Hi everyone!
....sorry if this is a dumb question. I am still new to Atkins..

I know that alcohol is the first fuel to burn off and it will postpone weight loss. Does anyone know how long the alcohol takes to burn off? a few hours? a few days?
Thanks,
Jess

also, if you eat then drink alcohol will the food get stored as fat? Thanks.

If you drink, your body does use alcohol before glucose or fat. So, I guess that it could make you store some fat, but it is a temporary thing. As long as you aren't drinking every night, or 5 nights a week, I wouldn't be too concerned about wine or beer on weekends.

Good luck,
wsgts

Once the alcohol is out of your system, you will go back to using fat. Ketosis is maintained the entire time (ketones from alcohol, then ketones from body and dietary fat).

The only thing I wonder about is whether or not is best to limit your food consumption. I've read that if you plan on drinking, its best to eat something high in protein, as that it will help limit the amount of fat storage. However, as far as I can see, anything you eat that is not used for fuel, has potential to be stored as fat.

Its probably very unhealthy advice to say "while drinking, don't eat anything", but I know it won't kill you as long as you only do it once in a while.

Here's an intesting question: if you eat a bunch of carbs while drinking (such as drinking 12 beers at 6gm carbs each), can you kick yourself out of ketosis? This is a topic I'm very concerned with myself.

"anyone know how long the alcohol takes to burn off? a few hours? a few days?"

Depends on how much you consume. It can take hours, it can take a whole day. For me, 2 drinks consumed in 4 hours will take about twice that amount (8 hours) to burn off UNLESS I work out. BUT it can be sooner if I drink lots and lots of water right after.

I am certainly not disputing you, 'cause I have no idea really....but how do you know this?

thanks for your replys everyone...
Jess

I wonder if there is some kind of scientific answer to this question based on amount and/or type of alcohol consumed and body weight..and any other factors that I may be forgetting. Has anyone ever come across anything like this?

I recall Atkins saying it took hours to burn off a drink.

I remember this because my mother in law likes to have a couple of glasses of white wine after work each day and it made me realize that her weight loss has been possibly slowed due to this (meaning that she is losing about 3-5 hours a day of fat burning and then repeating this every day).