Beer is not the healthiest drink in the world. It’s made from grains, which are high in carbs and easy to overeat. And it’s often full of sugar, even if it doesn’t taste that way.
But beer can be part of a healthy diet. In moderation, it can be a satisfying way to unwind after a stressful day or celebrate a special occasion.
If you’re trying to lose weight, though, there are some less-than-healthy habits you might want to avoid. Here are the worst beer habits for weight loss:
- Drinking too much — This one is obvious. You know how alcohol makes you feel when you’ve had too much: bloated, tired, and nauseous. Drinking too much can also lead to other serious health problems like liver disease or heart disease over time.
- Drinking on an empty stomach — Alcohol has no nutritional value at all; it just contains empty calories that will quickly add up if you don’t burn them off through exercise or physical activity every day. If you drink on an empty stomach (after eating nothing), your liver may not have enough glycogen stores built up yet to process the alcohol efficiently and safely for several hours until your next meal arrives.
- Drinking before meals. Alcohol has empty calories that can add up quickly if you’re not careful. Many people don’t realize that it’s easy to consume more than one bottle at a time. Drinking alcohol also suppresses appetite so you may eat less while drinking which could lead to overeating later on in the day or evening when you finally do eat something solid again.
- Pairing your beer with unhealthy food. In certain cases, what you eat is just as important as the alcohol you’re ingesting! When it comes to beer, the more you drink, the less you worry about what you’re putting in your mouth! You’ll soon be consuming calories from both your beer and your food. Even if you just drink beer once or twice a week, the extra calories from fast food and other junk food you’ll consume may be detrimental to your weight reduction efforts.
