Many Australians include alcohol as part of their social life. A glass at dinner, a drink with friends on the weekend. This is completely normal. But if you are trying to lose weight and not seeing results, alcohol may be one of the factors worth looking at.
How Does Alcohol Affect Weight?
Alcohol contains calories with no nutritional value. On top of your usual food intake, these extra calories add up quickly. A standard drink contains roughly 70-100 calories depending on the type. A bottle of wine, for example, is about 600 calories.
When you drink, your body prioritises breaking down alcohol above everything else. It treats alcohol as a toxin and metabolises it first. This means fat burning slows down while your liver deals with the alcohol.
It takes approximately one hour for the liver to process one standard drink.
What Do Australian Guidelines Recommend?
The current Australian Alcohol Guidelines recommend:
- No more than 10 standard drinks per week
- No more than 4 standard drinks on any single day
- For reduced risk, consider 2 or more alcohol-free days per week
These guidelines are designed to reduce both short-term and long-term health risks. Drinking above these levels increases the risk of a range of health conditions, independent of weight.
Is Alcohol the Problem?
Not necessarily on its own. One or two drinks in moderation may not significantly affect your weight loss goals. The issue tends to be volume, frequency, and what you eat while drinking.
Alcohol also lowers inhibitions around food choices. Late-night eating after drinking is a common pattern that adds extra calories beyond the alcohol itself.
What Can You Do?
If you are unsure whether alcohol is affecting your results, a Dietitian can help you look at your overall intake in context. They can identify patterns and suggest practical changes that fit your lifestyle.
