It’s cold out. You’re hanging with friends and need some warming up — bring on the alcohol, right?

I’m going to say hard pass for me. Here’s why…

Even those low-calorie seltzers, like White Claw, still pack a punch, and literally make it harder for your body to lose belly fat. Plus, alcohol makes you hungry and usually leads to poor food choices, which means you end up overeating.

What Happens in Your Body When You Drink?

When you drink alcohol, your body immediately shifts into “emergency mode” to break down the alcohol, putting all its focus on detoxifying it before anything else. During this time, your metabolism slows down, halting fat-burning processes.

Depending on the amount you drank and your body size, this can take anywhere from 12 to 36 hours (according to the NIAAA, 2021) before your body will allow you to burn fat. In simpler terms, consuming alcohol (even just one drink) can pause your body’s fat-burning process for up to 36 hours. That’s nearly two days of zero fat loss just because you decided to have a “little drink”.

So yes, even one drink can temporarily prevent your body from burning fat. And if you’re drinking a few times a week? The impact compounds, slowing your overall progress.

While your body focuses on dealing with the alcohol, any additional calories consumed are stored for later. This happens because your body can’t effectively process those calories while it’s busy breaking down alcohol toxins. So when you’re drinking alcohol, you’re effectively stopping weight loss from happening.

The 3 Primary Macronutrients You SHOULD Know

Here are three primary macronutrients you need to know about:

Protein (4 calories per gram – think meat, fish, eggs)

Carbs (4 calories per gram – think starchy foods like potatoes, veggies, rice, bread, etc.)

Fat (9 calories per gram – think butter, avocados, nuts)

But what about alcohol?

It’s its own thing — its own macronutrient.

Alcohol: The 4th Macronutrient

Alcohol is considered the 4th macronutrient, coming in at 7 calories per gram. Not a protein, not a carb, and definitely not a fat. But, because alcohol provides calories, biochemically it’s considered an ‘energy-yielding compound’, but it is not classified alongside protein, carbs, and fat in official nutrition guidelines.

But here’s the catch — alcohol has NO nutritional value either. None. No vitamins, no minerals, no fiber.

So when you drink, your liver goes to work breaking down alcohol and turning it into acetaldehyde — a toxic molecule. This toxin is one of the main reasons you can’t burn fat while drinking. Alcohol is a toxin your body needs to get rid of, and that’s why it interferes with your fat-burning process.

So, Should You Stop Drinking? Ideally, yes — if you are trying to lose weight.

Will it hinder your progress in diet and exercise? Yes, it can if you drink daily or excessively.

What If You Can’t Cut It Out Completely?

Try to limit yourself to 1–2 drinks per week or less (preferably none).

If you’ve already had a few drinks, there isn’t much you can do except be mindful of your activity level and dietary intake afterward to help prevent unwanted fat storage.

The Reality of Alcohol and Fitness

Every time you pick up that drink, you’re making a choice that goes beyond the moment, because progress is built or slowed by the small decisions you repeat consistently. No one may be watching, and it may not feel significant, but your body responds to what you repeatedly give it, not what you intend to do someday.

At some point, you have to get honest with yourself about whether your habits truly match your goals, because the results you want will always match the standards you choose to live by.

Stay strong. Stay Safe!
~ Coach Ame