The bottom line – For someone trying to lose weight, choosing low-calorie spirits and drinking less frequently may help. Alcohol and mixers are often caloric, and the market is trying to offer consumers fewer sugary options. If you want to lose weight, your best options are spirits.
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What is the best alcohol to drink while losing weight?
Key Takeaways –
- Whiskey, white and red wine, vodka and rum, tequila shots, champagne, gin, and light beer are the best low-calorie alcohol options.
- If you want to lose weight, avoid sugary cocktails and regular craft beer.
- When drinking at a bar or restaurant, try avoiding alcohol mixed with sugar syrups or soft drinks.
- Drinking more than 1-2 pegs of alcohol slows down weight loss. Hence, practice caution.
Keeping away from alcohol during your weight loss journey can be quite the challenge. Watch this video for the best low calorie alcoholic drink options and enjoy guilt-free drinking. Hit play to check them out now!
Can I drink alcohol and still lose weight?
Yes, you can drink alcohol and lose weight. – But, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the green light to open a bottle of wine tonight or slam 8 espresso martinis after work this Friday! Moderation is important, and so is knowing how to choose drinks that will have the least impact on your weight loss goals,
What alcohol is best for no belly fat?
HOW TO DRINK AND NOT GAIN WEIGHT by Chelsea Futterman Let’s be honest, you just can’t beat a fresh margarita on a hot summer day, or a bold glass of Bordeaux by the fireplace around the holidays. Alcohol consumption is a way of life for most people. I like to be realistic with my clients – if they enjoy drinking, giving up alcohol may not be in the books for them long term.
- I most definitely recommend cutting down if they are drinking more than 1-2 nights per week in order to lose weight, but you can certainly maintain your status quo and enjoy a few tasty beverages at the same time.
- How does alcohol affect your body? First things first, let’s talk about what alcohol does to your body.
Your body treats alcohol as a toxin. Alcohol has no nutritional value, so your body does not use it as it would a carb, fat or protein. When you consume alcohol, your body stops all other metabolic processes (i.e. metabolizing and burning food for fuel) in order to rid your body of the toxin. CHOOSE YOUR POISON WISELY: THE BEST ALCOHOL DRINKS FOR WEIGHT LOSS. Stay away from sugary drinks (and yes, tonic water has sugar, just as much as a Coke). My go-to is tequila with a lot of fresh lime juice and Topo Chico with a salted rim (tastes like a not-sweet margarita).
Refreshing, delicious and only 64 calories. Vodka with soda water is a classic low calorie drink, but if you are like me and HATE the taste of vodka, try adding a splash of your favorite fruit juice or olive juice. One splash is enough to kill the vodka flavor without adding a ton of extra calories. Beer and wine are the worst when it comes to drinking – one drink is anywhere from 100-170 calories.
Tequila, vodka, gin and whiskey are the best alcohols for weight loss, with only 60-70 calories for one drink. T RACK IT. Although alcohol is not a carb, a protein or a fat, it still has calories. So, you most definitely want to track it in order to stay within your weight loss or fat loss macros. You must decide to track alcohol as a carb or fat because it is technically neither.
You can choose how you do it – I like to divide my alcohol evenly into carbs and fat. Since there are 4 calories in 1g of carbs and 9 calories in 1g of fat, if you drink a 120 calorie glass of red wine (this is a 5oz pour because who has 4oz anymore?!) that would be roughly 7g of fat and 15g carbs. Half of the calories go to carbs (60 calories/4 calories per gram of carbs = 15 carbs) and half of the calories go to fat (60 calories/9 calories per gram of fat = 6.7g fat).
Have I lost you yet? Just create a food in MyFitnessPal you can easily reuse, so you don’t have to do the math every time, just adjust the serving size. For your reference, there are roughly 69 calories in 1oz. of clear liquor (vodka, tequila, gin), so that would equate to 8g carbs and 4g fat. EAT CLEAN. Stay away from high fat, high carb foods when you are drinking. Eating lean protein and vegetables is ideal! Remember when I said your body stalls all metabolic processes as it is trying to detox your body of alcohol? Well, when you eat pizza and french fries when drinking, your body is more likely to store this food as fat. HYDRATE. This goes without saying, but make sure to chug some water before drinking, while drinking, after drinking, all the time! This will help ward off headaches, dehydration and water retention the next day, all of which can negatively affect your workouts.
Which alcohol has the lowest calories?
What alcoholic drink is the lowest in calories? – A vodka soda, which is 1.5 ounces of vodka combined with club soda and a squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, is the lowest-calorie drink. This drink contains 82 calories in about an 8-ounce drink.
Does vodka burn fat?
Vodka, 1.5 ounces, distilled, 80 proof –
Amount | |
Sugar | 0g |
Carbs | 0g |
Fiber | 0g |
Cholesterol | 0g |
Fat | 0g |
Sodium | 0g |
Vitamins | 0g |
Minerals | 0g |
Vodka is considered a lower-calorie libation compared to wine or beer. The more concentrated your vodka is (the higher the proof), the more calories it contains. The “proof” is a number that refers to the percent of alcohol in the liquor. You can figure out the percent by dividing the proof in half.
70 proof vodka : 85 calories 80 proof vodka : 96 calories 90 proof vodka : 110 calories 100 proof vodka : 124 calories
Alcohol is not a carbohydrate. The calories in vodka come only from the alcohol itself. Pure alcohol contains roughly 7 calories per gram. For reference, carbohydrates and protein both contain about 4 calories per gram, while fat contains about 9 calories per gram.
- This means that alcohol is nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein and only slightly less fattening than fat.
- The calorie content is generally the same between different brands of vodka that are that same proof.
- Ettle One, Smirnoff, Grey Goose, Skyy, and Absolut vodka, for example, are all 80 proof vodkas and each contain 96 calories per 1.5-ounce shot, or 69 calories per ounce.
Distilled spirits, like vodka, rum, whiskey, and gin, only contain alcohol, so they have zero carbs. If you’re tracking your carbohydrate intake, vodka is an optimal choice. This may seem odd since vodka is made from carb-rich foods like wheat and potatoes.
- However, the carbs are removed during the fermentation and distilling processes.
- Other distilled liquors, like rum, whiskey, gin, and tequila contain roughly the same number of calories as vodka, and zero carbohydrates.
- Of course, it depends on the brand and the proof.
- Some brands of rum, for example, contain added spices and sugar that change the flavor and also the nutritional content.
Wine and beer in general have more calories and carbohydrates per serving than vodka: Flavor-infused vodkas can make for a more delicious experience and may also eliminate the need for high-calorie mixers like cranberry or orange juice. Nowadays, you can find vodka infused with the natural or artificial flavor of just about anything.
Lemon, berry, coconut, watermelon, cucumber, vanilla, and cinnamon are popular options. There are also more exotic infusions including: bacon, whipped cream, ginger, mango, and even smoked salmon. The best part is that most of the infused versions don’t contain any extra calories other than plain vodka! Be careful not to confuse flavor-infused vodka with vodka drinks made with flavored sugary syrups that are added after the fermentation and distilling process.
These products often contain many more calories than an infused vodka. Always read the labels carefully. If you can’t find nutrition information on the product label, try searching the manufacturer’s website. Vodka by itself has pretty much no taste other than the burning alcohol flavor that a lot of people find unpleasant.
- So many drinkers choose to mix vodka with sweet juices or sodas to help with the taste.
- But the high sugar content of many of these mixers can wreak havoc on your diet.
- A cup of orange juice, for example, contains 112 calories, and regular soda has over 140 calories per can.
- Most of those calories come from sugar.
Instead of sugary liquids, keep your drink low-calorie and low-carb by mixing your vodka with one of the following:
lower sugar sodassoda water or club soda with a squeeze of lemon or limediluted cranberry juice or lemonadeiced teaclub soda, mint leaves, and a no-calorie sweetener (like stevia)
Alcohol, including vodka, interferes with our body’s fat burning process. Normally, our liver metabolizes (breaks down) fats. When alcohol is present, however, your liver prefers to break it down first. Fat metabolism comes to a screeching halt while your body uses the alcohol for energy.
- This is referred to as ” fat sparing,” and it isn’t good for someone trying to lose weight.
- While a single shot of vodka may not seem like a huge deal at under 100 calories, most of us don’t just stop at one drink.
- Consuming just 3 vodka drinks adds 300 calories to your intake for the day.
- That’s about the same as a McDonald’s cheeseburger.
Alcohol also makes us lose our inhibitions, messes with our hormones (adrenaline and cortisol), and increases our cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods. This makes it even harder to say no to a late-night trip to Taco Bell. Vodka may be a good choice relative to other types of alcohol like beer or sugary cocktails, but if you’re watching your weight, you should treat vodka like you would a piece of a cake or a cookie and save it for a special occasion.
Vodka is a low-calorie liquor with no carbs, fat, or sugar, and no nutritional value for that matter. If you’re on a diet or just want to drink without an overload of calories, vodka is a good choice. It has less calories and carbs than beer, wine, champagne, and pre-mixed cocktails. Mix vodka with soda water and a squeeze of lemon or a diet soda to keep the calorie and carb count low, but always try to keep your intake of alcohol to a sensible minimum as the calories can add up quickly.
Remember that your liver can’t help you with fat burning if it’s busy processing alcohol. It’s important to know that excess alcohol consumption can be very damaging to your overall health. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) considers “low-risk” drinking levels as no more than 4 drinks per day and no more than 14 drinks per week for men.
Is vodka better than wine for weight loss?
Conclusion – When it comes to calories, most alcohols are pretty low, This is, of course, not including mixers and additives for vodka drinks. As is, both vodka and wine are low in calories, so as long as you’re consuming in moderation, you can have a drink and know you’re sticking with your diet.
- Wine is a bit different than vodka because it comes in a few varieties, such as white and red, sweet and dry.
- The calories range within all of these varieties.
- Vodka is, overall, a lower calorie option.
- The range of calories differs depending on the proof of the alcohol.
- If it is higher proof, it will have more calories than a lower proof vodka.
One great thing is that pretty much all brands have the same caloric information if the bottles are the same proof. Try not to stress about the calories in your favorite drinks. If you are healthy and smart about the amount you are drinking, there is no need to worry! Have fun, enjoy a drink, and treat yourself.
Is wine or beer better for weight loss?
Wine or beer – What’s Better for Weight Loss Just the other day a member was saying she decided to pour her drink down the drain instead of having the extra calories one evening. She also asked if she was going to enjoy a drink over the holidays what would be better for her weight loss goals.
- This is what we shared with her.
- Q & A: What’s better for losing weight, beer or wine? A: Once for ounce it’s beer hands down.
- Wine has about 24 calories per ounce, and beer has about 13 calories per ounce.
- Since weight loss and/or maintenance is about calories, it looks like beer is the winner.
- However, a serving of wine (5oz) has 118 calories, and a serving of beer (12oz) has 147 calories.
So, if you’re drinking from your minibar the bottle of wine will have fewer calories than the bottle of beer. Then again, there’s low calorie beers that have 90 calories or less in them. I also saw on the internet that an empty bottle of wine that is filled up with water has zero calories, so maybe that’s the winner.
- Hopefully I have confused you by this point.
- Control Your Pour Beer usually comes in smaller bottles or cans that are a single servings.
- Wine in a hotel minibar is usually single serve, but at home it is usually found in a 25 ounce (5 serving bottle).
- What I discovered in middle and high school is that servings of alcohol are equivalent to whatever size bottle you purchased I also discovered that I have a drinking problem that is only treatable by avoiding alcohol, but that’s besides the point.
Bottom Line 1. Buy the lowest calorie beer you can enjoy. This is not the same as the absolute best tasting.2. Buy your wine in single servings only. Yes, it is more expensive, and that’s a speed bump on opening the next bottle. Your cheap side should help save you some calories here.3.
- For the most part, only teenage boys and professional athletes burn enough calories to afford “and.” 4.1-2 servings (2-300 calories total) of alcohol is nearly always lower in calories than dessert.
- Desserts at restaurants typically start at 800 calories.5.
- Now yourself.
- If drinking some leads to lots of overeating, or an awful hangover the next day, then #4 doesn’t make sense for you.
Have a great day! : Wine or beer – What’s Better for Weight Loss
Does alcohol cause belly fat?
You don’t have to completely give up hops and barley to lose a beer belly. Drinking beer in moderation along with other diet and lifestyle changes can help you lose that weight. A beer belly may be the result of some fun times, good food, and tasty suds, but it may also be making it harder to move around or fit into your clothes.
- In addition, extra weight may be sapping your energy and putting extra strain on your joints and heart.
- Getting rid of a beer belly will take a combination of diet and exercise.
- It tends to take longer to lose weight than it did acquiring it, too.
- Eep reading to learn what causes a beer belly to form and the best methods for getting rid of it.
Certainly alcohol consumption, particularly among men, is associated with the formation of a beer belly, or what’s clinically referred to as “abdominal obesity.” A study in Epidemiology and Health found that high alcohol intake was related to high waist circumference.
- This isn’t surprising due to alcohol’s calories.
- But a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that while drinking a lot of beer may widen your waist, the belly isn’t a unique destination for beer-related weight gain.
- Despite the popular belief that beer tends to go straight to the belly, it appears the high-calorie drink actually contributes to weight gain throughout the body.
Many women, for example, start to carry extra weight below the belt, rather than just above it. Beer may also be indirectly responsible for your growing waistline. Think about what you often have with beer: Pizza, nachos, and other high-fat, high-calorie foods tend to accompany a chilled mug of lager or IPA.
- The light beer may not be the culprit as much as the food you’re enjoying it with.
- Interestingly, drinking beer may also interfere with your body’s ability to efficiently burn fat.
- The body will work on breaking down alcohol for energy before it gets to any stored fat waiting to be burned.
- Too much alcohol consumption is also associated with reduced testosterone levels, which is, in turn, associated with an accumulation of excess weight in the abdominal area.
Targeted fat loss, especially around the midsection, sounds good in theory, but it may not be the most realistic. Exercises like crunches may help firm up muscles, but there’s mixed research about how well specific exercises can burn fat just in the belly or elsewhere.
What alcohol doesn’t give you a belly?
Dessert wines often contain FODMAPs that may cause indigestion and other stomach issues for people who are sensitive to these types of carbs. BaronVisi/Getty Images p”>
Alcohol can cause gas, bloating, and stomach pain, even if you don’t have a digestive condition. Dry red wines, wine spritzers, light lagers, vodka, and gin may have less impact on your stomach. Talk to your doctor if symptoms persist after you space out drinks, drink water, or stop drinking.
Hangovers aren’t the only consequence of enjoying a few alcoholic beverages — alcohol can also cause some pretty unpleasant stomach symptoms, like gas and indigestion. These effects can be particularly problematic for people with digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, or Chrohn’s disease,
What alcohol has no calories or carbs?
While following a keto diet, you may be able to enjoy alcoholic drinks that are low in carbs, like hard liquor and light beer. But those containing carbs and sugar, including many cocktails, may not align with a keto diet. The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low carb, high fat diet that many adopt to lose weight and improve their health.
You typically have to plan your meals carefully so that you stick to your daily carb allotment and keep your body in ketosis. This may mean giving up sweets, snacks, and other high carb indulgences like soft drinks and alcohol. However, there are plenty of low carb alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy in moderation — even on a keto diet.
This article suggests the best and worst alcoholic drinks to choose while on the keto diet. Many low carb alcohol options are available if you follow a keto diet, For instance, pure forms of alcohol like whiskey, gin, tequila, rum, and vodka are all completely free of carbs.
You can drink them straight or combine them with low carb mixers for more flavor. Wine and light varieties of beer are also relatively low in carbs — usually containing under 6 grams (g) per serving. Here’s how the top keto-friendly drinks stack up ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ): Summary Pure alcohol like rum, vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey contains no carbs.
In addition, wine, light beer, and some cocktails can be relatively low in carbs. Keto-friendly mixers are just as important as the alcohol itself. Watch for common mixers like regular soda, juice, sweeteners, and energy drinks, They can quickly turn a carb-free drink into a high calorie carb bomb.
- Instead, opt for low carb mixers like diet soda, seltzer, diet tonic water, and powdered flavor packets.
- These mixers can keep your carb intake low while boosting your beverage’s taste.
- Here’s the carb content of a few keto-friendly mixers ( 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 ): Summary Low carb mixers like diet soda, carbonated water, and powdered flavor packets can help keep the carb content of your drink to a minimum.
Many alcoholic beverages are loaded with carbs, with some varieties packing over 30 g in a single serving. For example, cocktails and mixed drinks usually rely on high carb, sugary ingredients like soda, juice, sweeteners, or syrups. Meanwhile, regular beer is produced from starch and can contain upward of 12 g of carbs in just 1 can.
Here’s a comparison of the carb content of several popular alcoholic beverages. Avoid them if you’re on a keto diet ( 8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 ): Also, keep in mind that the drinks you might get at a bar or restaurant may be much larger than the recommended serving sizes above. Summary Cocktails, mixed drinks, and regular beer are often high in carbs, providing over 10 g per serving.
These are best avoided if you’re on a keto diet. Although plenty of low carb, keto-friendly alcoholic beverages are available, that doesn’t mean they should become a regular part of your routine. Even low carb varieties of alcohol are still rich in “empty” calories.
They supply many calories with little to no essential nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins, or minerals. Not only can overindulging in alcohol increase your risk of nutritional deficiencies over time, but it may also contribute to gradual weight gain. In fact, in one 8-year study involving 49,324 women, consuming at least two drinks per day was associated with an increased risk of significant weight gain, compared to light or moderate drinking ( 24 ).
Alcohol can also suppress fat burning and increase body fat by causing your body to store extra calories as fat tissue ( 25 ). Excessive drinking may also contribute to other serious health conditions, including liver problems, cancer, and heart disease ( 26, 27, 28, 29 ).
- For this reason, it’s best to keep alcohol intake moderate — defined as one drink per day for women and two per day for men ( 30 ).
- Summary Even low carb varieties of alcohol can contribute to weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, and serious health conditions.
- This is why it’s important to moderate your intake.
Even on a keto diet, there are plenty of low carb alcoholic beverages to choose from. Wine, light beer, and pure alcohol offer little to no carbs per serving. In addition, you can easily pair them with low carb mixers like diet soda, seltzer, and diet tonic water.
Can I drink vodka everyday and lose weight?
Drinking vodka every night does not lead to weight loss directly, as one would like to hope. However, choosing vodka over alcoholic beverages such as beer is equivalent to choosing a healthy salad over a cheeseburger.
Will I lose weight if I stop drinking vodka?
Heavy or binge drinking typically leads to weight gain by making you crave unhealthy foods, slowing your metabolism, and wrecking your sleep and digestion. When you stop drinking alcohol, you’ll probably lose weight, especially when you follow other effective weight loss strategies,
- Plus, quitting drinking comes with other health benefits like reducing cancer risk, lowering blood pressure, getting better sleep, and strengthening your immune system.
- If you binge drink alcohol regularly, you may experience benefits of quitting drinking within just a few days.
- In the short-term, your stomach lining becomes less inflamed, reducing symptoms of binge drinking like acid reflux.
How long after quitting drinking do you lose weight? Once you stop drinking for 30+ days, you should see other benefits start to manifest, like weight loss. In the United States, current Dietary Guidelines recommend that alcohol should only be consumed in moderation.
That means 1 drink a day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men. Anything beyond that can be considered drinking in excess, Not to judge! You drink what you want. But for the purposes of this article, let’s call drinking more than the Dietary Guidelines recommend “excessive drinking.” If you drink in excess, abstaining from alcohol is likely to help shed a few pounds and maybe a couple of inches off your waistline.
Let’s count the reasons giving up alcohol helps you lose weight. And don’t forget — Surely’s unique, non-alcoholic rosé is here to help you on your alcohol-free journey.
Is vodka bad when trying to lose weight?
While light-to-moderate, responsible drinking can enrich social, culinary, and even some religious experiences, alcohol can also affect weight loss attempts. Studies have not yet consistently established a cause-and-effect relationship, but the consensus is that drinking higher-than-moderate amounts of alcohol can contribute to weight gain. Share on Pinterest As alcohol is high in calories, it may hinder a person’s ability to lose weight. In a word, yes. Drinking alcohol can make it harder to lose weight. There are many reasons for this, including:
Alcohol is high in calories, and so are the mixers that are popular to use in many drinks.Calories from alcohol are empty calories, as they do not help the body meet its nutritional needs.People typically consume alcoholic drinks as extras, adding to their regular daily calorie intake.Drinking alcohol relaxes people’s inhibitions, which can make them more likely to overeat or opt for unhealthful foods.Alcohol interferes with the body’s fat-burning mechanisms.Drinking too much alcohol can reduce an individual’s interest in exercise.
Although some studies have found that drinking light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol is not necessarily linked to weight gain, researchers suggest that drinking alcohol can sometimes be a risk factor for obesity. For some people, alcoholic beverages contribute a significant number of calories to the total amount that they consume each day.
Set limits on drinking: Federal guidelines define moderate drinking as up to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Have a few alcohol-free days per week: As alcoholic drinks contain empty calories, it is best to avoid consuming them every day. Use a smaller glass: Portion control is important for achieving and maintaining a moderate weight, and that also holds for beverages. Alternate alcoholic beverages with water: Doing this can help people consume less alcohol within a set period. Opt for wine or low alcohol beers: Beer, cocktails, and other mixed drinks tend to have higher calorie counts. Stick with it: It takes time to change habits and lose weight.
People should also avoid drinking on an empty stomach because this can intensify the effects of alcohol and bring them on more quickly. Eating while drinking alcohol slows absorption and helps maintain impulse control. Looking at the calorie content of alcoholic drinks can help people who are seeking to balance drinking alcohol with their weight loss goals.
12 ounces (oz) regular beer — 153 calories1.5 oz gin, whiskey, vodka, tequila, rum — 97 calories5 oz red wine — 125 calories5 oz white wine — 121 calories4 oz champagne — 84 calories4 oz margarita — 168 calories3.5 oz whiskey sour — 160 calories
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism define alcohol use disorder, or AUD, as “a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using.” Studies have revealed varying results regarding the links between AUD and obesity in men and women.
In general, though, heavy drinking does not support healthful lifestyle choices, such as eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly. Physical responses to excessive alcohol use can prompt cravings for fat and sugar, which further interfere with weight loss. Drinking alcohol may impair the body’s ability to recover after a workout, so people with AUD may find that they have a reduced ability to burn excess calories with exercise.
AUD can cause feelings of anxiety and depression, which may affect a person’s motivation and body image. Alcohol is high in calories and may interfere with weight loss. While cutting down on alcohol or not drinking at all will not necessarily produce weight loss immediately, it can be a good first step.
Does alcohol stop fat burning for 36 hours?
How Does Drinking Make You Gain Weight? – Drinking can make a person gain weight in numerous ways. There is a fundamental interaction that occurs between body weight and alcohol. Another question that goes hand and hand is, “How long does alcohol stop fat burning?” Alcohol can stop a person’s body from burning fat because it’s high in kilojoules.
How can I drink alcohol while cutting weight?
02 /5 What to drink – You need to cut down on excess calories from your drink. Instead of pouring soda, tonic water, or syrups, choose spirits. Also, rather than sipping beer or wine, go for a shot of whiskey, gin or rum. Having shots will give you a buzz faster than beer or rum.