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Alcohol & Fitness
Posted on 9/10/18 at 4:14 pm
Posted on 9/10/18 at 4:14 pm
How bad is alcohol on a athletic person's fitness. I tend to notice fat gain and bloating fom just a few drinks.
What is the board's experience?
What is the board's experience?
Posted on 9/10/18 at 4:16 pm to habanos
Alcohol is weird for these matters - it's kind of the "4th macro". I think that if you are doing some version of keto/low-carb, then you can have a drink here and there with no trouble. However, even though it's carb-free, I think it does step to the front of the energy-burning line, so it's not like it's a positive thing.
It's still cal in, cal out, so you shouldn't be noticing fat gain from just a few drinks (unless all of the drinks are when you are already above breakeven cals.) The bloating doesn't surprise me.
It's still cal in, cal out, so you shouldn't be noticing fat gain from just a few drinks (unless all of the drinks are when you are already above breakeven cals.) The bloating doesn't surprise me.
Posted on 9/10/18 at 4:52 pm to habanos
You can certainly make it work if you drink in moderation and watch what else you eat. However, I would HIGHLY recommend cutting out all alcohol if you're serious about getting in shape. Way too many empty calories there.
Posted on 9/10/18 at 5:02 pm to habanos
I feel that five beers/drinks or under (per week) allows me to achieve fitness goals without any negative impacts. Sometimes I'll go over that limit and may feel a little sluggish during workouts.
I definitely feel bloated after drinking and may gain a few lbs that go away after 24-48 hours.
I enjoy drinking about as much as exercise and guessing that I'll continue doing both until my body tells me otherwise.
I definitely feel bloated after drinking and may gain a few lbs that go away after 24-48 hours.
I enjoy drinking about as much as exercise and guessing that I'll continue doing both until my body tells me otherwise.
Posted on 9/10/18 at 5:27 pm to habanos
Being well into my 30s now, I stay away from it as much as I can. Even after just a few I can tell I'm sluggish the next day. Can't really hit my macros with those empty calories in there. But around the campfire during hunting season, hard to resist some good cold brews.
This post was edited on 9/10/18 at 5:28 pm
Posted on 9/10/18 at 6:14 pm to habanos
I used to be a heavy drinker and cutting it out this year almost completely has helped me drop about 30 lbs coupled with other improvements in lifestyle
Now I'm more of a once a month drinker and keep it to about 3 drinks
Too many empty calories and not good for fat loss if that's one of your goals
Now I'm more of a once a month drinker and keep it to about 3 drinks
Too many empty calories and not good for fat loss if that's one of your goals
Posted on 9/10/18 at 7:39 pm to Powerman
I just got back into cardio and core. I only notice it on my belly.
I could always improve diet and have an occasional drink to see if that works though.
I could always improve diet and have an occasional drink to see if that works though.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 6:44 am to habanos
I won’t try to speak for anyone else but for me it is no bueno. I gave it up at the beginning of the year completely and dropped 38 lbs. I had a couple of glasses of wine a few weeks ago and it took me 2 days to shake the crappy feeling so I’ll just Pass. Doesn’t bother me a bit and I feel much better.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 6:52 am to Martini
quote:
Martini
Doesn't check out.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 7:09 am to TigeRoots
quote:
Martini
Doesn't check out.
I’ve had enough martinis in my life to float the Titanic and have an All-Pro Liver so believe me I have not nor am I now missing out. I just got tired of feeling like shite.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 8:13 am to Martini
quote:
got tired of feeling like shite
Same here. Don't miss that morning headache and regret.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 8:38 am to habanos
The calories aren't even close to the worst part for me. It makes me really out of breath during work outs and I generally feel bad when i drink often.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 9:07 am to Powerman
quote:
cutting it out this year almost completely has helped me drop about 30 lbs coupled with other improvements in lifestyle
Now I'm more of a once a month drinker and keep it to about 3 drinks
Too many empty calories and not good for fat loss if that's one of your goals
This is in keeping w my experience. If it's a couple beers here and there w meals and I'm in the shape I'm in now then there is no difference at all. But I'm talking under 5 a week.
Anything else and I can feel it in performance and I tend to slump back into even higher volume.
Basically with v. without alcohol as a major component of my life is the difference of about 10lbs regardless of activity level. I sit at 170 without and in my top fitness state. Change to beer everyday boom I'm pushing 180 fast.
And sleep is worse w alcohol, leading to increased cortisol leading to body fat retention.
Then there's the mental state. I find in my 40s it really messes w brain chemicals worse than it used to. The only positive to that is long exercise is what fixes it. But that's harder on the body due to the inflammatory nature of alcohol.
And in ketosis, man it does some whacky stuff. It's easier to become dehydrated in ketosis so there's that. And I think beta-hydroxybuterate and ethanol must have a strange interaction.
In short, it just isn't worth it to drink much. I basically abstain. I keep a few good beers in the downstairs fridge so I have to make a trip to get one, and I try to get really hydrated before I drink a need [eta: typo for beer--Freudian slip?], so I'm not downing it out of thirst and then streaking through the quad.
Dear Diary, my name is McLemore, hi McLemore.
This post was edited on 9/11/18 at 9:10 am
Posted on 9/11/18 at 9:17 am to McLemore
Pretty much everything you said. The sluggishness and anxiety the next day(s) is becoming unbearable at 37 y.o. Just not worth it in every aspect. I'll have a glass or 2 of wine a couple nights a week at most, but that's pretty much it. Rarely I'll indulge in a beer or 2, but I feel it for sure.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 9:24 am to habanos
I'll have a few Bourbons once or twice a week. Beer makes me feel like absolute crap so I rarely drink that
Posted on 9/11/18 at 9:26 am to Big Scrub TX
quote:
I think it does step to the front of the energy-burning line
Full explanation:
Alcohol breaks down as follows:
Ethanol->Acetaldehyde->Acetic Acid->AcetylCoA(directly useful to the body as energy)
Acetaldehyde is a poison, and your body will try to limit its concentration in the body. Therefore, if your acetaldehyde concentration gets too high it will hold off on converting ethanol until your body can convert some of the acetaldehyde to acetic acid. This causes ethanol to build up in your blood stream and this is the buzz you get. Also, since acetaldehyde is a poison, your body fully applies your liver to getting rid of it.
Your liver then doesn't not release glucose into the blood stream at this time (too busy with the alcohol). This means that the macros that require your liver to convert to useful energy (proteins, fats) are not being converted to energy during this time. Too much of this results in a "fatty liver" and alcohol related liver diseases.
However, simple carbohydrates don't require your liver to break down into energy - even your saliva will start to convert simple starches to glucose. If you consume a simple carb with drinking, it will enter your bloodstream same as normal and spike insulin (non-diabetic) or spike blood sugar (diabetic). This insulin spike will promote fat retention.
TL:DR - Alcohol delays processing of certain metabolic processes, but simple carb breakdown is not hindered by alcohol.
Posted on 9/11/18 at 9:34 am to Big Scrub TX
quote:
I think it does step to the front of the energy-burning line,
IIRC your body sees it as a toxin so it stops processing calories/fat first in order to process the alcohol and get it out of your system so yes it hinders calorie burning.
ETA: What the post above me said.
This post was edited on 9/11/18 at 9:35 am
Posted on 9/11/18 at 10:15 am to BRIllini07
quote:
TL:DR - Alcohol delays processing of certain metabolic processes, but simple carb breakdown is not hindered by alcohol.
Nice explanation. What about hepatic fructose (as opposed to glucose) metabolism and ethanol (often called the metabolic cousin of fructose). Seems an everclear and OJ is a giant nuclear bomb to the liver.
This post was edited on 9/11/18 at 10:16 am
Posted on 9/11/18 at 10:37 am to habanos
There is certainly no blanket answer that fits everyone.
I have no doubt that if you drink a 'substantial' amount and are way overweight, cutting out the drinking is probably one of the easiest and quickest things you can do to start to reign yourself in.
That being said, drinking for me doesn't keep me from staying in shape. Sure, it's probably keeping me from being a 7% body fat, shredded hunk of head turning beach bod; but I can easily maintain <15% body fat while drinking whatever the heck I want. I'm talking 5 beers a day kinda stuff (I'm not advocating that, just using it as an example). Last year I was able to get down to 10-11% body fat without changing my drinking habits. This year I cut my drinking WAY back and did not notice any substantial benefits in weight loss, strength gain, energy, or sleeping habits.
Point being, yes if you're out of shape and trying to help yourself in every way possible eliminating drinking should be at the top of the list. But some people can definitely be fit and in better shape than most people while still putting back a cold one whenever they feel like it. Just have to be able to stay in control and not let it lead to other bad habits (go to the gym when you're supposed to, don't get drunk and have a 4th or 5th meal, etc).
I have no doubt that if you drink a 'substantial' amount and are way overweight, cutting out the drinking is probably one of the easiest and quickest things you can do to start to reign yourself in.
That being said, drinking for me doesn't keep me from staying in shape. Sure, it's probably keeping me from being a 7% body fat, shredded hunk of head turning beach bod; but I can easily maintain <15% body fat while drinking whatever the heck I want. I'm talking 5 beers a day kinda stuff (I'm not advocating that, just using it as an example). Last year I was able to get down to 10-11% body fat without changing my drinking habits. This year I cut my drinking WAY back and did not notice any substantial benefits in weight loss, strength gain, energy, or sleeping habits.
Point being, yes if you're out of shape and trying to help yourself in every way possible eliminating drinking should be at the top of the list. But some people can definitely be fit and in better shape than most people while still putting back a cold one whenever they feel like it. Just have to be able to stay in control and not let it lead to other bad habits (go to the gym when you're supposed to, don't get drunk and have a 4th or 5th meal, etc).
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