Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Let's face it, many of you will be bringing in the New Year with a drink or two. In addition to drinking responsibly, there are a couple of other things to keep in mind when drinking alcohol. In addition to having empty calories, alcohol temporarily keeps your body from burning fat, according to integrative medicine specialist, Pamela M. Peeke, MD, author of The Hunger Fix. When we consume food, our body stores those calories for later. But the body can't store alcohol so it metabolizes it right away. When you drink alcoholic drinks, the alcohol becomes the priority in the metabolic process. Your body won’t metabolize other fats and sugars as efficiently which ultimately slows your metabolism down over time and as such, can contribute to weight gain.
Here is a graphic, from Celebrity Personal Trainer, Lucas James detailing the relationship between alcohol and gaining weight. The empty calories in alcohol add up fast so when you are out celebrating tonight, be responsible and mindful!
