If I give up alcohol will I lose weight?

If you’re serious about getting into shape but enjoy a tipple or two, then you should be aware that alcohol consumption can seriously hinder your weight loss.

Not only is alcohol considered to have empty calories, it has been confirmed that it is not safe.

Many people believe that if they give up or massively cut back on alcohol then they may be more likely to lose weight easily, and this may be true.

How alcohol can impact your weight loss

If you’ve overhauled your diet and eating well and exercising more but the weight just won’t shift, then maybe you should look at what you are drinking. Whether it’s soft drinks or alcohol.

There are so many hidden calories in alcohol and it can hinder your success if you are working hard and eating well in the week but then having a few bottles of wine on the weekend.

Not only are you more likely to have a bad night’s sleep after drinking, which can impact your metabolism and weight loss, but you might be also more inclined to have high calorie food with booze or the next day.

This could be what is undoing all of your hard work.

Why drinking alcohol will hinder your weight loss

1. It’s stacked with calories and is usually consumed at night so will be converted to fat instantly.

2. If you go over the top and drink too much you’ll wake with a hangover and won’t have any motivation.

3. When you have a hangover you’re more likely to ditch healthy choices in favour of fatty and processed food.

4. Your head will be throbbing and there’s no way you’ll want to exercise.

5. If you’ve fallen off the wagon it might be the start of a slippery slope to bad eating habits.

6. You might have a bad night’s sleep so won’t have any energy to stick to your 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

7. All your hard work that day or week will be down the pan because you’ll have to exercise twice as hard to rid your body of unwanted calories.

10 alcoholic drinks to avoid on a night out

Fancy an alcoholic beverage after working hard on your weight loss goals? Surely one refreshing cocktail isn’t going to sabotage your efforts, is it?

Well, it depends on what you are consuming.

The good news is, there are ways manage your drink consumption so you don’t hinder your weight loss plans.

1. Alcopops

Alcopops such as Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezers contain a lot of added sugars and can contain as much as 250 calories.

2. Mojito

Mojitos may be refreshing on a hot day, but this syrupy drink has a whopping 242 calories. another delicious mojito recipe!

3. Long Island Iced Tea

According to MuscleFood.com, a Long Island Iced Tea contains a huge 424 calories.

Instead opt for a Cosmopolitan which is only 100 calories.

4. White wine

A glass of 175ml white wine can contain around 160 calories.

Whereas Champagne is a slightly healthier option with a 120ml serving having only 90 calories.

If you’re looking for the best low carb wines in Australia , check out our comprehensive guide that highlights the top options available. Discover healthier choices that won’t compromise on taste.

5. Baileys

Anything creamy like a Baileys Irish cream should be avoided if you’re on a health kick.

A 50ml glass contains 175 calories!

6. Margaritas

Often made from sugar-saturated Margarita mix, tequila or Triple Sec and poured into a salt-rimmed glass, Margaritas can contain as much as 280 calories per glass! if you want less than 280 calories we have a margarita recipe that can fit on your diet.

7. Cider

Some ciders could contain as much as 210 calories, especially if they are sweet tasting.

8. Beer

They call it a beer belly for a reason! A pint of beer can have as many as 208 calories per schooner and leave you feeling bloated.

9. Pina Colada

Sweet and full of coconut cream and pineapple juice – this cocktail can have more calories than a Big Mac! Pina Coladas contain 245 calories.

10. White Russian

A creamy cocktail which also contains vodka and coffee liqueur. White Russians are calorific and can pack up to 500 calories per drink!

If you want some healthier alcoholic alternatives, then try:

Champagne – 90 calories

Vodka soda – 95 calories

Light beer – 96 calories

Rum and coke – 100 calories

Whiskey – 105 calories

Gin and Tonic – 115 calories

Light red wine – 123 calories

Try these great low calorie drink recipes below!

67 calorie Mojito Slushy Cocktail 

4 Ingredient Watermelon Margarita just 111 cals! 

How much alcohol should I drink? Study reveals the safest level of alcohol consumption

A new global study published in the Lancet has confirmed there is NO safe level of alcohol consumption.

EEK, this means that those one glass with dinner red wines, really aren’t serving you any benefits!

The researchers admit moderate drinking may protect against heart disease but found that the risk of cancer and other diseases outweighs these protections.

The study

BBC reported that the study looked at levels of alcohol use and its health effects in 195 countries, between 1990 and 2016.

The researchers compared people who did not drink at all with those who had one alcoholic drink a day (from 15 to 95-year-olds).

A drink was defined as 10g of alcohol, which equates to a small glass of wine, a can or bottle of beer, or a shot of spirits.

The result

Out of 100,000 non-drinkers, 914 would develop an alcohol-related health problem such as cancer or suffer an injury!

When it came to those that drank ONE alcoholic drink a day, FOUR extra people would be affected.

For people who had TWO alcoholic drinks a day, 63 more developed a condition within a year and for those who consumed FIVE drinks every day, there was an increase of 338 people, who developed a health problem.

WOW!

The lead author of the study Dr Max Griswold, at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), University of Washington, stated:

“Previous studies have found a protective effect of alcohol on some conditions, but we found that the combined health risks associated with alcohol increases with any amount of alcohol.”

How quitting alcohol helped this mum lose 20kg and save $200 a week!

It’s quite surprising just how much alcohol can contribute towards weight gain.

Just by cutting back on your weekly consumption of booze, you could see HUGE differences in your weight loss journey – as this mum has found out.

How quitting alcohol helped this mum lose 20kg

Alicia Sims says she and her hubby Daniel would go through around 24 cans of beer a week.

“We would easily go through two cartons of beer a week, sometimes more,” she says. “And we were spending upwards of $200 every single week!”

Alicia says she stopped drinking when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter. However, after she was born, Alicia said she would be at home playing video games, and she’d easily consume a few cans of beer without even realising it.

But the alcohol wasn’t the only thing contributing to her weight gain. Alicia found herself making some poor food choices, such as eating take away pizza and fast food.

At her heaviest, Alicia says she tipped the scale at 100kg.

We were constantly lethargic

“We were constantly bloated, lethargic and wasted many weekends lazing on the couch,” she says.

“We’d just call in fast food. Pizza, beer, video games, fast food and hangovers were our reality every weekend for months. Exercise was a dirty word and cooking healthy meals was the last thing on our mind.

“It makes me feel sick at how bad we used to be.”

In 2016, Alicia saw an advert for The Healthy Mummy on Facebook and decided to purchase some of our Healthy Mummy Smoothies “to give them a try”.

Alicia drank the Healthy Mummy Smoothies as a meal replacement and she began to notice she was losing weight. So, in January 2017, she signed up for her first 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to help support her with her weight loss journey.

“The Healthy Mummy has taught me about the importance of healthy eating and just how many empty calories I was wasting on beer,” she says.

Alicia now saves $200 a week by not drinking beer!

That’s when Alicia decided to cut back on the cartons of beer she was consuming each week – and now she’s saved herself $200 a week!

“I swapped drinking for Healthy Mummy Smoothies and computer games for exercise outdoors in the fresh air,” she admits. “And I have gained so much more confidence in the kitchen and now cook a lot more regularly than I used to.”

Goodbye fast food

Alicia says she also ditched fast-food for the healthy recipes on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

“I loved the Spinach and Sweet Potato Lasagna and started making that regularly. Soon I was making all sorts of recipes and I also began increasing my fruit and vegetable intake,” she admits.

“After seeing the positive changes I was making and the impact it had not only on my body but also on my self esteem, my hubby vowed to reduce his consumption of alcohol, cigarettes and junk food too.

“He started going to the gym after work and we’ve decided to take it a step further and transition into a vegan lifestyle.”

Alicia has since lost an impressive 27kgs. Her husband has also lost 5kgs.

“Our lifestyle has changed in so many ways, all of which have been for the better,” she adds.

“We stay play on video games but AFTER exercise and a healthy dinner. The Healthy Mummy has become a huge part of our lives and we are confident we will lose another 25kg together.”

That’s amazing, Alicia! Well done to you and your hubby!