We live in a society that day by day is becoming more demanding, more stressful and faster paced. To get away from this, many of us tend to turn towards alcohol.
This usually starts with a few drinks on the weekend, but when alcohol is associated with unwinding after a hard day’s work, this can lead to one or two drinks a night.
We all know that excessive drinking is not good from a health perspective, but how is it actually affecting our fitness?
Athletic Performance
For those of us who are involved in sports, the consumption of alcohol can impair reaction time, balance and hand-eye coordination. Hydration is also affected as alcohol acts as a diuretic, thereby promoting the loss of fluids and electrolytes that your body requires for proper hydration. Marry this with increased dehydration, and you’ve got a recipe for poor performance.
Weight Gain
Alcohol contains approximately 7 calories per gram. This means most pints of lager and ale range from 180 to 210 calories per pint. Drink six or more pints on a night out and you will have consumed more than 1000 additional calories. This is definitely going to lead to fat gain, primarily around the stomach region.
Reduced Muscle Growth & Recovery
In order for muscles to recover and grow, we require protein for maintenance and development. Alcohol tends to impair protein synthesis in the body, thereby interfering with the ability to grow, maintain and repair muscle. Drinking also causes a drop in testosterone levels while increasing cortisol, a hormone that destroys muscle.
All the issues mentioned above generally are the beginning of larger and more serious issues. Additional weight (fat) gain along with reduced muscle tissue can make the body more susceptible to high cholesterol which can lead onto diabetes, heart disease and so on…
Like so many other things, alcohol is okay in moderation. Just be aware of its effects on your general health and fitness, and adjust your consumption accordingly. Remember you can ask for further advice at any time.
If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your health and fitness, please get in touch to book your free consultation.
To your health and fitness,
Ciarán
