Paranoid about alcohol?

[Paddyirishlad]

Anyone else since use have got serious into your training started to stay away from alcohol. All my friends are obsessed with going out and drinking but I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training and probably effects the results of my training.
It's causing me to think a lot about it and it's frying my head. I kinda feel like is rather not go out anymore.
Am I being to harse about the subject and just go out and drink like everyone else?
Any one else confused?
I'm a deep thinker which doesn't help me lol.

[Maverick313]

Just give up drinking then, you will find you are not missing much. There is plenty to do in life without alcohol.

[MaxPlank]

It's all a personal decision.

If you don't like then don't do it.

[GeneralSerpant]

It's actually the alcohol that's staying away from you, if you really think about it.

[vampborn]

Anyone else since use have got serious into your training started to stay away from alcohol. All my friends are obsessed with going out and drinking but I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training and probably effects the results of my training.
It's causing me to think a lot about it and it's frying my head. I kinda feel like is rather not go out anymore.
Am I being to harse about the subject and just go out and drink like everyone else?
Any one else confused?
I'm a deep thinker which doesn't help me lol.

I have gotten serious in my training and stopped drinking, but then I looked at my lifts and looked in the mirror, and liked what I saw, and so I started drinking again, and guess what? I've broken all my PRs and look just as aesthetic. Rules are helpful to use as guidelines, but at some point all rules should be broken.

[KDG730]

Anyone else since use have got serious into your training started to stay away from alcohol. All my friends are obsessed with going out and drinking but I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training and probably effects the results of my training.
It's causing me to think a lot about it and it's frying my head. I kinda feel like is rather not go out anymore.
Am I being to harse about the subject and just go out and drink like everyone else?
Any one else confused?
I'm a deep thinker which doesn't help me lol.

After I started going to the gym regularly for a few months, I found myself not wanting to drink at all. At most 1-2 beers but even after a while I wasn't interested. I think its just the whole healthier lifestyle change, not wanting to put certain things in your body that make you feel like **** sometimes. But anyway, I don't miss it

The gym is my alcohol.

[Jasonk282]

I have gotten serious in my training and stopped drinking, but then I looked at my lifts and looked in the mirror, and liked what I saw, and so I started drinking again, and guess what? I've broken all my PRs and look just as aesthetic. Rules are helpful to use as guidelines, but at some point all rules should be broken.

Thsi^

having 1-2 drinks once a week won;t make a fuks worth of difference to your training. Getting hammered 4 nights a week will.

Take everything into moderation.

[cap10raygun]

[otisthebat]

i pretty much gave up drinking 2 years ago when i got serious about lifting. i really dont remember the last time i had a beer but i know its been at least 2 months. yeah your friends will rip on you for being a pussy and not drinking but in the end, you will be better off. 5 years down the line when your friends are all 30 pounds of fat heavier and you are 20 pounds of muscle heavier, you will have the last laugh.

[GeneralSerpant]

O-M-G more responses.

OP you seem to be caught in a world between here and the matrix or something. If this is about your friends, then this is a lot more serious than what exercises you should be doing.

[3StripesLaced]

I gave up drinking as soon as I starting training harder. That was about a year ago.. My friends all think I'm weird and don't understand but I look and feel great. Best decision of my life

[bbyars87]

Moderation. Stick to your diet, but have your cheat days to stay sane. Unless you're in contest prep.

[Idontgivearump]

I pretty much gave up drinking, not for training, but just didnt see the point in it. Stay up all night drinking, then next day feel like crap, for what?

There are a lot other things to do besides drinking. I may still have a few beers every few months while sitting around the BBQ or what not, and that doesnt seem to harm anything.

Ask yourself, "do I want to party and get out of control, or can you have a good time without the need to alter your mental state"

[Brozef]

Moderation. Stick to your diet, but have your cheat days to stay sane. Unless you're in contest prep.

Exactly ^

I try to only drink one per week.


I personally notice that I don't perform as well under a barbell even when I've had only 3 beers the night before.

And when you look up info about lifting and drinking, you'll find conflicting info just like any other subject. Here are some issues that drinking will cause that seem to be certain:


* Alcohol disrupts digestion, possibly causing inefficiency of nutrient usage and lack of appetite.

* Dehydration of skeletal muscles, even just a few drinks. Can take up to a day or more to re-hydrate.

* Sleep disruption, even if you don't notice.


Just these 3 can make your gym performance suffer.

[TJP33]

if you wanna go out and drink-drink, I don't think it will impact you (moderation obviously, not talking abt those college days). Enjoy your life, and don't let this lifestyle make you feel restricted (balance).

Biggest drawback I see from drinking though- lack of selfcontrol- if your dieting down, can count on going off your macros that night (just make this your cheat meal)

My personal rule is I don't drink unless I have the following day off from the gym, I don't like the sluggish feeling and it makes my workouts garbage. Im also not a big drinker anymore, I lost interest as I got older so its not a big deal for me.

[KillerB84]

Alcohol lowers GH and Test levels. It lowers GH by disrupting sleep and lowers Test because of the toxins released from the liver being toxic to Testosterone production. Not to mention it dehydrates and is empty calories. Choose wisely.

[kanis999]

All your friends are obsessed about going out drinking? Sounds like you should meet some new friends if that doesn't float your boat.

For me, even if I drink a small enough amount to hardly feel intoxicated at all, my gym performance goes down for about 24 hours. Alcohol just sucks the life and enthusiasm out of me, especially where it pertains to physical health.

Some people gain all kinds of positive life outlook and enthusiasm from drinking (somehow). Those people probably SHOULD drink a couple times per week lol.

If I spent all day drinking lots of water instead, I'd probably have an extra good workout tomorrow.

[chazzy1864]

Anyone else since use have got serious into your training started to stay away from alcohol. All my friends are obsessed with going out and drinking but I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training and probably effects the results of my training.
It's causing me to think a lot about it and it's frying my head. I kinda feel like is rather not go out anymore.
Am I being to harse about the subject and just go out and drink like everyone else?
Any one else confused?
I'm a deep thinker which doesn't help me lol.

You should consider deep thinking about spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.


Drinking is just fine for some. Others, not so much. I used to avoid going out with friends in fear it would effect my workouts. Now, I don't care. I don't lift for any form of competition. So I don't let the gym derail a social life. I have decided to avoid going out on weekdays as I didn't want to be sluggish for a gym, but I have zero qualms with going out and spending a night at the bars filled with bad booze, good women, and greasy food.

[Retoaded]

You should consider deep thinking about spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.


Drinking is just fine for some. Others, not so much. I used to avoid going out with friends in fear it would effect my workouts. Now, I don't care. I don't lift for any form of competition. So I don't let the gym derail a social life. I have decided to avoid going out on weekdays as I didn't want to be sluggish for a gym, but I have zero qualms with going out and spending a night at the bars filled with bad booze, good women, and greasy food.

I prefer good booze, and bad women bro.

[ironwill2008]

I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training.....

If you feel this way, it's probably time to step away from alcohol.

[Tommy W.]

Every calorie from alcohol must be dieted or exercised off. On a bulk it adds to dieting time when it's time to cut. On a cut it lengthens your cut time. There is no way around this. You have to find that balance if you drink alcohol and understand that it does affect body composition. How much depends on how much you drink. A beer every now and then you'll never notice. A beer or 2 every night or weekend binges and you're screwing yourself body wise.

[chazzy1864]

I prefer good booze, and bad women bro.

Really... I just want some combination of them... I'm not exactly picky.

[CeliusNate]

You can still go out from time to time. Just have a few light beers, and bounce after a few hours. As long as you don't overconsume every weekend, it shouldn't hinder your progress. It's all about keeping in moderation when you go out. Just make sure you drink a lot of water in the am, to replenish, since most likely you will be dehydrated the next day, or it could hinder your workout.

[Voltri]

How people's training is affected by drinking is totally personal-- If you feel less than stellar in the gym the next day, scale it back or stop it; if you don't, drink up! Everything in moderation.

My decision to stop drinking (almost altogether) was two fold: Tired of partying and wanted to step up my training (I noticed it had an effect on it). What I find fascinating is how no one will accept the idea that you won't have a drink when going out; it's now to the point where I say something vague like "I'm going to keep sober" so people will leave me alone.

[MaxPlank]

A little booze now and then isn't going to hurt a thing. Infact, I look forward to my weekend outings. It helps me mentally get more out of my workouts so I can look good drunk.

[Slow-N-Steady]

Alcohol lowers GH and Test levels. It lowers GH by disrupting sleep and lowers Test because of the toxins released from the liver being toxic to Testosterone production. Not to mention it dehydrates and is empty calories. Choose wisely.

True, but test and GH levels rise and fall throughout every day based on even every day activities. Providing an environment for the body to grow over a weeks time, a month's time, etc is much more important. Just wanted to comment because it's important to distinguish that. A night or two of even heavy drinking won't ruin a week's worth of solid gym work and nutrition.

Anyways OP, alcohol in large amounts can certainly affect a workout the next day, just like it can affect everything else you do the next day. However, there are things you can do to minimize it's effect and impact. Like someone mentioned earlier, limit or eliminate drinking on workout days or the day before workouts. The weekends are usually great, because generally a lot of people take off from the gym those days. Eating and hydrating well before and after can also help.

Lastly, frequency of drinking and moderation is key. Drinking heavy every night, or every other night will likely have a noticeable negative impact, for all of the reasons mentioned above. If you're competing or have committed yourself to the highest levels of fitness/health, then drop the drinking. If not, just be smart while enjoying life..

[Paranoy]

Every calorie from alcohol must be dieted or exercised off.

No, it can also be used for normal everyday activites. I know people who drink a lot & neither diet nor exercise & stay the same weight & comp, according to you they should be getting fatter & fatter each time they drink. Truth is its just another source of calories that needs to be taken into account. In fact alc is metabolized first before other fuel sources since the body regards it as a type of poison & wants to process & remove it immediately. So it simply delays other calories with regards to when they are used but you wont escape total calorie balance rules regardless of the source.

Alcohol lowers GH and Test levels. It lowers GH by disrupting sleep and lowers Test because of the toxins released from the liver being toxic to Testosterone production.

This is the issue.

[ASTRONOMICAL]

I don't like how sore I am if I down half a bottle of scotch after a leg day. Nuff said.

[TheMadPhysicist]

Get a grip, grow up and care about yourself, not how others' perceive you. When they're bloated, hungover and overweight, take them on a beach holiday and let your hard work and discipline show!!!

Anyone else since use have got serious into your training started to stay away from alcohol. All my friends are obsessed with going out and drinking but I'm starting to feel like it's the last thing I want to do as it effects my performance in training and probably effects the results of my training.
It's causing me to think a lot about it and it's frying my head. I kinda feel like is rather not go out anymore.
Am I being to harse about the subject and just go out and drink like everyone else?
Any one else confused?
I'm a deep thinker which doesn't help me lol.

[Tommy W.]

No, it can also be used for normal everyday activites. I know people who drink a lot & neither diet nor exercise & stay the same weight & comp, according to you they should be getting fatter & fatter each time they drink. Truth is its just another source of calories that needs to be taken into account. In fact alc is metabolized first before other fuel sources since the body regards it as a type of poison & wants to process & remove it immediately. So it simply delays other calories with regards to when they are used but you wont escape total calorie balance rules regardless of the source.



.

Daily activity is exercise. They stay the same weight because they consume maintenance calories which includes the alcohol they're drinking.