If you are actively trying to lose weight, you might want to rethink how many alcoholic drinks you consume every week. Following a strict diet and exercise regimen is crucial, and when you add alcohol into the mix, it can slow down your progress. Here’s what you need to know about how alcohol impacts weight loss and how to enjoy alcohol in moderation.

Drinking Empty Calories

Alcoholic drinks contain empty calories that have no beneficial nutrients for your body. Most of the calories in beer and cocktails come from sugar, and your body has to use those sugars before it burns any other calories. When you add juice or other mixers to your drinks, it increases the calorie content even more. 

Impacting Body Functions

Alcoholic drinks also impact your body functions and sleep cycles. To lose weight, you have to maintain the health of your organs and get enough sleep. Alcoholic drinks affect your digestive system and liver, especially if you drink excessively. Alcohol also contributes to dehydration.

Alcohol can also worsen the quality of your sleep, including making you wake up more times overnight. When you sleep, your body recovers from exercise, builds muscle, and burns calories. If your sleep quality is poor, you could experience a delay in your fitness journey. 

Making Healthy Choices

You can still enjoy alcohol while you’re trying to lose weight, but you have to make healthy choices. Instead of choosing a sweet cocktail with added juice or syrups when you go out, stick to a simpler and lower-calorie option such as a vodka soda. 

The most important thing to remember about consuming alcohol when you’re trying to lose weight is that you have to limit the number of drinks you have and the frequency. Choose one day a week to indulge and cap your beverages at just two drinks. Consume one glass of water between drinks to stay hydrated.

If you have difficulty controlling how much you eat, ask your doctor about phentermine, an FDA-approved appetite suppressant that can help you take control of your diet.