DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed medical practitioner. I can't even spell very well most of the time. I do not have a degree or have completed any formal education on anything discussed in this thread (still in school fail). Take everything below with a mountain of salt. Do your OWN RESEARCH. DOUBT. I am also not responsible for anything that comes out of following my non-professional advice.
Question is asked a lot particularly on this forum:
The answer is usually "calories in calories out" and for 99.99% of people on this forum this holds true for every other question but alcohol is a little different.Is it okay if i drink x/y/z/ alcoholic beverage n/m/u times per week on a cut?
With regards to body building, the objective of which is to gain lean mass, spare lean mass, and reduce body fat (and/or maintain a low percentage of body fat), alcohol is one of the worst, if not the worst, things you can introduce to your body.
This is what happens when you drink:
Some alcohol is absorbed in the stomach. The amount of food in your stomach, the slower the digestion. Carbonating alcohol beverages slightly increases the absorption rate. Some people are just better. Rest goes to small intestine where it gets absorbed. This really is not the important part.
Once alcohol is in your bloodstream, digestion happens in the liver. I'm not going into chemical details, I hate to sound degrading but most people can't understand wavelength's sticky so i doubt anyone gives a hoot about some biochemistry. Basically it gets converted to a toxic compound that releases NADH (a different, highly critical metabolic compound used mostly in moving hydrogen around). NADH and it's oxidized equivalent NAD are kept in a controlled ratio in the cell to maintain proper functioning. Why does this matter to anyone?
Alcohol creates an imbalance. Too much NADH relative to NAD levels fks stuff up, i'm not going to delve into the myriad of problems that are created by alcohol, i'm not anti-alcohol I promise. What we're interested in is the fact that too much NADH shifts metabolism to promote fat molecule synthesis and inhibit breakdown of fats in the liver. It's almost like it was created as an anti-bodybuilding supplement. This directly contradicts objective #3, to reduce body fat and/or maintain a low percentage of body fat. Btw if you don't care about bodybuilding, read the big letters at the waay top left of the page, then click the x at the top right of your screen.
Now, we're done talking about that. It's waay more complicated but the cliffs of that last paragraph is alcohol = more fat created + less fat burned = bad.
Alcohol has some other nasty effects on the body. I'm going to go into less detail then i did above but to sum it up, it will reduce the absorption and levels of some key vitamins and minerals, will dehydrate your muscles, and will absolutely destroy protein synthesis as well as nutrient uptake in muscles. This contracts our other objectives, to create and maintain desired levels of lbm.
What it does to your hormones is unclear some studies are showing it reduces test levels over time some show theres a large spike during followed by low periods afterwards, i'm not really sure it matters in the long run. If anyone wants to point me in the right direction, i might take a look (assload of calc homework tonight so probably not).
But we head back to the original question (Scroll up if you forgot luls). With alcohol, because it's not processed as a carbohydrate or a fat or a protein, calories in vs calories out only loosely applies. DOES THAT MATTER? Well ask yourself: "Self, do you really want to go drinking tonight?" If the answer is yes go drink. If the answer is maybe, get off the damn fence. If the answer is no, don't drink. Honestly, deprivation is the stepping stone to long term diet non-adherence. Which leads to no progress. Which leads to stupid questions on the bb forums. No one here can answer that question for you.
edit: In b4 age:19 status:Non-drinker
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06-17-2010, 11:26 AM #1
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All Alcohol Related Questions GTFIH!!!!
Last edited by coals; 06-17-2010 at 02:04 PM.
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06-17-2010, 11:33 AM #2
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i also heard that alcohol will stop or slow down fats that are processed by your liver because it is processing the alcohol instead and leads to the fat being stored. thanks for your post there are just so many opinions on the web about bacardi and diet coke being fine blah blah
oh just saw the part about that in your post . ha
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06-17-2010, 12:00 PM #3
Ok, I'll play.
I am new here, and have only recently begun consciously thinking about my health and fitness level. Right now I'm very motivated and excited about transforming from 285 Lbs, 30%+ bf fat-ass into a lean, muscular guy. Right now I have all the motivation in the world. If I had to name my greatest weakness though, it would be beer.
I love brewing and drinking craft beers - Imperial IPA's, Imperial Stouts, Belgian Tripels, Abbey Ales. Tremendously different styles that all have one thing in common: high alcohol content (8%-13% abv usually) and 200+ calories per 12oz serving.
How much damage am I doing to myself and my cut if one night per month, or one night every 6 weeks I drink myself silly on great beer? I'm not talking to the point of hangover or anything, but definitely to a point of inebriation.
I can do without sweets or crap food way easier than I can forsake good beer.
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06-17-2010, 12:09 PM #4
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06-17-2010, 12:11 PM #5
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don't know for sure, but beer is my main weakness too. i dont really miss ice cream much chips or cookies. but that taste and mellow buzz of beer. i am pretty sure my drinking beer 4 days a week was seriously making my diet slow down if not get worse. i am going to cut back to just a couple on saturday and thats it, while still working out rest of week and eating well. I'm sure once a month for you wouldnt do any real damage. if you follow a diet too strictly it seems to never work.
good luck to you fellow beer drinker
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06-17-2010, 12:13 PM #6
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If it helps diet adherence in the long run, I don't see a problem with occasional drinking (from an objective bodybuilding perspective with all personal beliefs aside). Barring those with very specific, intense goals who won't be found in this forum anyway (See contest prep) or asking these kinds of questions. What matters is diet adherence in the long term. Can you, day after day, keep at a caloric deficit? Think 90/10 rule If 90% of the time you're doing well, the other 10% won't matter. 90 is still an A in my class.
(people say 80/20 but come on, cheat every 4 days? we can be a little better than that, have some spine).
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06-17-2010, 12:25 PM #7
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06-17-2010, 12:31 PM #8
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06-17-2010, 12:41 PM #9
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06-17-2010, 01:07 PM #10
I've read that all these effects only occur for 1 hour per drink - the amount of time it takes for you body to deal with the booze. So 10 drinks = 10 hours of burning less fat. As long as your keeping your calories in check, and you do this, say, once a week . . is it really gonna make any difference?
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06-17-2010, 01:50 PM #11
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Unibroue Le Fin du Monde = THE Best
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One to two beer daily promotes a healthy heart (in males; 1 for females) ... going over 3 beers all the "benefits" of daily alchol consumption are thrown away...
One serving of alcohol (wine or beer) has positive benefits for the heart, but it should be within your caloric limit for the dayB.S. in Health & Exercise Science / M.S. in Exercise Physiology / (Former) Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
"There's US & there's THEM; always has been & always will be" - B.F., My Mentor
"If you're not PASSIONATE about it... it's just another thing" - My Pops
Been Around Too Long Crew / OG Misc'r
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06-17-2010, 01:57 PM #12
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06-17-2010, 02:04 PM #13
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06-17-2010, 02:11 PM #14
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06-17-2010, 02:14 PM #15
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06-17-2010, 02:34 PM #16
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Ok, fair enough on what you said.
But what about the next day when one has detoxed all that alcohol? Are you starting fresh?Down 15% BF Up 6 % Muscle in 7 months (March, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept 2010)
Maint / Recomp (oct 2010 - July 2011)
Aug/Sep/Oct '11 - fat loss / cut Goal: 1 lb every 5 days / (3500 cals burnt every 5 days - 400 cal deficit food | 300 cal deficit gym daily)
My Fat Stack: Fish Oil, Olive Oil, Flax, PB, Eggs, Almonds, Almond Butter, CLA
My Protein Stack: Chicken, Lean Steak, Deli Turkey, Fish, Egg Whites, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, ON Whey
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06-17-2010, 02:35 PM #17
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Down 15% BF Up 6 % Muscle in 7 months (March, April, May, June, July, Aug, Sept 2010)
Maint / Recomp (oct 2010 - July 2011)
Aug/Sep/Oct '11 - fat loss / cut Goal: 1 lb every 5 days / (3500 cals burnt every 5 days - 400 cal deficit food | 300 cal deficit gym daily)
My Fat Stack: Fish Oil, Olive Oil, Flax, PB, Eggs, Almonds, Almond Butter, CLA
My Protein Stack: Chicken, Lean Steak, Deli Turkey, Fish, Egg Whites, Greek Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, ON Whey
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06-17-2010, 02:51 PM #18
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B.S. in Health & Exercise Science / M.S. in Exercise Physiology / (Former) Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
"There's US & there's THEM; always has been & always will be" - B.F., My Mentor
"If you're not PASSIONATE about it... it's just another thing" - My Pops
Been Around Too Long Crew / OG Misc'r
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06-17-2010, 02:55 PM #19
- Join Date: Jan 2002
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B.S. in Health & Exercise Science / M.S. in Exercise Physiology / (Former) Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
"There's US & there's THEM; always has been & always will be" - B.F., My Mentor
"If you're not PASSIONATE about it... it's just another thing" - My Pops
Been Around Too Long Crew / OG Misc'r
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06-17-2010, 02:55 PM #20
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Don't know how long the after-effects last, but obviously they're not permanent, nor long term (exception being if you're drinking is long-term LOL)
I've read that all these effects only occur for 1 hour per drink - the amount of time it takes for you body to deal with the booze. So 10 drinks = 10 hours of burning less fat.
As long as your keeping your calories in check, and you do this, say, once a week . . is it really gonna make any difference?
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06-19-2010, 06:15 PM #21
You had me craving one - designated cheat day, etc
Happy labrador waiting for me to throw the ball in the background.
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06-19-2010, 06:37 PM #22
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08-02-2010, 02:43 PM #23
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08-02-2010, 02:59 PM #24
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08-02-2010, 03:02 PM #25
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People are not doing it 24/7. Despite any pre-notions you may have (I was in your shoes not too long ago), school is expensive and most people are reasonable about their drinking habits.
That said for any details on the alcohol itself , see the original post. Cliffs: Be social, once or twice a week at the most drinking at a reasonable level will not kill you. Plan for it.
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08-02-2010, 03:02 PM #26
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08-02-2010, 03:06 PM #27
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08-02-2010, 03:06 PM #28
I agree and disagree with this. You are 100% right in saying that it wont be too bad if he has one heavy drinking night per month or every 6 weeks, and that if he enjoys that then to go for it. BUT, if he enjoys the weight loss and enjoys results being a little bit faster, then he should not do it. It is up to how serious he is taking it, all this "Life is too short go ahead and cheat once" is BS, just think "Do I want to take a little longer to where I want to be and enjoy it a little bit more, or do I want to get there a little quicker and it be a little less enjoyable?"
Übermensch
He who cannot obey himself will be commanded. Give substance to their fears.
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08-02-2010, 03:09 PM #29
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You have it backwards, most people agree it's worse for a bulk then a cut. But either way moderation is key. Practice moderation and you will not notice any downsides of occasionally enjoying yourself. That said make friends fast when you get there, not having a solid group of friends by the end of first year is a good way to feel ****ty for the next 3.
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08-02-2010, 03:14 PM #30
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