weight loss and alcohol

I know I deliver this message often but it is such an important ppart of the life style change needed for long term weight loss, I had to bring it up again: Alcohol.

For many people, it is almost ritualistic to have a glass or several glasses of wine before dinner. At the weekend social event, golf course, etc., alcohol almost always seems to accompany the event taking place.

Alcohol derails weight loss efforts. No ifs, ands or buts about it. There is something aside from the caloric content of alcohol that slows down metabolism and adveseely affects weight loss efforts. When patients come in for followup visits and there is no apparant reason why weight was not lost my first question always is about alcohol usage.

We tend to use alcohol as a relaxing agent....it is a legal substance that is relaxing and calming. However, the usa of this will slow down your efforts to lose the weight to become healthier and happier.

weight loss and alcohol

First, I want to thank very much our very fine staff members who are at the office seeing patients and taking care of your medical and weight loss needs allowing the rest of the staff to be here for our Holiday party in Vegas. We had a staff dinner last nite and what stories I was hearing about the exploits of Jessica, Jennifer(s), Julia, Shayna, Nathan, Nicole, Jean and Donna. I cannot believe what I was hearing! But alas, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas so I cannot share any of this on the blog. But, rumors do exist that a new movie entitled "The Hangover, Part 2" is being contemplated based on the adventures of the Serotonin-Plus crew.

What a place to talk about a subject that has profound impact on weight loss efforts...alcohol.

Alcohol usage is incredibly damaging to weight loss efforts and I often hear the refrain: "A few glasses of red wine daily is good for you." Let me dispel that...alcohol in any form hinders weight loss efforts. There is a adverse metabolic effect of alcohol that is damaging beyond the calories you see listed on the side of the bottle.

This time of year is especially challenging as it seems that almost every social/holiday function is based on lots of alcohol availability.

Make your choices wisely...if your goal is to lose weight, then keep alcohol out of your life.

weight loss and alcohol

Last evening I was at a social function/business mixer and I was introduced to a number of people as a "weight loss doctor". The social function had free wine and beer and most people were talking with a drink in hand. I was asked about our weight loss program and whether alcohol could still be compatible with our plan.

Here is the issue about alcohol: In addition to the calories the alcohol contains, there is a general metabolic slowdown that occurs in people who consume alcohol regularly. The chronic use of alcohol will slow down your weight loss efforts. A glass or two of wine a nite seems innoculous, but when it comes to losing weight, it is not innocuous at all.

Having an occasional drink is compatible with our plan, but I would ask you to take a step back, assess your current alcohol usage, and realize that for you to lose weight you must curtail that usage.. Fuerthermore, to keep the weight off, you need to maintain thatreduced alcohol usage. Also, alcohol tends to reduce inhibition and control, and eating behaviors may change as well.

weight loss and alcohol

If you have ever been to a casino, you will have experienced the casino's attempts to ply you with alcohol. You will be approached by very pretty cocktail waitresses and handsome cocktail waiters approaching you offering free drinks. No limit...all you care to drink for free!

This is not done because Meyer Lanski, Bugsy Siegal and the rest of the founding fathers of Vegas felt guilty burying their victims in the desert and mandated free drinks to the casino customers. More likely, it was apparent to those, even without a psychology degree, that people "loosen up" under the influence of alcohol and will bet more aggressively and with less wisdom.

Alcohol does loosen inhibitions and takes critical thinking awa to some extent. This goes beyond gambling tendencies and certainly will affect eating behaviors. Aside from the caloric content of the alcohol itself as well as the slowing of the metabolism it causes, we will often find ourselves reaching for food sources that would not be on our radar screen if were not drinking alcohol.

If you are trying to lose weight (and unless you were surfing the internet for cheap hotel rates and hit this blog by mistake, you probably are in a weight loss mode) then you really want to eliminate alcohol or keep it to a bare minimum. On a number of levels, alcohol will sabotage your efforts.