Why Giving Up Alcohol Is The Perfect Step One To Losing Weight

We’re all aware of a beer belly, of that little paunch regular wine consumption can cause. In fact, many of us will be victims of them.

Alcohol is very closely linked to excess calorie intake, with the calories you consume through alcohol effectively being empty, offering no nutritional value. Removing those calories will have an immediate impact on your diet and you can see the changes relatively quickly.

Of course, that is easier said than done. Giving up alcohol can be difficult for many, it’s why we see so many people seek alcohol rehabilitation treatment. It can become an addiction, and that alone needs to be addressed.

But that’s by the by, we’re talking weight loss, and while the giving up alone will contribute towards that, it’s also a great first step to cleaning up other areas of your life too.

By giving up alcohol, it’s a first step towards…

Your body prioritising weight loss

When drinking alcohol, our body prioritises metabolising alcohol over other nutrients, removing the toxins from our system. What that does is put a halt to fat burning, and combined with the empty calories is only going to see you gain weight.

However, by removing alcohol from the system, the body can concentrate on burning fat, and thus kickstarting a weight loss regime.

Equally, that’s also the case with sleep. Booze severely disrupts our sleeping patterns, but sleep is also crucial for weight management too. A good night’s sleep regulates the ghrelin and leptin hormones, which are signifiers of appetite and fullness, ensuring you get the nutrients you need and don’t over eat.

More time and energy for exercise

You can prioritise your weight loss through activity too. Nobody likes to go running on a hangover, opting for the comfort of bed or the sofa instead.

Giving up the substance will give you that clear focus and energy to put the exercise in, whether it be going for an early morning swim or enjoying a yoga session, a Sunday afternoon hike, run, cycle, whatever it may be.

You’re much more likely to stick to a training plan and have a determination that you simply wouldn’t have when regularly drinking.

What’s more, time you would spend in the pub or drinking at home is opened up to concentrate on weight loss activity, even if it’s heading down to a weight loss class of an evening.

You’ll be more likely to ditch the bad food

Similarly, you’ll have a much clearer focus when it comes to your diet too. We know how it is after an evening of drinking. The last thing you want to do is cool, and what you really want is a takeaway pizza or kebab.

We crave salty, fatty foods when under the influence of alcohol, whether it be during a session or the morning after. Guess what, that’s only going to make you gain weight.

By having the clear focus of sobriety, you’ll be much more likely to create healthy meal plans and actually stick to them. Which is the most important thing.

These three things can all guarantee much more success than would be possible while regularly drinking. So, if you’re looking to lose a little weight, that all important first step could well be putting the bottle down…