Malta Stop Drinking To Lose Weight?
The Maltese have gained a good reputation for their love of drinking. But would they cut it completely if it meant losing weight?
A recent review from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) gave a picture of our models of alcoholic beverages.
They found that people aged 15 and over drank about eight liters of pure alcohol a year. Think of this as three liters of beer a week.
But with alcohol comes calories, and with calories comes weight gain. The question remains – does Malta cut down on alcohol if it means losing weight? 460 respondents in the Lovin Malta Weight Loss survey gave us their answers.
1. Field NO: “Life is too short not to enjoy good things”
28% of all respondents do not give up alcohol if it means losing weight, despite very different drinking habits.
“I drink wine with dinner. It’s the part of the day where I leave after work, so it’s hard to cut it off. “
Most mild to moderate drinkers did not feel the need to give up alcohol altogether.
“I drink one or two a week. Below the daily limit. I don’t need to give up, “said one person.
Currently, the CDC recommends two or less drinks a day for men or one or less drinks a day for womenon the days when alcohol is consumed.
In fact, 44% of respondents said they drank one or two drinks a week, and 10% said they drank three to four. And 39% said they never drank. Particularly during the week.
There were other reasons I didn’t want to give up the sauce.
“Alcohol is a coping mechanism to help me deal with other people’s lives,” said one respondent. “Because you deny me one of the simplest and best pleasures in life.”
Others were quick to argue the benefits of drinking alcohol with a meal. An argument that has its scientific support. We know from centennials of the blue zone (people who live a really long life) that this may be true:
People in four out of five original Blue Zone areas drink alcohol moderately and regularly.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s one way to relieve stress and it can be good for you. “
Soft drinks were another common beverage enjoyed by survey participants. Even those who consume alcohol. Maybe it’s not so much the alcohol that’s the problem, but what we mix alcohol with?
2. YES: “Alcohol is toxic, I’d rather use cannabis.”
72% of respondents felt that cutting off alcohol in order to lose weight was a good way. In fact, many respondents had either done so successfully in the past or were in the process of doing so.
“Alcohol is a liquid calorie, tried and tested for four weeks. Believe me, alcohol reduction works [for weight loss]. ”
“Three years ago I gave up drinking booze for health reasons. It’s full of calories. “
Quitting alcohol may have been the way to go, but that doesn’t mean it was a welcome change. Because of a choice between alcohol or food, however, people seemed more likely to get booze.
“I don’t fight to stop drinking alcohol, but to be honest, a meal is not complete without a glass of wine.”
Should we stop drinking alcohol to lose weight?
In a world dominated by excess food, reducing empty calories would surely be an important step in the journey of weight loss. Whether from wine, junk food, or both. With most respondents eager to stop drinking if that means turning healthy, the outlook could be positive.
Unfortunately, when it comes to alcohol, it doesn’t start and stop with calories. One study labeled alcohol as an ‘appetite enhancer’ after finding that people who drank only half a shot of alcohol (worth 20 grams) ate 11% more than those who abstained. Drinkers also experienced more cravings for unhealthy foods.
With rising obesity rates in Malta now reaching alarming levels, drinking cessation could be a way to explore.
What do you do with these numbers?