Alcohol and Exercise

[JCeltic]

I've taken up hitting the gym seriously only for just shy of a year now.

I've successfully lost a good amount of body fat, and have shifted my gears towards building muscle, and i've made some gains in that aspect of my gym routine.

My question is this,

I do have a drinking problem. I drink nearly everyday ( in excess more often than not ) , and only by my girlfriend breaking down recently in tears in front of me. . i have decided to go to AA classes.
So how much is alcohol going to interfere with goals in the gym when it comes to building muscle?? This is really not an area i am educated in, and am just looking for some clarity as to how this is going to / and has been effecting me.

Thank You.

[Hank Vangut]

1. Alcohol is empty calories.
2. Alcohol dehydrates you
3. Alcohol slows down your metabolism
4. Alcohol inhibits protein synthesis
5. Alcohol blocks the absorption of nutrients to the muscles
6. Alcohol lowers testosterone
7. Alcohol increases estrogen
8. Alcohol consumption is catabolic

[kjkriston]

wow, that really sheds some light on the issue. Good post.

[JCeltic]

1. Alcohol is empty calories.
2. Alcohol dehydrates you
3. Alcohol slows down your metabolism
4. Alcohol inhibits protein synthesis
5. Alcohol blocks the absorption of nutrients to the muscles
6. Alcohol lowers testosterone
7. Alcohol increases estrogen
8. Alcohol consumption is catabolic

Wow.

Very helpful Hank, Thank You.

#6 and #7 were especially suprising to me.

Again, Thanks.

[SilentBob187]

1. Alcohol is empty calories.
2. Alcohol dehydrates you
3. Alcohol slows down your metabolism
4. Alcohol inhibits protein synthesis
5. Alcohol blocks the absorption of nutrients to the muscles
6. Alcohol lowers testosterone
7. Alcohol increases estrogen
8. Alcohol consumption is catabolic

This is why I haven't had a drop in months.

[wastedwhiteboy2]

yes alcohol is horrible. summer time I slow down on the drinking.

[Farmboy]

I've taken up hitting the gym seriously only for just shy of a year now.

I've successfully lost a good amount of body fat, and have shifted my gears towards building muscle, and i've made some gains in that aspect of my gym routine.

My question is this,

I do have a drinking problem. I drink nearly everyday ( in excess more often than not ) , and only by my girlfriend breaking down recently in tears in front of me. . i have decided to go to AA classes.
So how much is alcohol going to interfere with goals in the gym when it comes to building muscle?? This is really not an area i am educated in, and am just looking for some clarity as to how this is going to / and has been effecting me.

Thank You.

I had that problem a couple years ago, but then I came across someone who was built just exactly like I wanted to be. (Jerry) I devoured his posts, taking in everything I could. In doing this, I put together a meal plan that gave me mental clarity that I never had before and the desire to get to where he was overrode any desire I had to drink. Stick around, find someone on here that is where you want to be and let them be your inspiration. Get serious!!! get excited!!! Your GF will see the changes in you and you wont need to play those AA games in hopes of keeping her.

[Steveoph]

If you are interested in some of the more detailed mechanisms how it interrupts/ruins you bodybuilding, and also a bit of history I suggest reading http://www.rippednaturally.com/bodyb...f_alcohol.html .

To add to hank's list
9) Disrupts sleep
10)Increases fatigue
11) Decreases strength and aerobic performance

[JCeltic]

Farmboy & steve, thank you both for your responses. . and thanks for the link steve

[SilentBob187]

Oh man, I forgot to add, welcome to the board JC. This was your first post.

Good luck and just know that this is a solid group of people here.

[Rugger]

Every day and you will have a super, really awesome, amazingly difficult time building muscle. I drink once a week heavily and it inhibits me a bit.

[JCeltic]

Oh man, I forgot to add, welcome to the board JC. This was your first post.

Good luck and just know that this is a solid group of people here.

I appreciate the welcome Bob,

I've made only one post and can tell people here and well intentioned and informative.

Glad to be a member on the board now.

[maynehood171]

This is why I haven't had a drop in months.

Yeah I went from drinking about everyday to about 1-3 times a month due to how alcohol effects the body and I just don't like trying to train the next day or even 2 days after feeling like shyt!...and mind you I'm a college senior haha

[kjkriston]

so in all reality 1 glass of wine a night is pretty harmful. What alternative for relaxation do you guys use. I tried Phenibut but the hangover is crippling @ 5 in the morning.

[Rugger]

so in all reality 1 glass of wine a night is pretty harmful. What alternative for relaxation do you guys use. I tried Phenibut but the hangover is crippling @ 5 in the morning.

nyquil

[Hank Vangut]

so in all reality 1 glass of wine a night is pretty harmful.

no.
excessive consumption is harmful.
there are actully some health benefits associated with light consumption of red wine or beer.
although alochol does everyting i listed previously, in moderate consumption it's really the empty calories that are most non-conducive to a true body building program.

What alternative for relaxation do you guys use.

marijuana: no hang-over. no calories. no impact on hormone levels. no impact on nutrient uptake by muscles.

[maynehood171]

no.
excessive consumption is harmful.
there are actully some health benefits associated with light consumption of red wine or beer.
in moderate consumption it's really the empty calories that are most non-conducive to a true body building program.



marijuana: no hang-over. no calories. no impact on hormone levels. no impact on nutrient uptake by muscles.

Good Call! haha

[Manimalia]

i would have to say that this has been cleared up already by others. i will say one thing, though, from personal experience. i have at times had just ONE drink after a workout and the next day, i woke up sore. i DO NOT work out to get sore. i actually think that soreness is unhealthy, unless you have just a bit in the ol' legs, as they can/should take a beating.

but i digress. alcohol, the main problem with it, having mentioned this brings protein synthesis to a halt. that's the main thing. without that, you are just sitting there with sore ass muscles that ain't better because of a workout; they're then worse.

[Manimalia]

by the way, welcome! sorry about that! hey, i'm a new guy here, too. but i don't feel too new, as people here have been really inviting and helpful. this forum isn't quite like others, as a lot of others have members that are.....i don't know....clannish?

[SilentBob187]

as a lot of others have members that are.....i don't know....clannish?

I'm BNB mutha trucka! Do you want karate?!

Yeah no bad apples here, except for these weird banana guys. They're obsessed with Gwen Stefani... I keed Banana Death Squad, I keed.