A glass of wine after a hard day at work or busy day with kids…
A hard cider or your favorite beer during the football game…
A fun night at the bar with friends…
You can find a lot of reasons to partake in your fave adult beverage! Sometimes it’s a nice way to relax, sometimes it’s a fun thing to do with friends.
Whatever your reason, I’m guessing you’ve thought once or twice about how it affects your health and fitness goals.
If you Google “alcohol and diet”, you get 221 million results, including things like:
· How to Stop Alcohol from Ruining Your Diet
· What Alcohol Can You Drink While Dieting?
· Diets That Let You Drink Alcohol
It’s a common question! Who wants to put in all that hard work at the gym and in the kitchen just to ruin it every weekend with some booze?
Here’s my take on it - the type-A person in me says, “Don’t do anything that doesn’t help you reach your goal”. LOL… I’m annoyed at myself just writing that.
But in all seriousness, I think alcohol is fine in moderation while working to reach your health and fitness goals. It can even be worked into macros as part of a ‘balanced’ diet.
Just remember - most drinks have a ton of calories and sugar, which can add up quickly!
I’ve had clients who have lost weight just by choosing not to drink!
In the last email I talked about coffee addiction… that definitely applies to alcohol as well. If you feel addicted to it or are using it as a crutch, I think it’s a good idea to assess your habits.
If it’s the only way you can relax or feel comfortable in a social situation, it may be really difficult to give it up… but it may be a good idea to look at that!
Don’t forget - our mental health is just as important, (if not more important), than our physical health. And they are SO CLOSELY RELATED.
So, let’s take a look at how alcohol affects your workouts:
I know I’m not motivated to get up at 5-am and crush any goals if I had drinks the night before!
Alcohol is also a diuretic and can lead to dehydration and headaches.
Basically, it will not improve your performance but if you are having a drink now and then, it will not hurt it either.
Here’s my necessary disclaimer: I am not a doctor! Each of you may have your own personal circumstances that this may not relate to. If you have something personally going on and want to ask me about it, please do! For the purpose of this blog, I’m talking to the general public, (no allergies, sensitivities, medical conditions etc.).
