Watch weight by cutting back on alcohol

Studies show the average American gains two to nine pounds during the winter holiday season. The biggest problem is the type of pounds gained. It sure isn't muscle mass, it's not bone density, and it's not just water retention.

It is excess body fat. The enemy - the stuff that leads to clogged arteries and creates cellulite. Alcohol inhibits fat burning. While your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it puts your fat metabolism on hold.

I'm not saying let's become teetotalers for the rest of the year. I am saying that as we prepare for the holiday parties and New Year's celebrations, we need to make firm decisions about how much we are going to imbibe.

Alcoholic beverages provide calories without nutrition. They also may loosen your resolve to lose weight and make you eat without thinking. Beer goes with peanuts, wine with cheese.

Also, alcohol is high in calories - 7 calories per gram, almost as much as fat (9 calories per gram) and more than carbs or protein (about 4 calories per gram). This means that if you want to lose weight and reduce excess body fat, alcohol is not a good choice.

According to conventional wisdom, the infamous "beer belly" is caused by excess alcohol calories being stored as fat. Yet, less than 5 percent of the alcohol calories you drink are turned into fat. Rather, the main effect of alcohol is to reduce the amount of fat your body burns for energy.

Some proof for this comes from research carried in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Eight men were given two drinks of vodka and sugar-free lemonade separated by 30 minutes. Each drink contained just less than 90 calories. Fat metabolism was measured before and after consumption of the drinks. For several hours after drinking the vodka, whole-body lipid oxidation (a measure of how much fat your body is burning) dropped by a massive 73 percent.

Rather than getting stored as fat, the main fate of alcohol is conversion into a substance called acetate. In fact, blood levels of acetate after drinking the vodka were 2.5 times higher than normal. And it appears this sharp rise in acetate puts the brakes on fat loss.

A car engine typically uses only one source of fuel. Your body, on the other hand, draws from a number of energy sources, such as carbohydrates, fat and protein. To a certain extent, the source of fuel your body uses is dictated by its availability. In other words, your body tends to use whatever you feed it. Consequently, when acetate levels rise, your body simply burns more acetate and less fat.

Here's what happens to fat metabolism after consuming and alcoholic drink or two:

-- A small portion of the alcohol is converted into fat.

-- Your liver then converts most of the alcohol into acetate.

-- The acetate then is released into your bloodstream and replaces fat as a source of fuel.

To add to the injury, because alcohol is a depressant, you are less likely to have the energy and motivation to exercise the next day. Even if you do put on your Nikes, the intensity of your workout will suffer.

Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low-calorie nonalcoholic drinks or water. Ask for low-calorie diet mixers when possible. Make your wine into a spritzer (mix with club soda). Plan your alcohol into your daily calorie quota so you can enjoy a glass or two. If you know you will be drinking during the weekend, try to save some calories each day and increase your cardio routine the week before.

Eating a proper meal before you go out will line your stomach and slow the rate at which alcohol absorbs into your bloodstream, keeping you in control of how much you eat and drink.

Go ahead and toast with your family, friends and co-workers - just be mindful of what and how much you drink. And call a cab if there is any question you've had too much.

- Rhonda Beckham is a nationally certified personal trainer, with teaching certificates in Pilates and kickboxing.

Calorie count The number of calories found in various alcoholic beverages: Regular beer (12 oz.): 150 Light beer (12 oz.): 110 Wine (5 oz.): 100 Champagne: 89 Kahlua (1.5 oz.): 190 Vodka (1.5 oz.): 96 Whiskey (1.5 oz.): 96 Long Island Iced Tea: (6 oz.) 350 Margarita (6 oz.): 250