Quitting Alcohol Can Help Your Weight Loss: We can often get a bit side tracked in life by alcohol. In fact, more people than ever before are.
As we look to cope with everything that’s going on in the world, many of us are turning to the bottle and it’s leading to higher levels of addiction than ever before. Regular drinking can harm our bodies in many different ways, but often one of the key things we notice is weight gain.
For millions of people worldwide, it can be difficult to give up drinking though. Sanctuary Lodge, who provide alcohol addiction recovery in Essex, are one of hundreds of rehab centres who believe fitness is one of the key techniques to treating addiction, and quitting alcohol as a whole can aid improved fitness, as well as weight loss.
But whether you’re suffering from addiction, or simply feel like you want to lose weight and aren’t quite sure where to start, giving up alcohol can be key in doing so. Here are five reasons quitting alcohol can help with that…
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It’ll Reduce Your Calorie Intake
Firstly, alcohol is quite calorific by its nature. A glass of wine has about 120 calories, while beer can be as much as 180. These are empty calories and you are unlikely to include them in your daily calorie count or even notice them at all.
By giving up alcohol, you are reducing your calorie intake, and as a result will start to notice it on your body.
It’ll Improve Your Metabolism
Drinking alcohol will slow down your metabolism as the body is fighting the toxins of alcohol rather than concentrating on burning calories efficiently. Without alcohol in your system, your metabolism will be able to burn fat at a better rate, as well as more efficiently converting the food you are eating into energy, which will make you feel more committed to things like physical exercise.
It’ll Enhance Your Physical Performance
Which is another reason to give it up. Many people prioritise the pub, or a glass of wine on the sofa ahead of going to the gym after a stressful day, but if you’re looking to lose weight, giving up alcohol will make you more inclined to take up physical activity. You’ll have more time, energy and focus to do it, swapping the bottle for fat-burning exercises that will see you drop weight at a much quicker rate.
It’ll allow you to make better dietry choices
Think about the food you eat when you’ve been drinking, and the food you eat when you’ve not. They are worlds apart aren’t they?
It’s not just the result of drinking that will see you gain weight, it’s the choices we make after that. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and means we’re more likely to pick up a takeaway on the way home than cook a healthy meal. However, giving up allows us to focus on our diet as a whole and feed our bodies with the right vitamins, minerals and healthy, fresh produce.
It’ll improve your sleep
Finally, you’ll get a better night’s sleep when giving up booze. That has a knock on effect as a full, restorative sleep will boost energy and leave you feeling fresher. In turn you’re less likely to turn to sugary drinks, snacks and more to combat tiredness and search for energy, allowing you to fully focus on your weight loss journey, as well as giving up alcohol.
