The Alcohol Regimen: Part 1 – Intro
Posted by Michael Vacanti
Recent studies have shown that calories from beer are primarily stored in the lower abs while the poisonous alcohol attacks the biceps, reducing circumference by approximately ¼ inch per 16 oz.
Really?
No, [*smack* side of head] not really.
We, as people who care about the health and appearance of our bodies (mostly just the appearance though), are often balancing two effects of alcohol:
- Effect #1: We want to drink because it helps us relax, socialize, have a good time, etc. Duh.
- Effect #2: We feel like the booze is inhibiting progress toward our fitness goals, but we aren’t quite sure how or to what degree.
We hope to maximize the freedom to enjoy effect #1 while limiting the downside of effect #2.
But how?
Muscle magazines preach alcohol abstinence. Your family doctor says, “1-2 drinks per week”
side note: What does that even mean? I don’t get it. Are there nights when you are drinking half or one-third of a drink? If they really mean you can have 1 oz of alcohol every seven days, then LOL. Just advise sobriety.
Maybe your old high school football coach hit the whiskey bottle hard every night and still squatted 4 plates at age 40.
Who is right? You’re getting blasted with contradicting information, and you’re confused.
In This Series:
We will detail strategies that allow you to enjoy your favorite beers, wines and spirits (and not necessarily just one or two 😉 ) while limiting the negative impact on your pursuit of more muscle, less fat or that tight and “toned” look you probably desire.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What to eat on days you’ll be drinking to minimize fat gain
- How to optimize a training program so you can booze and still make big gains in the gym
- What types of drinks you should be drinking (hint: whatever you want, IIFYM)
- The calorie content of popular beverages, mixers and chasers so you can make informed decisions
- The difference between “binge” and “casual” drinking as they relate to your fitness goals
Maybe you have had a night or a weekend when you wanted to let loose but felt like you would sacrifice any chance at muscle building. Or that you’d pack on five pounds of fat.
I bet there have been times you felt like drinking and fitness were mutually exclusive.
Huh, mutual what? Is that like… middle school venn diagram math?
Yeah, it is.
Note: Don’t drop your ass to parallel on deadlifts
Think about the backward logic in play here. The reason we focus on diet and training is to build a healthy body, develop supreme confidence and feel better about ourselves. Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list, but you get the point. We care about this fitness stuff to BETTER our lives.
But wait… What are you doing? Yeah, you.
I see you cooped up inside on Friday night eating dry chicken breast because you fear the choices and pressures at your cute neighbor’s birthday BBQ – heavy beer, steak on the grill, potato salad and desserts. Temptations and decisions.
You aren’t alone, so don’t be embarrassed if you have ever felt this way. I have been there. It is mentally exhausting and borderline depressing.
But, listen to me. You don’t have to feel like this.
I don’t anymore. What got me here? Knowledge. Reading, thinking and experimenting have gotten me to a place where I can drink two beers or ten beers and minimize the downside on my physique.
And I’m going to share it with you – everything I know on the subject.
You too can throw back vodka tonics, tequila shots and IPAs on your way to building your best physique.
And we are going to cover it in this series. Real knowledge coming your way fast.
Talk to you soon, guys.
To be continued in Part II.
Mikkael
A lot of interest from myself and my friends regarding this topic. Looking forward to the rest of the series!May 27, 2013 at 8:16 pm |