"Can I drink & still reach my fitness goals?" This is a very common question for those who workout, especially young adults! The answer in short is yes, but it can make it harder to make gains and may take longer to reach those goals. There are so many different factors that come into play here - how much are you drinking? How often are you working out? Does drinking negatively affect your eating habits? These are questions you should ask yourself when thinking about this question. Lets dissect this and look at the facts.
Drinking alcohol on a regular basis or binge drinking can make it harder to burn fat & build muscle. Alcohol contains empty calories, meaning it provides little to no nutritional value. Many times, when you reach for an alcoholic drink, you mix it with something sugary, such as juice or soda. So combining a sugary drink with alcohol which already has little nutritional value is a double punch on your health. Every time you work out, you tear your muscles. These muscle tears are part of what causes the soreness you feel until they heal with the use of a human growth hormone. Drinking can prevent efficient healing of the muscles by decreasing the secretion of the hormone. As a result, you will feel sore longer and have to wait a longer time period for your muscles to fully heal. Binge drinking also plays a role in decreasing your gains from working out. Instead of increasing testosterone levels, which would help grow the muscles, alcohol increases the hormone cortisol (the same hormone that causes stress) and destroys all the muscle you were trying to build... ultimately making it harder to make gains.
While we typically use mostly carbs and fats as our source of energy, our bodies can also use ethanol (a type of alcohol) as a fuel source. When we drink, our body shifts from using our "main" energy sources (fat) to using ethanol instead. Which means we interfere with the livers ability to convert fat into energy since it's using the ethanol. This makes it harder to lose weight.
Some things to note about alcohol:
- Suppresses fat burning
- Toxic to your brain and liver
- Decreases recovery from training
- Depletes vitamin stores in the body
- Suppresses thyroid function
- Lowers human growth hormone
We are not demonizing alcohol or telling you to stop drinking all together. We're simply outlining the facts around alcohol and your fitness journey. The most important thing to do is to be cognizant of how much you are drinking. It's all about moderation! A drink here and there doesn't hurt, but if you are noticing you are not making strides in the gym and you are working out harder than ever there may be something else at play. Re-evaluate how much you are drinking and when. If you think it may be taking a toll on your fitness then it may be time to cut back. Have questions about your fitness journey, reach out to one of our personal trainers today! Curious about how drinking can fit into your diet and overall health? Take a macro-nutrient assessment with our team to find out what you can eat/drink on a daily basis and still reach your goals.
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