Drink Wine And Other Alcoholic Beverages And Still Lose Belly Fat
By Neil O’Hanlon
Hey folks, despite what all the doom and gloom personal trainers out there will tell you, drinking wine won’t cause belly fat any more than any other food or beverage in your diet. In fact, research shows that it could even help reduce weight gain. This goes out to everyone who thought it appropriate to sneer and cast a judgmental and self righteous eye over us when we’ve admitted to enjoying a glass or two of wine after a day at work. You can go firmly back in your boxes, because this isn’t N.O.7. Health Coaching saying this but actual scientists have discovered that drinking wine late in the evening aids weight loss.
This Is A ‘N.O.7. Health Coaching’ Wine Related Public Service Announcement
Wine Speeds Up Metabolism?
Setting your diet up for success means increasing your metabolism. What’s interesting about wine is that it also increases metabolism for about 70-90 minutes. While many people believe that alcohol slows metabolism because it tends to lead to weight gain, moderate drinking can actually increase the body’s metabolism rate.
Caveat: However, drinking too much wine, will have the opposite effect.
The Science
Now let’s get scientific with the help from Washington State University and Harvard. In wine there is a chemical called resveratrol which works in the body as a means to stopping fat cells gaining more fat, therefore helping you slim. And this isn’t one of those incidences when we’re told we can drink wine, but only a thimble mixed with water every other Wednesday. According to scientists, drinking two glasses – half a bottle a day can help beat obesity by 70%. There’s no messing around with a number like that, is there?
The reason why coiffing your best glass of Merlot in the evening is best, is because the calories help keep you full and reduce the need to late night snack, which is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to weight gain. This happens with beer as well as wine. To back this up with even more scientific evidence, the University of Denmark found that people who drank everyday had slimmer waistlines compared to their sober counterparts, while Harvard’s weight gain study of 20,000 people revealed that out of all of those that gained a large amount of weight, none of them were drinkers.
Ok, so knowing the above, which wine is best to drink on a diet?
The best wine for weight loss is dry wine like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot or a dry sparkling white wine. The reason being sweet wines have significantly higher calorie and carb counts, which can leave you struggling to reach your healthy goals.
“Men and women who drink alcohol tend to have a stable body weight over a decade of observation compared with their non-drinking counterparts, whose weight increases.”
What Other Forms Of Alcohol Is Ok To Drink On A So Called Diet?
Wine, light beer and pure forms of alcohol — such as vodka, whiskey, rum and gin — offer few or zero carbs per serving and are easily paired with low-carb mixers like diet soda or sugar-free tonic water. For those dieting but still drinking alcohol, vodka is typically the go-to due to its low calories and non-existent carbs. It is considered a much lower calorie alternative to beer and wine. However, when it comes to its caloric content, there is a simple way to look at it, the higher the proof, the higher the calories
How Much Is Ok To Drink While Trying To Lose Weight?
So, how much can you drink if you are trying to lose weight? Health experts recommend that anyone who drinks should do so in moderation. This means no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day. However, you may want to drink even less than that while dieting
So Which Is Healthier Beer Or Wine?
The nutritional value of beer exceeds that of wine . The values of protein, fiber, B vitamins, folate, and niacin found in beer make it more like food. Studies in mice showed that hops may slow down obesity. Forget the so called beer belly then.
Wine Is An Anti-Inflammatory So Could Stop Inflammation?
Studies found that the same chemical resveratrol in wine has anti-inflammatory properties and may benefit health. One study in 4,461 adults demonstrated that moderate consumption of wine was linked to a reduced inflammatory response.
Wine In Moderation Can Be Good For Arthritis
Red wine which has potent anti-inflammatory effects due to Resveratrol show that moderate consumption is associated with a reduced risk of knee-related osteoarthritis. It can also cut risk factors contributing to rheumatoid arthritis.
Hey, If It’s Good Enough For The French
You may have heard that the French drink wine every day, and although we usually like to debunk clichés about les français, this one is pretty accurate. In the UK, your average adult drinks 12.4 litres of wine per year, whereas in France the number is 50.2. Basically It’s very normal to drink one or two glasses a day.
7 Amazing Benefits Of Drinking Red Wine…….. In Moderation
1. Wine Could Help You Live Longer……….In Moderation
Studies have also tied resveratrol to improved heart health and longevity, and there’s evidence that resveratrol may combat inflammation and help improve blood health.
2. Red Wine And Dark Chocolate Keeps You Looking Younger And Is Good For The Skin……. In Moderation
A glass of red wine pumps antioxidants including tannins, flavonoids, and resveratrol into our bodies, correcting the collagen and elastic fibers deficit. Why is that helpful? Sufficient collagen and elastic fibers help fight age-related diseases, allowing you to look younger, These same antioxidants help to slow down the ageing process whilst reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and hence, provides a boost to a sagging skin. Adding some dark chocolate to the mix enhances the body’s ability to beat the wrinkles.
3. Wine Can Help Heal Blemishes And Acne…….In Moderation
Due to its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, red wine can help to clear pores and reduce breakouts. Relaxing while sipping a glass of wine can also reduce stress levels, and in turn, cut down on breakouts triggered by stress.
4. Red Wine Can Increase Sex Drive………….Obviously In Moderation
Without getting too bogged down in science, according to the research, red wine actually has compounds that stimulate our erogenous zones. Drinking two glasses a day gives women a higher sex drive, and in men, seems to increase testosterone in the blood.
5. Red Wine Can Be Good For The Gut………In Moderation
A study by a team of scientists from King’s College London has found that red wine drinkers had a greater diversity of bacteria in their digestive tracts, which is a marker of gastrointestinal health, compared to those who consumed other kinds of alcohol. Red wine had the greatest positive impact on gut health, and it was also linked to lower levels of obesity and “bad” cholesterol. There were no such associations for beer, cider, or spirits, but a minor effect linked to white wine.
6. Red Wine Could Be Good For The Liver…….In Moderation
A 2015 study on nearly 56,000 participants found that wine consumption was linked to a lower risk of cirrhosis than consumption of beer or spirits. Around the same time, another study linked Ellagic acid an antioxidant which can decrease levels of inflammation to protect against disease. It’s commonly found in (you guessed it) red wine.
Some Tips To Stop The Wine Drinking Derailing Your Progress
Earn Your Glass Of Wine Before You Drink
Walking in the early evening will help keep your metabolism up and will also slow down the ‘need to feed’ impulse that we often have at the end of the day. Walking is a natural decompression. This habit may help reduce over drinking as well. Setting your diet up for success means increasing your metabolism. What’s interesting about wine is that it also increases metabolism for about 70-90 minutes. It’s important to drink water when you consume wine and liquor to maintain the balance of water in your cells since alcohol is a diuretic which means you pee out more than you take in. You’ll note that beer is different than wine and causes cells to swell.
Men and women who drink alcohol tend to have a stable body weight over a decade of observation compared with their non-drinking counterparts, whose weight increases.
Don’t Drink Before You Eat
Drinking wine before you eat has shown to increase appetite when consumed 30 minutes before eating, so save your wine for your meal. If you love to cook and drink at the same time, try splitting your glass of wine into 2 servings of 3 ounces each. Also, having wine on a full stomach will make it so you’ll be less likely to feel the effects and more likely to absorb all of the associated calories.
Drink Dry Red Wine
Red wine has shown to have much higher antioxidants than other wines. Pay attention to the alcohol level when purchasing a bottle and attempt to keep it below 13.5% ABV.
Don’t Drink Too Late At Night
Alcohol behaves similar to carbohydrates in our bodies, so to drink wine and stay thin, resist drinking too late. You will also be able to have higher quality rest if you stop all eating and drinking for the day around 8 to 8:30pm – that is if you go to sleep around 11pm
Spend A little More On A Bottle Of Wine
To change our habits, we have to put a value around the things we eat. If you spend a little more on your bottle of wine, it will encourage you to enjoy it over several days, well, maybe a couple of days. You can easily preserve your red or white wine in the fridge with a vacuum pump wine sealer. Sparkling wines will last up to 4 days with a Champagne stopper.
The Takeaway
Ok, folks there you have it. Yes, you can drink alcohol and lose weight, but just remember moderation is important, and so is knowing how to choose drinks that will have the least impact on your weight loss goals. While the consensus on wine is polarising, researchers do say that drinking it in moderation is not bad for you. In general, moderate wine consumption for healthy adults means up to two drinks a day.
However, regardless of your diet, it’s best to keep alcohol consumption in check to avoid adverse health effects
Who’s Round Is It Then???????