Here’s the verdict.
The internet is loaded with opinions on what will ~guarantee~ you weight-loss results, and it seems like the consensus is you have to give up alcohol if you actually want to see progress.
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But what’s the deal? Do you really need to stop drinking alcohol in order to lose weight?
To get to the bottom of this, BuzzFeed Health spoke with Ben Sit, an Ontario-based registered dietitian and president of Evolved Sport and Nutrition, and Albert Matheny, a registered dietitian for ProMix Nutrition and cofounder of Soho Strength Lab, to figure out whether or not alcohol has to go if you want to see the results you’re looking for.
Keep in mind that this is general advice – everyone’s body is different and everyone has different goals. Whether you want to cut down specifically on body fat, or just want to fit into your favorite clothes again, remember that what may work for someone may not work for someone else.
Okay, here’s everything you need to know.
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First thing’s first: Yes, alcohol is empty calories, similar to candy, soda, etc., and can sometimes pack a decent amount of carbohydrates.
“There is really no nutritional value in drinking alcohol, except for maybe wine, and you’d have to drink a lot of it in order to get enough antioxidants and nutrients for it to make a difference,” says Sit.
He also says that beer, wine, and mixed drinks – depending on whether they’re mixed with things like syrups and juices – can be really high in calories and carbs, which can set you back from achieving your weight-loss goals depending on how much of them you’re drinking.
Drinking can also slow down your ability to recover from exercise, which will hinder your results.
“You get stronger when you’re recovering from exercise,” Matheny says. “So if you’re drinking a lot of alcohol and it’s preventing you from recovering the way you normally would, then your fitness isn’t going to progress as quickly and you’re not going to build the fat-burning muscle that’s going to help you reach your goals.”
Here’s more info on that if you’re curious.
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