Alcohol and Calories

With summer approaching may of us look forward to outdoor activities such as biking, long runs, walks, sports, etc. Also, to help us celebrate the beutiful weather, many of us bbq. and DRINK!

I’m not a trainer who preaches to the choir. However, before succumbing to the temptations of a long island ice tea, or a cold beer, be cautious of what you are washing your hamburger down with.

Let’s first briefly clear up the misconceptions of alcohol. We’ve all seen the infamous “beer belly”. Commonly misattributed to excess alcohol calories being stored as fat, the “beer belly” is actually a result of alcohol’s more complex effects on the body’s metabolic system. Simply put, alcohol reduces the amount of fat the body burns for energy.

Why:

  1. A small portion of the alcohol consumed is converted into fat.
  2. The liver then converts the majority of alcohol into acetate.
  3. The acetate is then released into the bloodstream, and replaces fat as a source of fuel.

Combined with the high caloric value of alcohol, the resulting effect is that body is forced to store an excessive amount of unburned fat calories, often in the form of a “beer belly”.

DRINKS AND CALORIES (estimated):

  1. Light Beer = 105 Cal
  2. Reg. Beer = 145 Cal
  3. Bicardi Silver = 225 Cal (12 oz.)
  4. Bacardi Breezer = 96 Cal
  5. Mikes Hard Lemonade = 240 Cal
  6. Smirnoff Twists = 69 Cal (1 oz.)
  7. Smirnoff Ice, = 240 Cal (12 oz.)
  8. Bacardi Limon = 99 Cal (1.5 oz.)
  9. Capt. Morgan = 120 Cal (2 oz.)
  10. Cosmo = 170 Cal (2.5 oz.)
  11. Choc. Martini = 438 Cal (6 oz.)
  12. Long Island Ice Tea = 789 Cal (12 oz.)
  13. Wine = 85 Cal (4 oz.)

This is just a fraction of the hundreds of alcoholic beverages many of us enjoy during the summer months (or all year round). If you are working on those washboard abbs this summer, you may want to consider this next time you decide to dust off the blender!