28/05/2026
Summer Six Pack? Say NO to your fridge Six pack then!
Trying to lose body fat ready for your holidays/summer, struggling to lose/reduce your body fat despite exercising and eating well? The problem could be too much alcohol 🍷 🍹🍻🍾 Alcohol adds calories quickly
Alcohol contains about: 7 calories per gram
(compared with 4 calories per gram from protein/carbs and 9 for fat)
Check out below 👇 to see what your favourite drinks contain.
* Beer: ~150–250 kcal
* Wine: ~120–150 kcal per glass
* Cocktails: often 200–500+ kcal
Further: Alcohol temporarily slows fat burning as body treats alcohol as a toxin, so it prioritizes metabolizing it before other fuels.
That means while alcohol is being processed:
* Fat oxidation decreases
* More dietary fat is likely to be stored 😱
And what about when you get the munchies?
Alcohol often increases appetite and increases overeating, particularly for salty/high-fat foods.
Heavy Alcohol consumption also has hormonal and metabolic effects
* Lower testosterone
* Increase cortisol
* Reduce muscle protein synthesis
* Impair insulin sensitivity over time
Ask yourself also how your sleep quality is after alcohol? Even moderate drinking can reduce sleep quality.
Poor sleep is associated with:
* Increased hunger hormones
* Worse workout recovery
* Lower training performance
* Greater fat retention
Impact on muscle and body composition
* Alcohol can impair recovery and muscle growth
* Less muscle retention = worse body composition even if weight stays similar
Lower muscle mass can reduce total daily energy expenditure, making fat gain easier 😱!!
SO If your goal is reducing body fat, seeing your abs come through but you don’t want to give up totally you can do the following:
1. Reducing binge drinking
2. Choosing lower-calorie drinks: Spirits with zero-calorie mixers, Dry wine, light beers.
3. Avoiding alcohol-driven late-night eating
4. Not drinking after hard training sessions
5. Prioritizing sleep and protein intake
Sugary cocktails tend to be the worst for body-fat goals 🚫🚫‼️
Enjoy yourself but be mindful of your summer body goals 💪🙌
Xcel Personal Training
