How Bad Is Alcohol Really For Your Waistline?

Surely a few social drinks doesn’t do any harm? Well, if muscle gain and weight loss are your goals, you may need to lay off the booze to kickstart your fitness journey. 

Can you drink alcohol without hindering your weight loss? It’s the question that leaves many of us secretly wishing to be true. And the answer lies somewhat in between. 

On the plus side 
You can have the occasional social drink, without damaging your fitness levels. In fact, studies show that drinking one to two drinks a few times a week has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce the risk of hypertension and support cardiovascular health. 

On the down side 
But, alcohol does affect your waistline when you’re not drinking within the responsible limit. And the Global Burden of Disease study says there’s actually no safe amount of alcohol to consume. 

The verdict? If you want to kickstart your weight loss, cut out alcohol for the first few weeks of your fitness and diet programme completely, and stay on the safe side.