I do Keto but I want to drink… What to do?
Hello my friends! Today we are going to talk about a controversial topic in terms of health management: Alcohol.
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Let’s be honest we are not all perfect, however it’s all about achieving balance in our lives. The more and deeper I get into Keto and being in a Ketogenic Lifestyle the more I experiment with my body… why? Because that is the only way to know what actually happens.
We all know and hear that if you want to lose weight alcohol needs to go out…well that’s true and not and i’ll explain why.
Alcohol is considered in general by the body as a poison, it’s not a macronutrient and does not have any nutritional value. Whenever we consume alcohol the Liver (one of our most important organs) will try to get rid of it as soon as it can, therefore stopping other functions - one of them fat loss
You see there are a couple of metabolic pathways in which energy is created in the body, in a traditional western diet, the liver processes carbohydrates in the form of glycogen and turns them into glucose so that cells can feed themselves; in a ketogenic diet the liver breaks down Free Fatty Acids (fats) and turns them into Ketone Bodies which are distributed to the body for fuel; finally… alcohol.
Your Liver will always choose Alcohol first, Carbohydrates second and Fat third as priority for burning those molecules for energy.
How does alcohol interfere?
Depending on the type of alcohol and how we combine it we might have traces of Carbohydrates and Sugars that will knock us off Ketosis and will trigger an Insulin response from the Pancreas.
For example a Mojito is a drink that contains Rum, Sugar, and Carbonated Soda. In this case the Sugar is going to create that insulin peak that causes us to stop fat loss, the Liver then tries to breakdown the alcohol first, the excess sugar get pushed down to the muscle or liver as Glycogen and if those reserves are met, it has to convert it to Fat.
Now rum on it’s own is a different metabolic pathway, it does not trigger insulin response and the liver only has to focus on burning that alcohol for energy. If you must drink stick to non-carbohydrate alcohols such as
Vodka, Rum, Whiskey, Gin, Tequila & Low Carb wines.
The biggest problem of all occurs when we drink alcohols that create insulin peak, then we have a drop in blood sugar levels, and ultimately get hungry and eat. All that series of events will cause that in a single sitting we might just overeat easily 1500-2000 calories in an evening.
The alcohol per se is not causing us to gain fat, just triggering events that will such as over eating.
What do I do when I binge drink?
- First of all I avoid all carbohydrates while out drinking.
- I avoid all alcohol that has carbohydrates such as Beer or any Cocktail with mixers.
- Once i start drinking i stick to the same alcohol.
- Don’t eat, your body does NOT need food, it has plenty of reserves of energy to step up, it’s mere psychological appetite that is being triggered.
- BE AWARE YOU WILL NOT BE BURNING FAT ANYMORE, ACCEPT IT.
- Control the amount, Each drink averages 60-120kcal from a vodka to a wine
- Rehydrate - alcohol is going to deplete you of electrolytes and certain vitamin B. Drink a glass of water for every drink - add salt and lemon if you want.
From here forward this is what I do
8 . In the morning, wake up and have a connection of hot water, ginger and squeezed lemon, add a pinch of himalayan salt for electrolyte replacement.
- Fast as long as you can. Alcohol will suppress your appetite. If you can keep a fast for the next 12 hours. You want to go back into fat burning and you want to use all those calories that the liver is breaking down from the alcohol.
- Adjust my diet next day with higher protein, moderate fat and still low carbs.
Just think this, if you had 5 wines, that’s over 600 calories now you have to burn, if you have breakfast then you’ll have to burn an extra 1,000 calories that day… it’s easier if you fast and force your body to get back on track.
Rehydrate yourself and recover.
If you’re interested in knowing more about what I do and how I can help people improve their health by teaching the principles of Keto, message me.
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Marco,
CEO and Founder The Traveler Diet, Fat Burning Hack & Biohacking Lifestyle