Yes, alcohol makes it harder to lose belly fat during menopause: it provides lots of calories, temporarily slows your fat burning, disrupts your sleep and makes you eat more. You don't have to stop completely straight away, but it helps to choose more consciously.
I'm Fajah. A glass of wine on Friday evening is sacred for many women my age. Still, I notice it feels different during menopause: you sleep worse, your belly gets rounder and your body reacts faster. I'll explain why, without preaching.
Why does alcohol play a bigger role during menopause?
Because of the hormonal changes, fat settles around your belly more easily, your sleep is more sensitive and your stress response changes. Alcohol hits exactly those three points. Also read about cortisol and belly fat and poor sleep and belly fat.
How many calories are in alcohol?
Alcohol provides about 7 kcal per gram, almost twice as much as carbohydrates or protein. A glass of wine easily contains around 90 to 100 kcal, and you rarely stop at one. Then add the nuts, the baguette and the late snack.
Does alcohol slow your fat burning?
Your body wants to break down alcohol as quickly as possible, because it is a toxin. While that is going on, fat burning gets less priority. In a well-known study, alcohol clearly lowered fat burning temporarily (Suter et al., 1992). That doesn't mean one glass ruins everything, but it isn't a neutral choice if belly fat is your goal.
What does alcohol do to your sleep?
Alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, but it then disrupts the quality of your sleep, especially in the second half of the night (Ebrahim et al., 2013). Poor sleep increases your cravings for sweet and fatty foods. And if you already wake up at night during menopause, that feels doubly hard.
What does the guideline say?
In its Dietary Guidelines (2015), the Dutch Health Council advises: preferably don't drink alcohol, and if you do, no more than one glass a day. That is a guideline for your health, not a judgement of you.
How do you make smarter choices without it getting boring?
- Choose your moments. Make alcohol something for a party or Friday evening, not for every evening.
- Drink water or something alcohol-free first. For example sparkling water with citrus. Then you'll feel less like a second glass.
- Eat first. With a protein-rich meal inside you, you often drink less and eat less later.
- Don't drink right before bed. That way you protect your night's sleep.
- Find a new ritual. A warm tea, a walk or a shake is also a moment for yourself.
You'll find more nutrition that suits belly fat in what to eat for belly fat during menopause. For the bigger story, see my blog on belly fat during menopause and take a look at our Hormonal Balance collection.
Frequently asked questions about alcohol and belly fat during menopause
Does alcohol make belly fat worse during menopause?
Alcohol provides extra calories, temporarily slows fat burning and disrupts your sleep. This can make it harder to lose belly fat.
Can you drink alcohol if you want to lose weight during menopause?
Yes, you can. The guideline is preferably no alcohol, and otherwise no more than one glass a day. The less, the easier losing weight usually is.
Which alcohol is least bad for your belly?
There is no healthy alcohol. Keep calories in mind: a glass of dry wine or a single spirit with water contains less than beer or mixed drinks with sugar.
How long after alcohol is my fat burning back to normal?
That differs per person and per amount. Your body gives alcohol priority until it has been broken down, often several hours.
Sources
- Gezondheidsraad (2015). Richtlijnen goede voeding 2015.
- Suter, P. M., Schutz, Y., & Jéquier, E. (1992). The effect of ethanol on fat storage in healthy subjects. New England Journal of Medicine, 326, 983-987.
- Ebrahim, I. O., et al. (2013). Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 37(4), 539-549.
About Fajah Lourens
Fajah is the founder of Killerbody (since 2015), the author of books of which more than 350,000 copies have been sold in total, and an NLP practitioner.
So I'm going to help you.
