Last week in my boot camp we had a very interesting conversation :)…  well out of the many conversations we had, this is one that came up…

Does alcohol effects our appetite?  Why do we lose all inhibitions and go for the snacks when we have a glass of wine… or three?

Why is it that our husbands or boyfriends feel the need to grab an entire pizza after they have already had dinner just a couple hours earlier?

I looked into it :)  Here is what i found!

Alcohol…

We all know it has 7 calories per gram… where carbohydrates has only 4 calories per gram… so do those sugar free drinks make sense?

• You are still taking in the alcohol calories that make up for nearly twice the calories as the carbs and sugar anyway.  So when you see drinks that are pure alcohol and a diet soda…. they still have calories. When we drink any wine, beer, a sugary drink, or a glass of champagne we are taking in some sugars that may cause our blood sugars to rise making our insulin levels increase… leading to low blood sugar and a CRASH.

• If you are drinking alcohol on an empty stomach or even straight alcohol with a diet drink, it is show to drastically lower your blood sugar… this explains reaching for the simple carbs late night, the cravings for a quick fix like a chips, a sub or pizza and the reason why late night binges make so much sense.  (to us anyway)

At Princeton University, scientists conducted an experiment on alcohol consumption and appetite.  They realized that drinking ANY KIND of alcohol increases Galanin, a kind protein in the body called a neuropeptide.  Galanin is shown to increase the appetite for fatty foods in the human brain.

• What’s  ironic is that fatty foods also causes Galanin levels to increase… which casues a vicouse cycle of craving more and more fatty food.. leading you to need to come to boot camp more often and keeping me in business :)

• Maybe this is why a big cheesy steak just tastes so good or why chocolate is so much better with a bottle of wine.

Lastly… it’s true… a glass or two of vino causes you to loosen up and lose all inhibition.

What can we do about this?  Try to be more aware when you are enjoying yourself and keep your snacking to a minimum!

If you are out to dinner, it is okay to have a glass or two of wine. (red wine has antioxidants and tons of health benefits)

Try to prepare for the increase in appetite.  Know that you may want to snack once you have a drink.  Keep lower calorie snack around the house.  Maybe some chocolate pudding, Greek yogurts, low calorie popcorn or something that won’t totally ruin your diet for the week.   Just set yourself up for success.  We all know we won’t give up our wine… so make smart choices for your eating.

- They have sugar free dark chocolate at Trader Joe’s!

- Our Chocolate Mousse is lower in calories, sugar and all natural.

- Make little pizzas out of wheat English muffins, low fat cheese and sauce.

- Our low calorie cupcakes are perfect for a Birthday Party where you know you’ll end up reaching for the desserts!

- Drink as much water as you do wine or beverage… so your appetite stays low and you do not become dehydrated.

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