by Paul Dexter, copyright dextertraining.com
(or any alcoholic beverage)
We all enjoy a beer or a cocktail from time to time…hey, we got to live a little right!? But, if you are not one of the fortunate ones that have perfect cholesterol, and are at your ideal bodyweight….. You have to pay attention to what you put in your body. Whether it is to maintain your weight or if you have a goal of losing weight, you have to learn moderation. One of the keys, I feel, in helping you enjoy a few of the finer things in life while being able to control yourself is learning what those things actually do to your body. You might think twice before you go for round 2, or 3, or 4……….
In the first minute…..
The drink lands in your Stomach…… then make s a direct trip to your Liver!….
Hello!!!!… Your Liver has to work so hard to break down the flood of alcohol that it puts a temporary hold on other key duties, such as processing calories.
In the next 30 minutes….
The Liver first converts the liquor into a known carcinogen called acetaldehyde and then breaks it down into acetate, which is a less harmful chemical.
Because your liver is overwhelmed, the alcohol backs up in your bloodstream and shoots up to your brain, where it disrupts nerve cells in the hippocampus (which controls memory), the cerebellum (which controls movement), and the prefrontal cortex (which controls mood). As a result, you may feel relaxed and suddenly charming. You may also feel warm and a bit flushed, thanks to expanded blood vessels in your skin.
Out of nowhere, you have to pee- like right now! A potent diuretic, alcohol speeds up the flow of fluids to the bladder.
Meanwhile, if your margarita was made with triple sec, the drinks sugar content has caused an insulin spike, which may lead to sweating or eating salty, fatty foods you’d normally avoid.
After 60 minutes…..
The alcohol is neutralized, transformed by your liver from acetate to carbon dioxide (which you breathe out) and water (which you urinate).
Not gone are the 400-plus calories you took in. With your liver otherwise occupied, your body stored the calories as triglycerides (a type of fat). Those are now tucked mostly into cells around your abdomen, the unhealthiest place to pack pudge!
If you’re an elite athlete, you may have to have a little more self control than most of us. But, life is a marathon not a sprint. You can treat yourself from time to time and still stay healthy and lose weight. The key is not to go overboard, and weigh the consequences. No need to be to extreme, life is about balance. If you deprive yourself of the things you enjoy, it could have an opposite effect and put you into self indulgent binge fest.
