6 Things Moms Should Know About Alcohol & Weight Loss

You're not alone if you’ve been enjoying a glass of wine to unwind after bedtime routines, parenting can be stressful AF. If this is you, it’s important to understand how alcohol might be affecting your energy, hormones, weight, and overall wellness.

Here are five things every postpartum mom should know about alcohol and how it can impact your wellness journey:

1️⃣ Alcohol Slows Down Your Metabolism

When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it because it’s considered a toxin. This means your body’s fat-burning processes temporarily take a backseat. If you’re drinking regularly, it can hinder your progress, as your body isn’t efficiently burning fat during this time. Even a few drinks a week can make hitting your weight loss goals harder and that sucks!

2️⃣ Alcohol Disrupts Your Sleep

That nightcap may help you fall asleep faster, but it wreaks havoc on your sleep cycles, particularly REM sleep. REM sleep is essential for physical and mental recovery. When your sleep is disrupted, hunger hormones like ghrelin increase, making you hungrier and more likely to reach for high-calorie or sugary snacks the next day. Poor sleep also leaves you feeling drained, which doesn’t help when you're already tired.

3️⃣ Empty Calories Add Up Quickly

Alcohol unfortunately is pretty calorie-dense without offering any nutritional benefit. A single gram of alcohol contains 7 calories (compared to 4 calories per gram for protein or carbs). Add sugary mixers or syrups into the equation, and it starts to add up quickly. Even "just one drink" can push you off track if you’re not careful.

4️⃣ It Impacts Hormones

Alcohol can interfere with key hormones responsible for appetite and fat storage, including insulin and leptin. This hormonal disruption makes it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels, leaving you more susceptible to cravings and energy crashes. If you’re trying to eat mindfully, alcohol typically leads to more mindless snacking.

5️⃣ It Drains Your Energy for Workouts and Life

Alcohol doesn’t just affect your body while you’re drinking—it lingers. Recovery from a workout becomes harder, and general fatigue is heightened after consuming alcohol. For postpartum moms who already struggle to find time and energy for exercise, this is just working against you.

6️⃣ You’re More Likely to Overeat the Next Day 

Alcohol lowers impulse control and disrupts hunger cues, which means the next day you’re more likely to:

• Eat more overall

• Crave high-calorie foods

• Skip intentional meals

• Fall into that “screw it” spiral

It’s not that you’re lacking discipline — your physiology is literally setting you up to overeat.

What’s the Takeaway?

This isn’t about eliminating alcohol (I’m not the fun police). But if you’re reaching for a drink every night to de-stress, it might be worth exploring how it’s actually making you feel.

Start by paying attention to:

• How often you drink

• How you sleep afterward

• What your cravings and hunger feel like the next day

Experiment with cutting back or swapping in non-alcoholic options that won’t derail your energy or progress.

Being intentional with alcohol can mean:

• better sleep

• fewer cravings

• easier fat loss

• more energy for motherhood

• feeling like you again

If you want support around stress, cravings, or nighttime routines, check out my other blogs below — they’re made for moms like you.