Q I'm an office worker in my late 30s. I eat less than before, but the day after drinking my face swells up and only my belly keeps growing. Why does alcohol make me gain weight?
A Alcohol itself is high in calories, plus the food that comes with it, and when alcohol takes metabolic priority, fat doesn't burn off well. It tends to accumulate especially around the belly, and next-day swelling adds to the feeling of weight gain.
Detailed Answer
Alcohol is high in calories, and the greasy snacks eaten while drinking add even more. On top of that, while the body prioritizes processing alcohol, fat burning stalls, so belly fat is hard to lose. Alcohol also disrupts fluid balance, making your face and hands swell the next day and amplifying the feeling of weight gain.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
Dongjedang sees this state as one where the damp burden left by alcohol weighs down circulation, so the excess pools as belly fat and swelling. By clearing out what has built up and reviving metabolism, we help reduce swelling and restore the waistline, but cutting back on drinking must go together for the effect to last.
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