Is alcohol bad for weight loss?

Avoiding alcohol while trying to lose weight something you really want to consider.  Not only is alcohol full of empty calories, but it inhibits your fat burning and fat storing hormones.  It will also lower your inhibitions and changes your decision-making processes which can cause you to make poor food choices.

While it is true that you will lose weight so long as you are in a calorie deficit, regardless of the source of these calories, there are several ways that alcohol can impede your progress. First, alcohol contains so-called "empty calories", meaning they have little or no nutritional value. Your body needs a certain amount of nutrients each day to function properly, and alcohol does not provide these.

Secondly, as you may be aware, alcohol is processed though the liver. The liver is also responsible for many other functions such as producing substances that break down fats, converting glucose to glycogen (energy), and making amino acids (which become proteins for muscle building). If your liver is busy filtering alcohol, guess what? These other processes will have to wait.

Third, you do not get the same quality of sleep you normally would after drinking alcohol. We've all felt that tired and lethargic feeling the next day. 

Finally, your workout the day after a night of drinking will surely suffer, if you make to the gym at all. Results come through hard work and consistency, and for the goal of weight loss alcohol should be kept to a minimum. 

It depends on how much you drink. Weight loss depends primarily on how many calories you burn compared to how many calories you consume. If you burn more, then your weight will decrease regardless of where the calories come from. Keep in mind that certain calories are better than others in terms of nutritional value and support for your daily activity. If you consume 2,000 calories per day and 700 of them come from alcohol, it is likely that your ability to perform, sustain lean body mass, and reduce cravings will be affected. It is important to carefully track your caloric intake from alcohol and be aware of how it affects your overall program. If an excessive amount of your calories consumed come from alcohol, it is recommended that you seek help from a qualified professional in order promote a healthy lifestyle.

Alcohol is not bad for weight loss but the fact that most people have too much alcohol at one time that causes the problem.  Remember you have to burn more calories than you take in.  Alcohol can range in calories from 85-230 calories depending on the type of drink you are having.  Now add in the fact that people just don't have one drink when they go out.  A lot of people can easily comsume enough calories in one sitting of alcohol to replace their daily intake of food for the day.  It is all about moderation and knowing what you are putting into your body.

I really like NASM's answer.  When we start breaking down calories per grams almost all people know that protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram.  What does this mean?  Well fat is more than twice as dense in calories than protein and carbs.  So, if we are preaching nutrient density versus calorie density then it will make sense to have a greater emphasis on protein and carbs and eat lower fat foods to keep the caloric density as low as possible.

However, you need a certain amount of fat and healthy fats are good for you and should be included in your diet.  That is why logging your food is so important.  You have to be aware of your caloric intake but some fat in your diet is good but you just have to be aware that the caloric density of fat is more than twice than protein and carbs.

Why do I mention this?  Because alcohol is 7 calories per gram and therefore it is in the range of fat.  I have not found that alcohol in moderation causes any sort of problems and many studies show that it can be beneficial.  So, if we follow the moderation rule of thumb we will know that alcohol contains calories, if we account for our calories and we take in sufficient levels of protein, carbs and fat, drink alcohol and stay within our caloric goals then everything probably is going to be fine.

Moderation and balance is the key.  Awareness is also key, be aware of the caloric density of alcohol an think of that when you are reaching for that 3rd or 4th drink.

Dr. Mike Clark's answer to this question is a good one. Alcohol and weight loss is about more then just calories - alcohol impacts hormonal systems, impairs judgment (the devil in your head says you DESERVE that cheese-covered, potato skin), and generally jacks you up (a very fitness technical term). Personal experience has taught me it's not worth it. It's not aligned with your goal, skip it.

If you are of age and stay within moderation guidelines (1 drink per day for women and 2 per day for men) alcohol can be part of a weight loss routine. Although, as with most things in life, if some is good... more is not better! Plus if you are going to have a drink, consider the calories in the drink! For example: some martinis can weigh in at 400 calories or more! Instead opt for lighter options like a small glass of wine, light beer, or mixed drink with club soda (instead of tonic).