FIT TIP: We all know that alcohol and weight loss aren’t exactly good partners, but that doesn’t mean you need to stay away completely!

All alcoholic drinks contain calories, which your body needs to burn off.  And our bodies prioritise alcohol over all other ‘macronutrients’ (protein, fat and carbs) because, unfortunately, it is a poison – and our liver needs to get rid of it! Due to this, any food we eat while drinking alcohol will have a much higher chance of being stored as fat. Do not eat high fat, high calorie snacks while drinking!

Also, when we drink alcohol, our metabolism slows down, so our fat burning ability is reduced for up to 3 days after a good drinking session!.

So how can we keep drinking? Limit the number of drinks per night to 2 or 3, and choose your poison wisely! The best options are red wine (for the anti-oxidants), and clear spirits. You can request a single-shot of clear spirits in a diet mixer or soda water, and only have 80 calories per drink. This is almost half that of a standard beer or wine (around 140 calories each). Low-carb beers are a good alternative to standard beer, as the calories are reduced to around 110.  If you like white wine, go for dry white (140 calories) rather than sweet (190 calories).

You can still drink alcohol and lose weight by following these recommendations!