Summer is right around the corner, which means backyard BBQ’s, pool parties and alcohol. With all the fun that summer brings, it can be hard to stay on track with our goals. One of the biggest things derailing your hard work in the gym? Alcohol.
Alcohol is referred to as fat-sparing. This means that the body uses the calories supplied from alcohol before it is able to expend the calories from fat. This characteristic is referred to as “fat-sparing,” meaning alcohol’s presence spares the fat from being utilized for energy and it ends up being stored. Alcohol is also known to be an appetite stimulant, which can lead to consuming excess calories. Before you know it, you’ve blown through your calories for the day and then some.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to alcohol is not tracking it. This can easily put you over your calories by a couple hundred- repeat a few times a week and it’s no wonder you’re not seeing the results of your workouts. If you know you’re going to be having a drink or two, we recommend pre-logging your drinks into MyFitnessPal. This not only helps hold you accountable but allows you to adjust your meals to stay on track.
Not sure how to track your alcohol? Here’s how:
Find out the calorie amount of your drink (either from the label or on calorieking.com)
Divide the total calories by either 9 to calculate fat grams or by 4 to calculate carbohydrate grams
Look at your macro totals for the day. Are you low in carbs or fats? Decide out of the two to enter your alcohol as. Do not log both carbs and fats- pick one. Don't forget to enter the total calories too
If you are going to drink more than one drink, be sure to enter them all. Having a mixed drink? Make sure to log the mixer as well.
No matter your goals, you can still enjoy alcohol- just be sure to log it!