Whether or not you can drink alcohol while on the HCG diet is a common concern. Alcohol is a fun and important aspect in many people’s social lives, and it can be helpful for relaxing or relieving stress. When people start the HCG diet, they often wonder whether HCG and alcohol can mix. Although the diet can be very successful for weight loss, many people want to know the rules about alcohol before they start.
Can you drink alcohol on the HCG diet?
The short answer to this question is no, you shouldn’t drink alcohol on the HCG diet, especially during the phase of restricting calories. While it’s okay to drink occasionally in moderation, alcohol can slow or stop your progress on the diet, especially if you drink every day. For the best results with the diet, limit your drinking to special occasions, and only drink one or two drinks when you do consume alcohol.
Alcohol has too many calories.
One gram of alcohol has more calories than one gram of protein or one gram of carbohydrates, and it has almost as many calories as a gram of fat.
- One glass of wine has about 90 calories.
- One shot of liquor has about 100 calories.
- One can of beer has about 150 calories.
Although this may not seem like much, many people will have more than one drink in a night, and the calories can add up. Most alcohol also doesn’t contain any nutrients, and your calories would be better spent on foods that fill you up and have nutritional benefits.
Alcohol stimulates your appetite for junk food.
After a few drinks, it’s very common to start craving salty, fatty, greasy, and high-calorie foods. It’s also easy to let go of your good portion control habits after drinking. Even if you don’t consume many calories from the alcohol itself, you might consume several hundred calories of junk food you weren’t planning on eating.
HCG and Alcohol Side Effects
Alcohol can also have physical side effects that slow or stop the effects of the HCG diet.
Alcohol decreases your metabolism.
When you have alcohol in your system, your body will prioritize metabolizing the alcohol before anything else. During this time, your body won’t use protein, fat, or carbs for energy, so they’ll be converted into fat.
Alcohol affects your sleep.
One or two drinks might make you feel tired, but any more than that could cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. This will affect your energy levels, which will increase your appetite and make you less active during the day.
Alcohol Options
It’s best to avoid alcohol while on the HCG diet. However, if you need or desperately want to have a drink, it’s better to indulge in a careful way than to completely blow off the diet for a night of drinking.
Try to avoid high-calorie mixes with sugary juices or soft drinks. However, zero-calorie fillers like water or diet soda can give you a larger volume of beverage for each alcoholic drink. Some popular drinks on the HCG diet include:
- Vodka, soda water, and lemon juice
- Diet cola and rum
- Rum or whiskey and soda water
Alcohol is a normal part of many social situations, and it can help you feel more friendly and relaxed. However, drinking heavily on the HCG diet can affect your results. Stick to one or two low-calorie mixed drinks every once in a while, or, better yet, avoid alcohol entirely during the diet.
