re: Being healthy but still drink alcohol…mutually exclusive?

All comes down to how healthy and in-shape you want to be. Most of us are not competing in anything and workout to stay in shape, feel good, get stronger etc. A 6 pack over a week isn't going to hinder you too much. If you drank them all on Friday night, sleep like shite, feel groggy on Saturday, and are mostly recovered by Sunday, that isn't a good thing. Especially as you age. I used to drink a lot more. Traveled for work, had to entertain clients, was in my late 20s or early 30s, and could get 5 hours of bad sleep and still feel fine the next day. Now that I'm in my mid-40s, if I have more than a couple of beers or drinks, I sleep awful, wake up still tired, have less energy etc.

I did go completely sober for over a year recently, and discovered just how much better I could feel. I also learned when I started having drinks again, I should stick to a beer or two or one mixed drink.

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Alcohol, even in limited quantities affects deep sleep. Deep sleep is when virtually all growth hormone is created.

So alcohol affects any kind of fitness gains because it affects your sleep. Everyone’s. That doesn’t mean you can’t drink at all and not make gains, but you are stunting them bigly any time you drink. Full stop.

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Have there been any studies that look at the time that the alcohol was consumed? I track my sleep every night. If I have a drink 30 minutes before bed, my REM is deeply affected. If I have a drink at noon, my REM seems to be normal as if I have not had a drink at all.

When I was running for LSU, I didn't drink much at all during CC or Track season but the #1 guy on the team drank most every night and there was a guy who as a sophomore was the #2 guy and he didnt drink but smoked dope, did shrooms and dropped acid. He was still fast as shite but eventually gave up his scholarship and quit running. He is a millionaire now and owns a media company in Cali. After the seasons were over we would have a big blowout party and I would drink and would drink moderately until the next season started. I definitely drink more now but only on Thur (2-3 bourbons) Fri and Sat when I drink however much I want, usually about 6 beers and do a gummy. I am pretty old but in the best shape of my life except when I ran for LSU. I think everyone is different and if I was getting up at 6am for 15 mile runs or 70 mile bike rides like I used to, I wouldn't be drinking as much.But I don't think drinking the way I do now is an impediment to being in great shape. I have made improvements to my cycling and swimming and am still improving. Can't run anymore with my bad back and cranky knees.

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Being healthy but still drink alcohol

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Some people can, I can’t. Trust me I tried. Today makes 8 weeks sober for me and in the past 8 weeks I’ve lost 73 pounds. I know it was a lot of water weight, too much to fast, not healthy and all that jazz but my weight was out of control and my health just as bad. It’s all or nothing for me and I almost killed myself with that attitude when it came to alcohol and the lack of hardly any physical activity.

Brother, that is incredible…

What combination of exercise/calorie restriction would you guess?

Heavy drinking (I would say 5+/day) is obviously a ton of calories, but are you David Goggins-ing on the exercise? How are you getting those results? The zempy pen?

OMAD/interment fasting, basically 23 hour fast everyday. The first 7 weeks was just 10,000-12,000 steps a day walking around the neighborhood, I started back at the gym last Saturday. If I had to guess calorie intake of about 1,200 to 1,500 calories right now. I started with a 72 hour fast (not easy) after years of eating and drinking like a maniac, next two weeks zero carbs, now probably 20-40 grams a day. I was in good shape in 2018 but eventually the drinking took the #1 spot over training and being healthy which led to going from 195 in November of 2018 to 380 several months back when my habits put me in the hospital for a few days. No shots or anything like that, although my opinion of them has started to change. I knew for years what I needed to do but the alcohol had a grip on me, and if I’m being honest for along time I didn’t want to let it go either.

Interesting perspective from Vinay Prasad

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What are my recommendations for drinking alcohol? And am I evidence based?

First, let me give you my principles for alcohol. The advice I tell friends and family.

1 Parents should introduce their kids to alcohol before they go to college. Ideally good wine with dinner, properly paired. First introduction should not be a frat party.

2 Never drink a drink you don't like. If it's poorly made, or you hate it, don't drink it. Throw it away.

3 Don't count your drinks. That's antithetical to the pleasure of drinking, and a buzz kill.

4 The best drink is the one immediately before dinner.

5 Good food should be served with good wine or beer, as appropriate. Brandy and sherry at the end of a meal.

6 Jalapenos and habaneros have no business in alcohol.

7 Don't drink and watch TV.

8 Don't drink alone, unless you're meeting someone later and need liquid encouragement.

9 Learn how Beer, Wine, and Scotch are made. For drinks you like, learn how they are made. Learn to mix good cocktails. You should know at least 25 off the top of your head.

10 Pour a bunch of drinks, for instance, several types of whiskey or wine, and learn to appreciate the differences. Do it with a blindfold on. Don’t say peaty, unless you know what that means.

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