Can You Drink to Your Health and Keep Weight Off?

I don’t like to be the messenger when people want to lose or maintain their ideal body weight. It feels terrible to have to tell people don’t eat this or that. Now at least I have some good news for the ladies who are always jealous that the men in their lives lose weight faster due to increased muscle mass and genetic factors. To maintain your weight, you do not have to deprive yourself completely.

An article in the Archives of Internal Medicine researchers found that: “Compared with nondrinkers, initially normal weight women who consumed a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during 12.9 years of follow up.”

Before you go out and drink glasses of Cosmos like Carrie and her friends in Sex and the City, let’s define moderation. In this study less than 30 grams per day – a 12 ounce beer is 13.2 grams, a 4 ounce glass of wine is 10.8 grams and a shot (1.5 oz) of liquor is 15.1 grams. Most restaurants and bars have larger serving size so a glass is usually more than what is defined here. All the women in the study were normal weight to begin with and women tend to substitute alcohol for other foods while men added alcohol to their daily intake.

Can You Drink to Your Health and Keep Weight Off? Takeaway:

If your goal is weight loss, I would advise you to abstain and if you have had difficulty losing, go to a medical weight loss program. Some individuals tend to be more sensitive or may have other reasons why they should avoid alcohol. However if you don’t have any risk factors for adverse effects of alcohol, drink a moderate amount, exercise, eat a nutritious diet and stay lean to maintain health and wellness as well as longevity. Consult with your doctor to be sure you don’t have any risk factors. If not, Cheers!