How Do I Track Alcohol In My Macros

How To Track Alcohol

I totally get this question all the time, “how do I track alcohol?”. I get it, people like to kick back and have a nice cold beverage. When people start their first macro tracking journey, I get asked these questions right off the start, “hard alcohol has no carbs right?” and “how do I track alcohol?”. Valid questions, especially the later.

Alcohol is technically its own macronutrient and contains 7 calories per gram but because it isn’t essential for survival or holds any value thus, it’s not typically mentioned with the other macros: protein, fat, and carbs.

It’s important to keep in mind that alcohol has value as energy, but no nutritional value such as vitamins, minerals, or fiber. When the body senses alcohol present, it stops everything it’s doing (fat burning) and concentrates on getting the alcohol out of the body’s system. When in a caloric deficit and wanting to burn fat, best to minimize or stop the booze to maximize results.

Alcohol being 7 calories per gram, this is slightly less than a gram of fat at 9 calories and pretty much double the amount of carbs at 4 calories per gram. Yes alcohol is a big stealer of macros! So how do you track this optimally to fit your macros from time to time? There are 3 Options: 1. Track alcohol and take off as carbs 2. Track alcohol and take off as fats 3. Track alcohol and take off as ½ carbs and ½ fats

Let’s start with how to find the amount of alcohol in the drink of choice. Example: Alcohol: Red Wine *Sorry beer drinkers, I get asked more about wine than beer Serving size: 5oz @ 15% alcohol Here is the long way to calculate alcohol. You must use the alcohol percentage. We know these values for our calculation 1oz = 28grams 1gram = 7calories

Calculation of alcohol % 5 ounces Red Wine is about 15% alcohol 5oz x 28grams = 125grams in weight 125grams x .15% alcohol = 18.75grams of alcohol 18.75g x 7calories/gram = 130calories from alcohol

Or use the easy way and just look the calories up on www.calorieking.com

Now Let’s Track as Carbs: 5oz Red Wine 130calories ÷ 4cal/gram of carb = 32.5g Carbs *You will subtract 33grams of carbs off your daily Carb Macro total Now Let’s Track as Fats 5oz Red Wine 130calories ÷ 9cal/gram of carb = 14.4g Fats *You will subtract 14grams of Fats off your daily Fat Macro total

Now Let’s Track as 1/2 Carbs & ½ Fats

32.5g Carbs ÷ 2 = 16.25g *You will subtract 16g carbs off your daily Carb Macro total Now Let’s Track as Fats

5oz Red Wine 14.4g Fats ÷ 2 = 7.2g Fats *You will subtract 7g Fats off your daily Fat Macro total *Subtract 16g carbs and 7g Fats off your Macro Totals

One final tip: If you are using different mixers like real pop, well this is even MORE carbs to take off your macro amount. Any mix that has calories counts!

Hope this helps you enjoy a beverage now and then while having the education to plan this out and still have control of your daily Macro Intake.