Curious - Did Anyone Give Up Alcohol For Bodybuilding?

[metalmancpa]

I decided when I started 6 weeks ago on my initial 12-week program, that I would stop drinking alcohol for the 12-week period. It's not like I drank a lot, maybe 2-3 drinks a week (I only drink rum & diet cokes), but just based on some quick searching, even with minimal issues to "light" drinking, I felt those 3 drinks were around 300 wasted calories. Also, although probably not important was knowing alcohol does dehydrate.

I'm not sure when/if I'll get back to drinking, but just curious if others have actually given up alcohol.

[HealingHands8]

I have the occasional alcoholic drink when out with friends etc. I don't see a reason you have to completely remove it from your life, if it's something that you enjoy.

[metalmancpa]

I have the occasional alcoholic drink when out with friends etc. I don't see a reason you have to completely remove it from your life, if it's something that you enjoy.

I guess my question is more wondering how far people go with body building. There's a line between someone training for competition and someone going through the motions. I'm in between somewhere, but family and friends think I take it too far sometimes. They think it's incredible I have the will power to give up certain foods, and alcohol. To me, I'm just finding any little edge I can get without bodybuilding being disruptive to my everyday family life (being too engrossed in it). I decided for at least a short time, to give up that 300 calories per week, and also as a test to see if I had the will power. No problem for me - when I go to bars now with family/friends I ask for water.

[Gneejack]

If you can work it into your daily caloric needs, why not indulge in a drink or two. I personally don't drink alcohol on a cut, it's empty calories that I would rather allocate to solid food. When on a bulk though, you have more room to maneuver.

[HealingHands8]

I guess my question is more wondering how far people go with body building. There's a line between someone training for competition and someone going through the motions. I'm in between somewhere, but family and friends think I take it too far sometimes. They think it's incredible I have the will power to give up certain foods, and alcohol. To me, I'm just finding any little edge I can get without bodybuilding being disruptive to my everyday family life (being too engrossed in it). I decided for at least a short time, to give up that 300 calories per week, and also as a test to see if I had the will power. No problem for me - when I go to bars now with family/friends I ask for water.

There is no reason to give up something that you enjoy for bodybuilding, unless you are coming up to a show. Bodybuilding/fitness is supposed to enhance your life & health, not give you irrational dietary restrictions.

[KennyWheels]

I decided when I started 6 weeks ago on my initial 12-week program, that I would stop drinking alcohol for the 12-week period. It's not like I drank a lot, maybe 2-3 drinks a week (I only drink rum & diet cokes), but just based on some quick searching, even with minimal issues to "light" drinking, I felt those 3 drinks were around 300 wasted calories. Also, although probably not important was knowing alcohol does dehydrate.

I'm not sure when/if I'll get back to drinking, but just curious if others have actually given up alcohol.

2 and half years sober, and i just turned 27, life is good

but i actually had a problem with alcohol lol not my calorie intake

[kmoff77]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Mine is about cutting back, rather then stopping completely. I used to be the guy that had 4-5 drinks every night after work. I know I had a problem. Now I try to limit it to weekends only. I may still have a slight problem, but I'm ok with it. Limiting myself to 2-3 days per week is cutting back for me, and I enjoy drinking with friends. I'm just wondering if burning extra calories by doing cardio on days I drink will help offset the calories in the alcohol.

Edti- and I"m not a bodybuilder by any means. I'm just trying to lose weight and get in good shape.

[Ppem]

Left alchohol ciggarate/ and all "dirty food" (pizza/burger) EVERY single thing that wasnt on my diet... Become so obsessive didnt want to touch a candy Pop even when my sugar was down and i was fainting..

Thanks to this site i have learned alot of things now and will add those "dirty food" that i use to cal to my calorie intake and add alchhol too start enjoying my life and worring less!

[metalmancpa]

There is no reason to give up something that you enjoy for bodybuilding, unless you are coming up to a show. Bodybuilding/fitness is supposed to enhance your life & health, not give you irrational dietary restrictions.

For me I've never been hung up on food, meaning I don't love it enough to care about giving up certain things. I like alcohol, but haven't missed it that much, so in my case I don't think it was an irrational decision, but more of a "why not".

[jubjubrsx]

I used to drink half a bottle of jagermiester every night, on occasion I'd swap to about 4-6 beers or so. Since I started bodybuilding/exercising I think I've only had 2-3beers since then, and thats been abit over 2 years now. Only reason's I had the booze was because 1) birthday at an awesome German Brewpub had DAS BOOT!!!, 2) house finished getting remodeled after 4 months in an extended stay, and 3) was a bar with some friends.....Don't miss drinking at all now.

[SSM12]

I only drink sometimes on the weekend. I like alcohol and going out and having fun, but its hard to cut and fit it in when I would rather eat. I still go out, i am just usually DD.

My tolerance has increased though, i used to be able to blow a ton of money and only be buzzed, now it hits me quicker, which is nice. I used to drink more, now I am almost sober(not what I am going for, i just prefer food in my cut than alcohol because alcohol usually makes me hungry/crave food and I over eat LOL).

[Credz]

I never was a big drinker. I think the last time I had a drink was over 2-3 years ago to be honest lol.

[InItForFitness]

Someone should never have such a dependency on any product (food or beverage) that removing it from their diet would cause stress. If that is the case than there are much bigger issues at hand other than the calories coming from them. That being said I would never restrict myself from any product I enjoy simply because I believe it will give me an additional 1-2% benefit on body composition.

[Former300lber]

Lol, No... I get yucky every saturday, No chit's given, Bulking or cutting.. I just make sure I get enough protein in for the day, and then drink whatever I want, I love being fit, but I'm not trying to get single digit lean, I'm not prepping for some comp, etc, so I'm not going to let bodybuilding control my life, It's strictly just a hobby, and something I do for fun now.

[metalmancpa]

Someone should never have such a dependency on any product (food or beverage) that removing it from their diet would cause stress. If that is the case than there are much bigger issues at hand other than the calories coming from them. That being said I would never restrict myself from any product I enjoy simply because I believe it will give me an additional 1-2% benefit on body composition.

Exactly why it's no big deal for me to make changes and drop things. I have never been consumed by food. It's just fuel to me. I think though, that on occasion I'll "have" to drink. I was called a party pooper by my son when he found out I totally stopped drinking - said what fun is that if he comes over and wants a few with Dad. He's right - I'll just make sure those empty calories to push me overboard, and will just go with more concentrated proteins per calorie on those days.

[StephSkywalker]

Drinking was never my thing to begin with. I probably would have a few drinks a year, Srs.. So its not a big deal for me not to drink at all while cutting, since I rather eat those cals. But if there was a family or friend function that came up while I was cutting, I might have one and fit it in.. Not a big deal

[Animosity29]

I look at drinking (in moderation) about the same as anything else in the indulgence category. I'm about as likely to ditch my evening glass of wine or scotch (one or the other) as I am my morning latte. It's little things like that which allow me to remain mostly sane while cutting. There are times where I will indulge a little more and I just modify my caloric intake over the next few days to even things out. This is the same reason I don't feel bad occasionally snagging a mouthful from the can of Reddi-Whip I have in my fridge. 15 calories and it tastes so damn good. It's called IIFYM for a reason!

[InItForFitness]

It's called IIFYM for a reason!

What would that reason be?

[LCFCFOX]

I always drank a lot with my friends growing up in my late teens, but now I limit it to saturdays (a few a month) and have beers before and after going to the football. I know it won't help me in a bodybuilding sense but I have no reason for the two to be mutually exclusive, and I enjoy lifting throughout the week and drinking with my mates on a saturday.

Also if I have any special beers/wine I will fit it in to my calories during the week, should the situation arise.

[jsavona]

I mostly gave it up and didn't even notice. I used to be 1-2 beers a night kind of guy but when I got really serious about my physique I sort of just stopped cold turkey and I don't really crave it. But on the rare ocassion I feel like having a couple of beers I won't hesitate to work it into my macros. In the past I would say no alcohol for 12 weeks or whatever and it would make me crazy with cravings.

[Animosity29]

What would that reason be?

If it fits your macros... if I can fit 15 calories from whipped cream or 150 empty calories from a glass of wine into my macros without going over my calories, what harm is there. Now binge drinking or managing to hit your macros with just bacon and doughnuts would obviously be bad. Otherwise if you can fit in a little bit of enjoyment, why not?

[kmoff77]

Lol, No... I get yucky every saturday, No chit's given, Bulking or cutting.. I just make sure I get enough protein in for the day, and then drink whatever I want, I love being fit, but I'm not trying to get single digit lean, I'm not prepping for some comp, etc, so I'm not going to let bodybuilding control my life, It's strictly just a hobby, and something I do for fun now.

makes me feel better reading this that you have had such success while still doing what you enjoy on the weekend. I feel the same way.

[APipeDream]

Used to drink 8-12 beers a day, every day. I now drink 1-2 per week. I love craft beers and don't ever see myself not enjoying a few every now and then. I just don't feel like I need it anymore. I have bigger goals these days than sitting comatose on the couch.

[RGA8]

Everyone's level of commitment to bodybuilding is different. I wouldn't cut out my favorite foods/beverages just to test my willpower on the off chance that it actually helps my physique.

If you want to stop drinking for personal reasons that's another thing entirely.

[InItForFitness]

If it fits your macros... if I can fit 15 calories from whipped cream or 150 empty calories from a glass of wine into my macros without going over my calories, what harm is there. Now binge drinking or managing to hit your macros with just bacon and doughnuts would obviously be bad. Otherwise if you can fit in a little bit of enjoyment, why not?

So you're saying that IIFYM basically means consume items you enjoy with a bit of moderation?

[KennyWheels]

So you're saying that IIFYM basically means consume items you enjoy with a bit of moderation?

damn dude, you need some fresh air i think

[Animosity29]

So you're saying that IIFYM basically means consume items you enjoy with a bit of moderation?

Not quite sure what you are implying by that, sarcasm doesn't always translate well over the internet. I enjoy the turkey burgers I eat daily. I enjoy tuna, broccoli, salads, and pretty much everything I eat. If it's something I have to force myself to eat, it's not worth eating. I can hit my macros and maintain a healthy diet without foods I despise. When it comes to having things with little or no place in my diet that are extremely enjoyable, I occasionally make room for them. This is by no means saying do / eat whatever you want as long as you can show a little bit of restraint. Again I ask, what is the harm in making room for simple things, especially when there are health benefits to having a glass of wine every day?

[InItForFitness]

damn dude, you need some fresh air i think

Get paid to sit on my ass all day and browse the forums..
Why would I give that up?

Not quite sure what you are implying by that, sarcasm doesn't always translate well over the internet. I enjoy the turkey burgers I eat daily. I enjoy tuna, broccoli, salads, and pretty much everything I eat. If it's something I have to force myself to eat, it's not worth eating. I can hit my macros and maintain a healthy diet without foods I despise. When it comes to having things with little or no place in my diet that are extremely enjoyable, I occasionally make room for them. This is by no means saying do / eat whatever you want as long as you can show a little bit of restraint. Again I ask, what is the harm in making room for simple things, especially when there are health benefits to having a glass of wine every day?

I'm only messing with you
Relax. It's just not too often you get a new guy around here who actually understand the ideology behind IIFYM. I commend you, well done.

[Animosity29]

I'm only messing with you
Relax. It's just not too often you get a new guy around here who actually understand the ideology behind IIFYM. I commend you, well done.

No worries, and thanks. I've been lurking around here for quite a while, just normally don't post. Not much going on today so decided to change that a little bit.

[InItForFitness]

No worries, and thanks. I've been lurking around here for quite a while, just normally don't post. Not much going on today so decided to change that a little bit.

Solid contributions so far. Keep it up.