booze and weight loss

[samsamrages]

(i'm new to the forum, so forgive me if this is already a topic)

i've been losing weight for the last few months since I started my job at a health foods store (28 pounds in 4 months), I lift weights, eat healthy, and get plenty of cardio, but I drink a fair amount. In fact, I literally only lose weight on days that I drink alcohol. at first I thought that it had to just be water weight, that I was just dehydrated and that the weight would surely rebound once I drank some water.. but the weight stays off. There was a period of time where I drank every night for 5 nights, and every day I was down another pound, and when I stopped drinking, I plateau'd at the end weight.

I'm not writing this to brag to anyone about how lucky I am to be able to still drink while achieving my weight loss goals, I'm asking if anyone has ever heard of someone else like this, or had personal experiences like it. Or if anyone knows the science behind why budweiser and whiskey helps me shed more weight than weight loss pills. I eat a low-carb diet, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein, but no matter if I run 5 miles or lift heavier weights than ever before, my weight will only go down if I have 4 or more alcoholic drinks. It also helps me wake up earlier.. I don't know anyone else who's body reacts this way to alcohol, and am curious if this community has any insight on this kind of phenomenon.

thanks

[12ozCurlz]

This article presents a theory:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat...uishy-fat.html

As a side note, I also experience this. When I cut, I usually won't lose any weight all week. Then, after a night or two of drinking on the weekend, it's common for me to weigh in Monday 2-3 lbs lighter (weight that stays off).

[dknatural74]

I used to be a pretty good drinker, and definitely noticed weight loss. But, I believe it could be mainly attributed to inconsistent eating patterns. Back then the booze a lot of times replaced my meals, and that definitely isn't good for keeping your body anabolic.

[coppb]

Alcohol dehydrates you. I'd say the weightloss would be water not fat.

[JasonTarin]

I went through a time when I would drink every day... for five years. I only drank hard liqour and one thing I noticed is on nights when I took it easy I would have horrible night sweats, probably from substance withdrawl. I often wondered about this so I asked a doctor friend of mine and he told me that alcohol being an alternate energy source for the body supercedes carbs when ingested. Your metabolism stops burning carbs as energy as long as there is alcohol to burn. However, energy expenditure is ramped up when the body is functioning on alcogol as energy instead of carbs and that is why people who are drunk sweat much easier. He also told me the that body will anticipate alcohol consumption in someone that drinks a lot, physical dependancy. Therefore on days when you dont drink the body still increases its metabolism in order to burn off the alcohol that it assumes is coming. This results in weightloss because your metabolism is running fast with nothing extra to burn. I hope im articulating this right....

[IzTriv]

It also helps me wake up earlier.. I don't know anyone else who's body reacts this way to alcohol, and am curious if this community has any insight on this kind of phenomenon.

thanks

This is very common - happens me all the time. It's something to do with your body's deep sleep being interuppted once the alcohol begins to leave your body.

[PerfectTen10]

This is very common - happens me all the time. It's something to do with your body's deep sleep being interuppted once the alcohol begins to leave your body.

Yeah this absolutely happens. You're getting poor quality sleep by consuming alcohol, not magically resting yourself more quickly. I know samsamrages didn't say this but it would be unwise to drink before so you feel good in the mornings heh.

[willyamw]

drinking is bad for us in myriad ways, better to cut it to occasional use.

[CarlaMendez]

Alcohol dehydrates you. I'd say the weightloss would be water not fat.

agree, and i think it explains everything