We just finished off another great sports season this fall and winter, and with that, a season of enjoying a beer or two with friends while watching our favorite teams. But, all that beer can also have an impact on your post-holiday workouts. If you find that you’re not progressing fast enough this spring with your weight loss goals, maybe you should consider taking a month off from beer – you’ll be surprised at the benefits you may find you get beyond weight loss!
Men’s Health did a study to see what happens if you abstain from beer for a month. You can read the full article here. What you find is the following:
Your sleep habits improve:
Drinking before bed can cause issues with your sleep patterns. After reviewing 153 studies on alcohol and sleep, researchers narrowed in on 27 of the best, and found that after drinking four or more beers, your entire sleep cycle is disrupted—you spend more time awake, have fewer dreams, and have an elevated heart rate. Plus, while alcohol depresses your nervous system, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly at the start of the night, it revs your body in the second half of the night. Eliminating beer for a month allows your body to get more – and better – rest, which can help your body recover from your workouts and give you more energy through the day to have better workouts.
If you want to loose weight, watch what you’re eating as well:
Although you might be giving up over one month, between 6,000-10,000 calories (depending on what type of beer, and assuming only 1 beer per day) -don’t assume that you’re waistline will shrink. Keep in mind that we all have a habit of assuming that since we are eliminating one form of calories, it’s OK to cheat with a snack or two – and by doing that, you may not loose any weight. Stay on a good diet plan and make sure the calories you eliminate from the beer don’t creep in from other food sources.
Try replacing beer with other, healthier choices:
Beer contains carbs that are easily – and rapidly – processed. Which shuts down fat burning. And alcohol is a diuretic, which causes you to get rid of fluid faster than you can take it in, causing dehydration. Try drinking tea or water when you have the urge to have a beer. A 2010 study published in Obesity found that drinking 16 ounces of water before a meal helped people eat less and lose weight. And, if you must have an alcoholic beverage, try a glass of wine or dry champagne, as these spirits contain very little sugar / carbohydrates compared to beer. Just remember that if you do have an alcoholic drink, drink in moderation, not just for safety, but for your waistline as well.
Drinking beer does cause weight gain:
Heavy beer drinking is associated with obesity, according to a 2013 review study published in Nutrition Review. This review included almost 50 studies, both observational and experimental, and while results were mixed, overall, they concluded that drinking more than 16 ounces of beer a day may increase your risk of gaining weight. And not just any weight, but abdominal weight, which is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you’re strength training, you’ll help maximize your gains
Anabolism, or protein synthesis, is negatively affected by alcohol. Alcohol hurts the absorption of protein in the body, just like it hurts the absorption of any other substance. Because less protein is being turned into muscle tissue, you are not growing to the fullest! And, since getting extra protein into your body via either meat or protein shakes (or both) can get expensive, don’t throw that money away by having those extra beers!
Be prepared to think clearer and have more energy!
Diminished mind function can also be a very bad thing – you might not have the same level of mental focus, as you did while not on alcohol. Alcohol tends to limit the metabolism of other substances in the body. One of these substances is the carbohydrate. By limiting carbohydrate metabolism, muscle glycogen levels are limited. This means that fatigue sets in earlier and endurance, strength and speed are compromised. Eliminating alcohol helps restore mental focus, and as mentioned above, helps your workouts turn into workout gains!
