The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka 228. Holiday Weight Gain Explained: Alcohol, Cortisol and Sleep
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Dec 18, 2025 The holidays can be tricky for staying healthy. Alcohol can halt fat burning and disrupt sleep, complicating festive indulgences. Ultra-processed foods ramp up calorie intake by activating reward centers, making it easy to overeat. Stress during the holidays boosts cortisol, leading to unwanted weight gain. Simple strategies like post-meal walks, hydration with electrolytes, and choosing whole foods can help maintain balance. Gary emphasizes the importance of sleep hygiene and planning alcohol consumption to stay on track during celebrations.
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Alcohol Shuts Down Fat Burning
- Alcohol stops fat burning because the liver prioritizes metabolizing it over fat metabolism.
- Alcohol also ruins sleep quality, which raises ghrelin and lowers leptin and increases hunger.
Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Overeating
- Ultra-processed holiday foods hijack reward centers and drive overeating.
- People eat more calories on ultra-processed diets even with similar macros to whole-food diets.
Stress Promotes Visceral Fat And Retention
- Holiday stress raises cortisol which promotes visceral fat and inflammation.
- Stress also causes water retention that can mask real body changes during the season.