How Alcohol Sabotages Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

A drink here and there might seem harmless, but if you’re serious about fat loss and muscle building, alcohol is working against you in ways you may not realize.

While most people focus on calories in alcohol, the real issue is how alcohol disrupts your metabolism, recovery, and muscle growth.

Alcohol and Fat Loss: Hitting the Pause Button

One of the biggest ways alcohol sabotages your progress is by halting fat loss for 24 to 36 hours. Here’s why:

• Alcohol is treated as a toxin by the body. Your liver prioritizes breaking it down before anything else—meaning fat-burning comes to a screeching halt.
• Food eaten before and after drinking is more likely to be stored as fat. Since your body is focused on metabolizing alcohol, any excess food is stored instead of burned.
• Even “low-calorie” drinks can stall progress. It’s not just about the calories in alcohol—it’s about how it hijacks your metabolism.