When it comes to an understanding the impact of alcohol on your waistline, it all boils down to calories. All types of alcohol contain calories, and the calories found in vodka are no exception. But the truth is, even if your belly is affected by changing hormones, drinking less alcohol will probably help you keep it under control. Many of the benefits attributed to red wine have to do with a specific polyphenol called resveratrol. A 2015 study suggested resveratrol may help convert one kind of fat into another type which is easier to burn off. If you thought you could avoid a larger gut by avoiding beer, you may be surprised to see your midsection growing anyway!

  • Another important confounding factor to be considered is physical activity level.
  • The severity of these changes usually depends on how long and how often you drink.
  • There are three primary reasons high-protein diets may help keep your weight down.
  • Beer may increase the number of calories you consume and prevent your body from burning fat.

Well, the good news is you can still lose bodyweight from consuming alcoholic drinks if you’re doing it right. However, there is a thin line that is easy to cross if you aren’t keeping your drinking and choices under control. If you’re doing everything else right in your diet and exercise do liquor make you gain weight program, then having an alcoholic beverage or two shouldn’t contribute much to weight gain. However, as long as you keep your calories, macronutrients, and meal timing correct, it could even lose weight. Alcohol has also been shown to influence a number of hormones linked to satiety.

Ways to reduce the risk of weight gain from flavored vodka

First, diet mixers contain a mixture of artificial sweeteners and flavorings with zero calories, giving drinks a sweet taste. So, your drink will remain calorie-free if you drink a vodka soda or cranberry and use a diet mixer. The phenomenon of “mommy wine culture,” for example, has made it seem normal for women to drink large amounts of wine to cope with stress—or just to socialize. While small amounts of wine may be okay, this trend actually seems to be masking an increase in alcoholism among women.

They however noted that about half of the obese participants gained weight, with the largest weight gain being 1.8 kg [48]. Also, Beulens et al. [51] reported similar results in 34 male adults with large WC, consuming 450 mL of red wine per day for 4 weeks, compared to consuming alcohol-free wine for the same time period. Biceps skin fold was the only anthropometric measurement that was increased in their participants after the beer drinking condition [52]. In this case both diets were isoenergetic https://ecosoberhouse.com/ so this is not a surprising result, as the thermic effect of food was likely higher for white wine than grape juice [53, 54]. However, a clear cause-and-effect association between alcohol intake and weight gain is not apparent based on the mixed and conflicting available evidence on the topic. Given that both excessive alcohol intake and obesity are of public health concern, a better understanding of the association between alcohol consumption and excess body weight is warranted.

Increases Abdominal Fat

The association between alcohol intake and body weight is generally stronger in men than women [15], especially because of the amount and type of alcohol consumed by men. Alcohol has been reported to account for 16% of adult drinkers’ total energy intake in the United States [68], with men consuming about three times the amount consumed by women [68]. Men are also more likely to drink beer, which is carbohydrate rich, and provides more energy than wine per standard drink [5].

  • Alcohol consumption causes increased levels of triglycerides in the blood, which can also contribute to weight gain.
  • These numbers are significant; alcohol is a very high-calorie product and provides 7 calories per gram.
  • Because dehydration from drinking can cause dry mouth, bad breath the day after drinking can also occur (2).

Red wine is generally a wise choice if you’re trying to lose weight. Many like having a glass or two of red wine at night to wind down, and you can still drop pounds as long as you’re eating the right foods at the correct times. Spirits, when drunk neat, can be one of the better choices for alcoholic drinks for losing body weight. A simple vodka, lime, and club soda will be one of the best bets if you don’t want to keep the pounds off. Eat more protein when consuming alcohol instead of carbs and sugars. Your body will feel fuller and you’ll boost your metabolism by eating high protein foods.