunger and leaves you craving for calorie-dense foods the next day. Research shows that drinking before you eat can lower your inhibitions and may force you to overeat. This can result in weight gain. It can increase the amount of acid produced by your stomach which can inflame the inner lining of the stomach. Over time, it may result in peptic ulcers.

4. Soft-drinks and juices

Most of you may prefer diluting your drinks either with cola or with juice. Or if you prefer cocktails, that anyway comes with juices and flavoring substances. This adds to the calorie content of alcohol and induces weight gain.

However, if you are in a situation where you just can't avoid taking a drink, there are some ways of reducing the total ill-effects of alcohol on your weight loss regime.

Also read: 5 Things You Should Avoid Doing When Having Alcohol

Here's a list of tips to help you reduce the negative effects of  alcohol.

1. Men should stick to 3 or 4 drinks and women should consume only 2 to 3.

2. Avoid drinking more than a pint of beer or two glasses of wine.

3. Drink a glass of water after every drink to avoid dehydration.

4. Avoid drinking on an empty stomach.

5. Have a healthy meal before you start drinking.

6. If you wish to go for snacks, salted peanuts are the healthiest option.

7. Go slow and avoid binge-drinking.

8. Do not consume neat drinks, dilute them in water or max in soda. Avoid adding cola or juice to it.

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Nevertheless, you must remember that alcohol is doing no good to your weight loss goals. So try to avoid it as much as possible. Keep in mind, alcohol is not the part of any fitness or weight loss regime.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.