“After a lifetime of losing and gaining weight, I get it.
No matter how you slice it, weight loss comes down to
the simple formula of calories in, calories out.”
– Valerie Bertinelli, U.S. actress
Calories in, calories out
Yep, just what my Mom told me when she saw I was piling on the pounds and did the parental thing by uttering those words.
However, what she didn’t know was that I was on a very strict diet already – beer, whiskey, fried food, more beer, more whiskey, fast food (the faster, the better, and usually delivered), and even more beer, with very little exercise… Not surprisingly, when I finally would pass out in the evening, even plain standing up had become an issue, let alone hitting a 3-pointer on the basketball court.
So, when my alcoholism was in full swing (my Mom still had no idea about that – I lived away, and would only visit her and my family when I was relatively sober), she actually believed I’d acted on her advice, she really did.
Again, however, what she didn’t know was that my alcoholism had so far advanced by then, drinking was essential, an intrinsic part of what my day had become, and food? Well, that didn’t really matter anymore.
Yes, for me, if there was anything I learned about weight loss and drinking during those years, it would be this – alcohol can make you pile on the pounds, but, once it has a firm grip on your life, it’ll shed those pounds for you, and more. Not the kind of diet I’d be recommending in an online article such as this.
Now, over 6 years since I finally got clean and sober at a Boise alcohol rehab (that’s in Idaho, by the way), the lifelong education I received there gave me the knowledge to add to the experience – how alcohol – its calories, and its impact upon your life, even in small measure (excuse the pun, as the Brits say) – will affect your weight, and how, by quitting it, you are put in real control of your health.
Here’s how… Your “3 Weight Loss Benefits from Quitting Alcohol.”
Less Calories In, Less Calories Out
Here’s something you may not know, and it’s very, very important. Having 4 or more drinks a day can significantly increase your chances of becoming obese. Not just overweight… Obese.
If you are a regular alcoholic drinker (and I’m not talking about the heady heights of alcohol consumption that I managed, but at the levels described just now), you really do need to shake things up and make some changes.
So, by quitting alcohol, you are instantly reducing your calorie intake, and, if you’re like me and need to do some exercise to maintain a good, healthy weight, that’s fewer calories you’re looking to burn off in the first place.
By making healthier food choices, you will gradually lose weight. That’s a fact. However, by quitting alcohol, you’ll make your weight loss quicker, and do it naturally too (a big plus compared to many of the fad diets you see around). Did you also know that one regular beer can contain up to 155 calories, while a martini might contain upwards of 285 calories? Think about it.
Sober People Make Healthy Food Choices
This you do know, for sure. When you’re drunk, or even a little bit drunk, you are far less likely to make the healthy food choices that you need to if you want to get in proper control of your weight.
Remember this too – not only does an unhealthy diet make you feel lethargic and a little sick, but it will also increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, a debilitating or fatal stroke, and other serious medical problems.
More Energy
Here’s something I learned in the rehab… A morning workout is not only energizing, but it’s also an excellent way to establish a great routine for your complete day. However, hungover people are highly unlikely to get out of bed early, let alone actually do their morning workout. Furthermore, by quitting alcohol, your metabolism will work much better, and you’ll have even more energy to burn when you do exercise. Winner, winner, (grilled) chicken dinner!
Let’s finish with another piece of advice from my Mom…
“If You Don’t Try, You Don’t Know”
Quitting alcohol might not sound much if you’re a light drinker, but it will make a noticeable difference. The more you drink, the greater the difference. And, as Mom used to say (this is easily one of her all-time faves), “If you don’t try, you don’t know.”
If you want to see first-hand how quitting alcohol can make significant improvements in you reaching your weight loss goals, why not try it for a month or so? By doing so, and in only that short space of time, you will realize first-hand these “3 Weight Loss Benefits from Quitting Alcohol” – fewer calories to burn in the first place, healthier food choices (always), and much more energy.
Do you have any experience with how quitting alcohol aids weight loss? Please leave a comment below – thank you. One last thing. You’ll be happier too. Fact.
