Drinking Alcohol on a Diet: Tips to Avoid Weight Gain

Kim Yoon-gyeom reveals how to enjoy alcohol without weight gain on a ketogenic diet.

### How to Drink Alcohol Without Gaining Weight on a Ketogenic Diet
* 🍹 Alcohol is absorbed quickly and used as an **immediate energy source**, causing other nutrients to be **stored as body fat**.
* 💪 Alcohol consumption significantly reduces muscle synthesis, hindering **muscle growth even with exercise**.
* 🍺 Drinking alcohol without snacks may not lead to weight gain, but it's nearly impossible due to **dehydration-induced hunger**.
* 🧠 Alcohol impairs the brain's judgment and self-control, leading to **impulsive eating behaviors**.
* 🥩 The recommended method is to consume **protein and fiber-rich snacks** while drinking to **minimize weight gain**.
* 🥃 Drinking distilled spirits like traditional soju or whiskey, which contain **fewer carbohydrates**, is advised over beer or wine.
* 🍽 Extending fasting periods after drinking is the most effective way to **prevent weight gain**, but it may be **challenging for many people**.
* 👨 The presenter, Kim Yoon-gyeom, is a leading ketogenic diet expert in Korea, sharing **practical tips for drinking on a diet**.

Many of you worry about gaining weight every time you drink alcohol, but if you follow this method, you can drink while dieting without gaining weight. In fact, you might even lose weight! Hello everyone, I am Kim Yoon-gyeom, and I am giving lectures on the ketogenic diet at the leading education company, Etoos, as the first in Korea. I am also the administrator of a group chat with over 1,000 ketogenic experts and the manager of a ketogenic community with 3,000 members. I will leave the link in the comments, so I recommend checking it out if you are curious about high-quality information related to dieting. Now, let’s get straight to the point. Many of you feel anxious about drinking, thinking it might lead to weight gain, especially when you are on a diet. You might worry that if you drink while following your meal plan, you will stop losing weight and start gaining again.

There seem to be many people here. How do I know this? Because I used to be a heavy drinker who consumed alcohol very frequently. In the past, I enjoyed drinking so much that I would drink three or four times a week. Of course, even now that I'm on a ketogenic diet, I don't necessarily avoid drinking when the opportunity arises. This is because I've learned how to drink without gaining weight. If you watch the video until the end, you too will discover how to enjoy drinking without putting on weight, so please don't turn off the video and make sure to watch it all the way through.

Now, let me explain why alcohol is not good during a diet. There are several reasons, but I will skip the details about increased triglycerides and share only the real tips that you can apply right away. The first reason is that alcohol can interfere with the body's processes. What this means is...

If we think about it logically, it's obvious that the food we eat first gets digested first and is consumed for energy first. This sequence is something I don't need to explain further; it's a common understanding. For example, when you wait in line at a restaurant, the person who arrives first stands at the front of the line and gets to enter the restaurant more quickly. It's the same principle. 

However, the problem is that alcohol cuts in line. There is a reason for this: alcohol has a much smaller molecular size compared to other nutrients. Therefore, it can be absorbed without going through the digestion process over the course of a day. To explain further, 20% is absorbed in the stomach, and 80% is absorbed in the small intestine. Because it is absorbed so quickly, our bodies have a tendency to use alcohol for energy immediately as soon as it enters. So, before drinking alcohol, the food we ate first...

Even if you eat, the alcohol consumed later is used as energy first. Therefore, during the time that alcohol is being consumed for energy, the food eaten earlier, as well as the food consumed alongside the alcohol and the food eaten afterward, are not utilized as energy. As a result, the carbohydrates and fats that are ingested together remain as body fat. So, rather than thinking that alcohol makes you gain weight, you can consider that the food eaten with alcohol, or before or after it, directly contributes to weight gain. 

The second reason is that alcohol hinders muscle growth. Most people on a diet are also engaging in exercise. Those who exercise likely hope to increase their muscle mass along with their workouts. However, when you drink alcohol, the rate of muscle synthesis significantly decreases.

It falls apart. The reason is the liver. The liver in our body has many functions. It produces bile to break down fat, synthesizes proteins, and can also synthesize muscle. Additionally, it can break down alcohol. Therefore, the liver is always working. The problem is that the liver recognizes alcohol as a toxin. 

Imagine if you went hiking and while everyone was taking a group photo, suddenly a venomous snake bit your ankle. If the snake bit your ankle, would anyone think, I'll just endure the pain; getting a great photo is more important, and continue taking pictures? Absolutely not. Anyone bitten by a snake would immediately focus on treating the bite and detoxifying. 

Our body works the same way. From the liver's perspective, alcohol is a toxin, so when alcohol enters the body, the liver halts protein synthesis, muscle synthesis, and bile production, and prioritizes breaking down the alcohol first.

Therefore, the usual muscle synthesis rate significantly decreases, and even if you exercise intensely while dieting, you may not see any muscle growth at all. Some studies suggest that it doesn't completely stop; rather, the synthesis amount can decrease by about 37%. However, this varies from study to study, so you just need to understand that alcohol consumption significantly reduces muscle synthesis. Now, people often say that drinking alcohol without snacks won't make you gain weight. This statement is half true and half false. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, making it relatively high in calories. In comparison, carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram, so alcohol has almost double the caloric content. However, as the team members and subscribers might know,

Calories are actually irrelevant to dieting. I hope you will refer to other videos for this part. Alcohol has a high calorie content, but it lacks nutrients. Therefore, if you drink alcohol without eating beforehand or having any snacks, it is possible not to gain weight. This statement is true. However, the problem is that this is nearly impossible. Let me explain why it is impossible for me to drink without having any snacks. When you drink alcohol, dehydration inevitably occurs. This is because the process of breaking down alcohol is accompanied by diuresis, which means that your body expels fluids. So, when you drink, you have surely experienced going to the bathroom frequently. Going to the bathroom often means that your body is losing water, and if this continues, it will eventually lead to dehydration. What happens when dehydration occurs? We feel thirsty. In fact, when you feel thirsty, if you just drink a glass of water, it should be over.

It's really good, but unfortunately, our bodies struggle to distinguish between thirst and hunger. So, when thirst arises, hunger often comes along, and eventually, we have no choice but to seek food. This is not all. When we eat, a hormone called leptin is released, which is the hormone that makes us feel full. However, when alcohol is consumed, the secretion of leptin is inhibited, and even when it is released, it doesn't function properly. So, you may have definitely experienced that you don't feel full when drinking alcohol. I have friends who have the habit of eating a hamburger on the way home after drinking. This is because the sensation of fullness becomes dulled when drinking, leading to a very high probability of overeating. But that's not all. Alcohol also has a significant impact on the brain; our brain rationally...

There is a region called the prefrontal cortex that is responsible for judgment and self-control. Alcohol paralyzes this prefrontal cortex, making people impulsive. You've probably seen people who cry or fight after drinking. These individuals are a typical example. Even if they don't cry or fight, the fact that they become emotional and impulsive is significant. In this situation, how many people can calmly resist the food in front of them? It's almost impossible, to be honest. So, how can one avoid gaining weight while drinking? They say that everything consumed before and after drinking contributes to weight gain, and even controlling snacks while drinking is difficult. So, how can one avoid gaining weight? There are ways. I have a cheat code-like method that I know of.

Today, I will reveal in a YouTube video the first point about eating snacks primarily focused on protein and dietary fiber. As I mentioned earlier, when consuming alcohol, the body uses alcohol as a primary energy source. Therefore, any additional energy sources consumed will be stored as body fat. Conversely, if we do not consume energy sources while drinking alcohol, the likelihood of gaining weight decreases significantly. Thus, we should eat snacks that consist of protein and dietary fiber, which are not efficiently used as energy sources. This way, there will be no surplus energy stored during the alcohol consumption. Personally, I prefer to enjoy snacks made with lean meats and vegetables when drinking. The most important thing is to order only a small amount of snacks to begin with. As I mentioned earlier, drinking alcohol can impair rational judgment, increasing the likelihood of overeating.

However, when there is a lot of food in front of us, it means that it is impossible to control ourselves rationally. Therefore, if we order a small amount of side dishes from the beginning, even if we eat it all, the total amount is small, which greatly reduces the likelihood of gaining weight. The second method is to consume distilled spirits. The soju, beer, and wine that we commonly drink do not only contain alcohol; most of them also include carbohydrates like fructose. Therefore, when we drink soju, beer, wine, or makgeolli, we inevitably gain weight, even if we don't think about the alcohol content. That is why we should drink distilled spirits, which have been distilled once more. For example, whiskey or traditional soju. Whiskey is quite expensive, so it can be burdensome to drink frequently. Therefore, I recommend traditional soju, such as Andong soju, which is a bit cheaper than whiskey.

There are various types of alcohol available. A more affordable option is a newly introduced drink called Sero. This drink is made with a distilled base and excludes fructose and other carbohydrates that are typically added to soju, making it much better than regular soju. Of course, it does contain alternative sugars, so it's not entirely a good drink, but for those who feel financially burdened, I recommend choosing Sero instead of traditional soju. I’m not saying Sero is great; it’s just better than other soju options. 

The topic has become a bit lengthy, but I've noticed that many people are concerned about drinking alcohol while on a diet. So today, I explained why alcohol is not good and how to drink without gaining weight. In fact, the best approach is to extend your fasting period after drinking. If you don’t eat anything at all, the likelihood of gaining weight is reduced.

It allows time for the alcohol and other snacks consumed earlier to be processed. However, realistically, you feel much hungrier the day after drinking. So, it might be difficult to continue fasting for a long time. That's why I explained how to drink alcohol while minimizing weight gain. I will conclude today's video here. Oh, and as soon as we launched our lunch boxes, the orders surged, and they sold out immediately. I know many of you were disappointed that you couldn't purchase them. We received a message from the factory that we should be able to restock around next Wednesday or Thursday. If you were unable to buy a lunch box, please wait a bit, as restocking will happen on one of those three days: Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. I will finish the video here.

I will meet you again next time with better information. Thank you.

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Drinking Alcohol While Dieting: Tips for Success

Drinking alcohol doesn't have to derail your diet; it can be done without gaining weight.

The key is understanding that alcohol has a smaller molecular size, allowing it to be absorbed quickly and used for energy immediately.

By following the right strategies, you can enjoy drinking while still losing weight.

The Impact of Alcohol on Weight Gain and Muscle Growth

Alcohol is prioritized as an energy source by the body, hindering the utilization of food consumed before, during, or after drinking, which can lead to weight gain.

It also disrupts muscle synthesis by causing the liver to prioritize alcohol detoxification over protein and muscle synthesis, resulting in decreased muscle growth.

While alcohol is high in calories, its impact on weight gain is complex and can vary depending on individual factors.

Alcohol is high in calories but lacks nutrients, making it possible not to gain weight if consumed without food.

However, alcohol leads to dehydration, which triggers thirst and hunger, making it difficult to resist eating.

Additionally, alcohol inhibits the secretion of leptin, the hormone that makes us feel full, and paralyzes the prefrontal cortex, leading to impulsive behavior and overeating.

Snacking and Drinking Alcohol: Tips to Avoid Weight Gain

Eating snacks high in protein and dietary fiber while drinking alcohol can help prevent weight gain by not providing surplus energy.

Ordering a small amount of snacks initially can aid in controlling overeating, while consuming distilled spirits instead of sugary drinks can also reduce weight gain.

The newly introduced drink Sero, made with a distilled base and without added carbohydrates, offers a more affordable and better option than traditional soju.

Managing Hunger After Drinking and Lunch Box Restock

Feeling hungrier the day after drinking can make it difficult to continue fasting.

The lunch boxes launched and sold out immediately, causing disappointment for many.

Restocking is expected to happen next Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.