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Hi [fname]!
So you’re now only about a week away from finishing your 30 days! I really hope you’re learning a lot about yourself, if nothing else. What I really really hope is that you feel great and your clothes are starting to feel looser.
REMINDER: did you get a check-up with your doc planned out for after your challenge so you can see what kind of progress you made with your health markers? You might want to do that pretty soon if it’s high on your priority list of befores and afters.
TODAY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ALCOHOL
In the Food Guide for Fat Loss download, I suggested that you drink alcohol in moderation during this month. But some people may have to do more than that if they really want to lose the weight.
CALORIES
It really depends on your body, but I’ve seen people only lose weight once they got rid of the beer or rum or wine every night. It’s a big deal! I mean, one beer (which has gluten in it, no less) can have up to 340 calories in them. That’s a lot if you’re trying to lose weight.
CARBS
While alcohol doesn’t “turn into carbs”, as a lot of people believe, some alcoholic beverages do contain carbs. Wine, beer, and any mixed drink with a sweetener are included in that. Distilled alcohols (vodka, rum, etc.) don’t have any carbs in them, but they do affect your body.
CORTISOL
Drinking alcohol increases cortisol levels in your body, and too much cortisol causes belly fat, loss of muscle, and an inability to lose fat. It also affects just about every other part of your physiology, so too much of it is a bad thing.
INSULIN
Drinking alcohol increases insulin levels in your blood stream, even though it actually lowers your blood glucose levels. That means you get a drop in your blood sugar, which can cause cravings for sugar. And when you’re tipsy, you’re going to have a little less control over the food choices you make, so…
LIVER MONOPOLY
When you drink every day – or even most days – your liver is going to be trying very hard every day to get that poison (because it IS a poison) out of your body. It’s not going to do such a great job at normal detoxification processes, which you need to have a clear mind, clear skin, good digestive health, a strong immune system, and balanced hormones. Kind of a big deal.
So do you never get to have wine again? Beer? These things are precious luxuries to many people, and they’re engrained in our social culture, so it’d be a shame to pick them off completely.
MY SUGGESTION
I think for at least a couple weeks you should stop drinking altogether. Let your body have a rest and see how you feel without it. When my dad stopped drinking after 40 years, I remember him saying to me, “It’s so great! I don’t feel like sh!t every morning!”
Duh. 
Then make the decision about how often and what kinds of alcohols affect you and your weight loss goals. Also, know that different alcohols can affect you differently.
If you have a gluten sensitivity, beer will probably make you feel weird or sick or give you some symptom. It might just make your hangover worse. I can drink rum and gin and feel pretty much fine the next day, but if I have beer or whiskey (made from a grain), I get a terrible headache and I get this weird Africa-looking red patch on my cheek.
So, figure out what works for you, make the best decisions you can based off the information available here, and I wish you the courage and steadfastness to really give this your all if you have an issue with alcohol. I know how addictive and powerful it can be.
Until next time,
Neely
neelyquinn.com
P.S.
Don’t forget about your downloads! They’ll really help you understand this diet more thoroughly, as well as make it easier and more do-able for you.
—>>>DOWNLOADS<<<—
——> Food Guide for Fat Loss (PDF)
——> What Is Paleo? (PDF)
——> Meal Planning and Recipes Guide (PDF)
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