Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Know How To Drink Alcohol While Building Muscle and Losing Fat

By Caleb Lee

You are now probably aware that drinking more than 1-2 drinks of alcohol (in any form) per day is NOT good for you. Here's why:

* The body regards it as estrogen, which is your enemy

* Delays fat loss.

* Full of empty calories.

* Affects quality of sleep.

* It dehydrates your body

* Real bad for your liver.

My professional recommendation: Don't drink at all if you want to achieve ultimate muscle gains and get lose as much fat as possible.

But let's face it. This is the real world, and you probably like to drink as much as the next guy (the younger you are the more you probably like to drink). So here's some tips to keep your muscle building and fat loss on progress when you choose to "indulge":

Drink Lots of Water

Many of the bad stuff that come from drinking can be controlled with water consumption. Alcohol dehydrates you, thus drink a lot of water beforehand, during (if possible) and without doubt before going to sleep. In addition, alcohol helps your body get rid of huge amount of toxins you just doused it with in the form of alcohol.

Avoid Sugary mixers

Refrain from sugary mixers in your hard alcohol. Consuming sugar while drinking alcohol is the worse thing you can do for fat gain.

No carbs

If you're consuming alcohol don't eat carbs before, during or after. In a nutshell: The carbs get turned to fat much easier because your body is trying to process the alcohol. Also, Protein will stay with you longer so you won't eat as much and the higher thermic rate makes it less likely to promote fat gain.

Observe the 1-2 drinks a day during weekdays

There's already enough evidence to suggest that 1-3 drinks a day is good for you. If you enjoy drinking a beer or two a day or glasses of wine or whatever, don't worry about it. Try not to binge EVERY night. If you're going to binge

Drink hard only twice a week.

Like Friday and Saturday, or something like that. Here's what to do: Don't eat a lot during the day if you're going to get down that night. And make sure you get some good protein into your system to help support your stomach. What's more, some foods high in fiber like beans is good too. It will latch onto you and help you feel fuller, possibly absorb some toxins-definitely help flush them out the next day when you "eliminate".

Workout 2-3 hours before you whoop it up

Because your muscles get depleted of glycogen after you workout doing this might make it easier for your body to turn even more of the empty calories you ingest later on that night into muscle, instead of fat.

Don't pig out after getting drunk

Nearly everyone drink until they're really drunk, then become hungry and choose to consume a bunch of crap food. This is NOT going to help. Keep an eye on the protein tip above, and drink more water to help you feel full.

Amuse yourself with beer pong or other games

As a matter of fact, you could actually burn 20-30 calories in a "Vigorous" game of beer pong. You'll almost certainly drink more though as a result. My advice: Drink a lesser amount to make your aim better - therefore you drink less during the game (because you're winning) which overall leads to less drinking! Play "strip" versions of these games for even more fun.

If you just want to get drunk, be efficient

It's not good for you (emotionally, mentally OR physically) to drink to "get drunk" but I realize this is why most people do it. They drink since they think it makes them more cool, more gutsy, or more admired. That's all bullsh*t, you really need to get your confidence issues handled, then again I realize most people still do it.

Therefore if you're drinking for "effect" then remember: be disciplined. Get a high alcohol spirit like Everclear or 151, cut it with ice and water, or do a couple shots, you'll get drunk faster. And you won't have to drink as much. (at least it's better than drinking 36 beers right?)

I can't believe I'm giving this advice, but I know people will still do it, so just be "efficient" about it and perhaps it will help you not to go too much next time.

Go for low-fat beers and wines

Light beers has the lowest calories. Dark stouts like Guinness are next. Followed by the rest. Red wines has reduced calories (and contain extra resveratrol), followed by the rest.

Hangover help:

If you might be hangover in the morning, here's some tips:

* Stay away from NSAID's such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and all that because mixed with the alcohol it is tremendously bad for your liver and stomach, and the like...

* Drink water and Gatorade to replenish electrolytes, etc...

* Get a dose of multivitamins/multi-mineral supplements so as to further refuel...

* Eat eggs, bacon and the like. They are great sources of protein and it's good for you!

* Exercise moderately to sweat some toxins out (make sure you keep drinking water)

* Catch some z's...

You know you shouldn't but if you do

Come to a decision to "over indulge" you should at least go by the guidelines I've set out here. The real issue you should tackle is:

"why do I feel the need to drink so much?"

You'll probably find out that it's an issue with your self confidence not being able to say "no" to your peer group or trying to "Fit in" or some other such nonsense. Or you don't like reality and you're just trying to escape from it by getting trashed. None of these things are healthy and you need to get these issues handled before you do some damage.

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