Ab fat and Alcohol question

[FitFossil]

Are excess calories from alcohol more likely to be stored as abdominal fat as opposed to settling in other areas like the legs or hips? If so, why is this? It seems a lot of heavy drinkers can have a pot belly but be skinny everywhere else. Is it fat or fluid or swollen internal organs? If drinkers do hold more fat in the abs, is it more likely to be visceral or subcutaneous fat?

 

[BrickGirl]

I have a question to go with this also A shot of vodka, what does that do to your diet?

 

[SteelWeaver]

Alcohol calories are used first by the body, because it has no way to store them, I believe. So it would be excess calories from whatever else you put in at the same time that would be stored.

I'm not sure about the pot belly look, and alcohol affecting where fat is stored, but I know that look is usually caused by malnutrition. Look at starving kids in Africa - they all have pot bellies and sticks for arms & legs. Heavy drinkers are usually malnourished. I don't know the mechanism for that storage - interesting question.

I wonder if it's the same sort of mechanism as that which prompts abdominal fat gain in anorexics once they start eating again?

BrickGirl - I don't think one shot of vodka will affect things much, if you're hypocaloric. Unless you're doing them at 10-minute intervals, lol.

 

[bishonen]

I'm not sure about the pot belly look, and alcohol affecting where fat is stored, but I know that look is usually caused by malnutrition. Look at starving kids in Africa - they all have pot bellies and sticks for arms & legs.

Actually, the 'fat' look starving folks get isn't fat, it's the body digesting the abdominal sac which holds the vital organs in. Once it's no longer there, the fluids and organs press against the stomach, and it swells out.

There's a healthy dose of reality for today.

 

[circusgirl]

Indeed, kwashiorkor (sp?) also causes bloating due to gas...

 

[macrophage69alpha]

storage pattern is likely related to alcohols impact on Insulin

 

[FitFossil]

storage pattern is likely related to alcohols impact on Insulin

Very interesting - can you tell me more about how that works? I don't need really scientific, maybe just moderately scientific .

 

[Japanese machine]

I have a question to go with this also A shot of vodka, what does that do to your diet?

hard liquer itself cannot be stored as fat. Your body just cant absorb it; however taking that one shot is detrimental to your goals to build muscle and lose bf% (if thats the case).

beer is different because it has alot of carbs.

 

[MS]

Actually, if you're female then a shot of vodka post workout (and before you carb meal) will prolly increase your glucose sensitivity which helps drive those other nutrients into your muscle cells. Sadly this is not true for men But moderation is the key here. One shot is fine, many shots is bad! Basically it's an excess of alcohol which causes problems but it's all good in moderation.

 

[BrickGirl]

okay, im getting all excited now! if I were to say take a shot on the weekend, what would be the round about cut off level? I mean would lets say, 4 shots be too many? or is about 1 the max without causing problems?

p.s. Sorry, i'm just bad