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The Not-So-Hidden Calories From Alcohol – Culprit in Weight Gain.

There are many reasons to limit alcohol consumption, including its potential negative impact on sleep, mood, health and daily functioning. But, many people don’t consider that it also is a significant source of calories and therefore can lead to significant weight gain. In fact, alcohol can have as many calories as soda.

Around the holidays, there often are many more temptations and opportunities to overeat or eat unhealthy foods. And, it also is a time when people consume more alcohol than usual because of holiday parties, festivities and also added stress.  The addition of alcohol or more alcohol than usual is likely to lead to a signifiant increase in caloric intake and probable weight gain.

So, during this holiday season, it’s important to try to maintain healthy eating habits AND drinking habits. Limiting overall alcohol consumption is good for your psychological and physical health. If you need help eating healthier or making healthier decisions in your life, working with a nutritionist and health psychologist can be helpful.

Excerpt from article:

The study, which used nationwide data collected between 2007 to 2010, found that the average adult consumes about 100 calories worth of alcohol daily — an amount that for many people could contribute to excess weight gain. In fact, the study found, many Americans consume far more than 100 calories of alcohol a day: 20 percent of men and 6 percent of women drink more than 300 calories worth daily, roughly the amount in two 12-ounce cans of beer or two-and-a-half glasses of wine.

Of course, it is no secret that Americans get many of their calories in liquid form. The average person consumes between 140 and 180 calories worth of sugary drinks a day, which according to health officials is enough to pack on several pounds a year. Soda bans in school cafeterias and initiatives like Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks in New York City have also highlighted concerns about the link between obesity and liquid calories. But until now researchers had never looked in detail at the calories Americans were getting from alcoholic drinks.

via The Not-So-Hidden Calories From Alcohol – NYTimes.com.