Very often, whether it be from family members, peers, teachers and social media, we hear how drinking alcohol is bad for health. Yet people still engage in drinking alcohol for pleasure and many other personal reasons even though they know it will negatively affect their health. Why is that? Maybe they aren’t aware of the repercussions of drinking or they simply don’t care. So today I will be explaining to those who care about their health and want to understand why drinking is bad for their health and how it can affect their fitness progress.
The side effects of drinking alcohol
For starters, from a health perspective, drinking can be very detrimental to your health as it can cause many health related problems like high blood pressure, liver disease, strokes, digestive problems, etc. So avoiding drinking can reduce the chances of running into those issues. Working to change your lifestyle for the better will also lessen the chances of you having these health issues; whether it be through changing your diet or your everyday activities. Next, from a dietary standpoint, alcohol contains a lot of calories that are derived from the carbohydrates(sugar) in the drink and consuming a large amount of carbs can cause one to overeat and gain weight; sometimes in the form of fat. So depending on your goals overeating and gaining fat may hinder your likelihood of achieving your goals, like if your goal was to lose weight/body fat.
Optimal methods for fitness progress
So to begin, drinking in itself is not bad but when drinking is done out of proportion and without control it can create health issues. That is why it is important for those who like drinking to significantly reduce the amount of alcohol they are drinking and control it. If we are talking about what is the most optimal than completely taking out alcohol will be the most beneficial when trying to see progress. As you are getting rid of something with “empty calories” and hopefully replacing it with something more nutritious. With regards to muscle development and overall well-being, increasing your protein intake is one of the best ways to increase your progress. Protein is an essential component when it comes to building muscle so increasing the amount you eat will inherently help improve the rate at which your muscles will grow. Proper exercise program and selection will also help with muscle growth. With all that being said, a very important factor you must take into account when looking to achieve these goals is to give your body sufficient time to recover and rest. Without proper rest your body cannot take the effort and resources you’ve put into good use. So allocating time into recovery, whether it be sleep, rest days, or even active recovery, will be one of the most optimal methods to ensure your fitness progress.
Final verdict
In conclusion, drinking alcohol in moderation is okay but not optimal when it comes to achieving your fitness goals. Also, incorporating sufficient protein into your diet, proper exercise selection and programming, and sufficient recovery will help improve your progress. Lastly, the final takeaway that you should get from this blog is that a controlled and calculated approach to your lifestyle will be the greatest method for achieving your fitness goals.
The Markham Gym
166 Bullock Drive
Units 6 & 7
Markham, ON
L3P 1W2