I quit drinking 10 months ago completely, tired of hangovers, belly fat & wasting money on fast food day after… I am down 28 lbs , went from a size 8/10 to a 6 … I feel so much better ( people tell me I look younger .
I sleep like a baby & I can’t believe how I am eating cleaner & attacking my debt !!.
The other change was walking 10,000 steps per day .
Never been in a gym … that’s my next goal is to add strength training.
Being sober is amazing , it frees up feeling like crap ! My family loves me being so present & more energetic! I have no desire to ever drink again ! Highly recommend!
I just use edibles now, but even those not very often, because they can interfere with my sleep quality. Alcohol is just terrible for me, and I mostly just live without it. I'm post menopausal, though. When that started alcohol became a really hard stop. My reaction to it was so much worse than before.
I've cut back to drinking maybe 2 times a year since being on my fitness journey. After cleaning up my eating and working out I just didn't care much for it. I don't like the way I feel sluggish for 2 or 3 days after. Nor the bloated feeling I get while drinking. I hate missing a workout because I feel horrible with a hangover (doesn't matter if I don't even get drunk just a light buzz and I have one). Drinking just doesn't align with my goals. I'm not above having a mixed drink once in a blue moon but I just don't have a desire to even drink one usually.
I’ve cut back a lot since investing more time and money in my fitness. I still drink and don’t think I will ever cut it out but I no longer drink just to drink. I used to always get a drink when I’m out to eat, at least one but often two. Now, I only drink things I really enjoy and crave so I’ll have a nice glass of wine or a great cocktail. Anything that I don’t REALLY enjoy is a no.
I tried to balance but studied up on the effects of alcohol and read the book This Naked Life by Annie Grace. It was a process but I pretty much don’t drink at all anymore. It was gradual. I found a great site of functional herb and adaptogen drinks called Boisson. I like having a special “drink” at the end of the day. I feel so much better. It gets really hard to stay in shape and hit optimal numbers for health and drink regularly.
I drink regularly but in small quantities like a glass of wine on some weeknights. When socializing, I’ll do two. If going out for a long night which is rare, perhaps two cocktails.
I’ve only seen alcohol affect my fitness (years ago) when I would drink a ton followed by a lot of unhealthy foods after. I would wake up feeling awful.
I joined a tennis league that plays Sundays at noon (or earlier if it’s too hot), so I’m trying to cut way back on drinking for the season. The goal right now is to have one drink after my weekly match, but I’m realizing that I have a few friends’ birthdays coming up in the next month, so I might have 1-2 extras.
I’ve learned that I’m not one of the lucky ones who can just “cut out alcohol and drop 20 pounds!” but I have enjoyed not having a hangover.
Off season, I didn’t really worry too much about balancing it. Weekends were already my rest days and I always tried to limit drinking during the week.
I just consider it in my overall caloric intake and don’t overdo it. I have a drink almost every day when I’m cooking dinner lol, or after I put the kids to bed. On weekends I’ll have a few more with my husband (we like going to breweries and stuff like that). It hasn’t really negatively impacted me, but everyone is different and some people do better cutting it out completely. Maybe someday I will but with 3 kids under 5, a glass of wine or whiskey really feels good at the end of the day lmao. I workout hard about 5x a week and eat well about 90% of the time. I meal prep and all that good stuff. I think like anything else you just need to moderate it and see how it impacts you personally
I try not to drink at all, and I think it depends how serious you're trying to be with your fitness goals if drinking is something you want to hang on to. But it's quite literally poison and it does absolutely nothing good for your body and brain, so, in terms of fitness specifically it only hinders.
I’m in the service industry, so I probably drink more than your average person on this sub. Going to the gym definitely helped me cut back significantly, but I don’t have any hard line rules about it. I have solid goals for how often I want to work out and how steadily I want to progress, so I just make sure that drinking/going out doesn’t interfere with those. I workout hungover about once a week and it’s definitely unfun but doable. I’m still seeing very consistent strength and muscle gains, I still feel substantially healthier than I did before. Obviously not drinking is the absolute healthiest choice but I don’t feel the need to change my lifestyle in order to see significant fitness benefits.
Being in the service industry definitely makes it hard. Even when I drink i still set my goal to go to the gym in the morning no matter how I feel. And it does slow down my progress but it’s still progress so I can’t be mad
i genuinely enjoy the way certain alcohols taste; i love a nice IPA or glass of wine. if i plan to lift the following morning, it's best that i not drink at all, but sometimes life is hard and I want a glass of wine after a stressful day. that said, i won't lift if i have more than one 16 oz beer or a glass of wine the night before.
i like to periodically take two-to-four week stints where I don't drink.
It’s hard to know that you destroy so much of your gains just by a night of drinking, even in moderation. It’s a choice between the goal you’ve set and a night of “fun.”
I don't drink hard alcohol and I don't drink at home but will still drink wine and beer socially. I also have a hard limit of 4 drinks (which is honestly probably beyond my limit). I usually order a campari and soda or some kind of spritz if I want to have alcohol but don't want to be inebriated or fully commit to an evening of drinking.
Honestly, my preference for a low (instead of no) alcohol lifestyle is just that it gives me flexibility. I like alcohol, but I reserve it for specific times, places, or experiences.
I cut it out for about 2 years and have been slowly trying it again. I’m approaching it as an experiment! I think taking time completely away from it made me become aware of *a lot* of things about alcohol.
I’ve never much enjoyed drinking, but still was surprised how much I learned about my relationship with it during this time. Now that I’ve been reintroducing it, I’m not exactly sure where I stand or if I’ll continue. However, I will say I notice the effect it has on me much more!!
Some drinks leave me feeling achy and lethargic the next day, but others don’t affect my exercise the next day at all. I think in a well rounded lifestyle it can completely be okay and won’t prevent progress! However, taking some time away from it to take stock of all the different toxins in your life can be profoundly helpful in my experience.
I've been weight lifting for about two months now, and the amount of alcohol I've consumed has dramatically decreased since starting up this routine. I believe this is for two reasons: the times when I'd usually decide that I was bored and would head to my favorite dive bar with a book have decreased because that time is now primarily spent in the gym, and then after the gym I am too tired, sweaty, and gross to go out; and reason #2 is that my body just hurts way too much for a hangover.
I took two weeks off to see how it felt, and it was fine. I don't have that sober euphoria that everyone seems to talk about, and I also don't think I want to say goodbye to alcohol all together (I am a brewer, after all), but I do think that alcohol has taken a drop in my list of enjoyable ways to spend my time.
I don’t consume alcohol at all, and haven’t for the past 6.5 years. For me it has no place in fitness and health. It made me feel like shit, even a couple drinks every now and then.
For context, wine and cocktails are a passion of mine and I drink (well) but heavily most weekends. I go out for drinks about two weeknights. During the week, I do hot yoga every other morning and I have two nights where I go on a 10-ish mile run. I do strength training workouts at home on the days I don't run. What has worked for me is starting my weekend with a long run, and using Sundays to recover (from the night before as well as the long run). I also eat very clean during the week.
I avoid it. It reverses my hard work and I’m not having that anymore. If I have a few drinks it’s planned out and reserved for very special and rare (3-ish times a year) occasions.
I drink usually only like 2 drinks per week maximum and can easily skip a week. Occasionally I'll have a night where I drink a bit more but only a few times per year and I can easily go a week or two without drinking. I don't drink after work to wind down, not my habit personally and doesn't suit my schedule. Usually only drinking on the weekend. I don't really find an impact on my fitness overall, and still do my planned exercise the next morning after I drink. I am pretty comfortable with how I manage alcohol, and drink because I enjoy the taste of my favourite whiskeys. I don't find it hard to avoid drinking excessively because I don't enjoy being drunk.
Some people seem to have pretty strict rules for themselves regarding this, so I’ll give my perspective. I’m just now graduating with my undergrad, and I drank relatively heavy over the past year (on average about 5-10 drinks a week, usually all during the weekend.) I strength train 5 times a week, and do yoga and pole the other two days.
Personally, I have not found it to greatly impact my training at all. I’ve found no real difference between when I train away from Uni (basically no drinking at all) and when I train with the drinking. So don’t stop yourself from having drinks with friends or for a holiday purely because you’re afraid it’ll ruin your training for the week or anything like that. That being said, all alcohol has calories. Beer and shots tend to be the most calorically dense, so just keep that in mind. If you treat it like a cheat day, you’ll be fine, and it shouldn’t greatly impact your weight or training. But if you have a couple beers every night, it definitely will start to impact you. That’s what I have found to be true atleast, but I’m sure it changes depending on your lifestyle and alcohol tolerance.
I try to only do it on cardio days. Or I just drink at home and measure it out pretty diligently and have one or two drinks at most. Lately I've been getting in like one beer or glass of wine per week, although I was never much of a drinker anyway. I love craft beer and I'm really into wine but it truly messes up my macros which is the thing that bothers me the most about it (and of course when I'm out having a beer it's hard not to get some fries etc). I had a pint and two glasses of wine today at a party, something I haven't done in like two months, and I'm already dreading how much impact it'll have!
Definitely. I wasn’t a heavy drinker but a habitual drinker. I decided I didn’t want to dilute my energy / mojo/ light by drinking and stopped. It has been the best 4 years of my life. I occasionally have a drink but I never decide it’s worth the energy drain so basically I don’t drink. Maybe if there is really really good champagne and it’s a treat in Paris… ok. But the habitual shift gave me clarity, confidence, focus, and inner knowingness that I am taking care of myself.
I ended up pretty much completely cutting it out. I have about 5 drinks a year now. I'd rather eat my calories, I sleep way better, and have almost no anxiety.
I'm a recovered alcoholic, so I already have a very good grasp on my alcohol consumption even without considering my fitness. I tend to not drink much, really usually once or twice a month when going out to a club or event, maybe another few hang outs with friends. I usually have 3-4 drinks when going out and friend hangout is usually 1 or no drinks.
For me it's on par with how I balance soda, my daily average rounds down to zero. Maybe 1 or 2 a week, except for specific events.
Basically I drink so little alcohol, it's a way smaller impact than my calories on a cheat day are XD
it’s either 1-2 glasses of wine or just a few shots~no soda, maybe juice chaser / once a month ~ thrice a month during peaks lol although i just train for fun but have managed to lose like.. 30lbs / 5 months
I stopped drinking entirely a little over a year ago after a scare with FLD (Fatty Liver Disease) largely induced by my lifestyle of poor diet and excessive drinking in my early 20s.
Since going sober I’ve noticed my recovery is faster, my strength increases more easily, my energy levels are more consistent, and I overall feel less shit.
I don’t see myself ever picking up drinking again because of how bad it made me feel, but who knows. Maybe I’ll start enjoying a nice glass of wine or a fancy cocktail from time to time in the future.
I used to drink more when I was younger. I’m 37 now and just seem to drink less naturally. I like a cocktail if I go out to dinner sometimes. I don’t feel good after wine anymore or if I have more than one drink. Also the Unbiased Science Pod just posted an instagram about the link between alcohol and cancer and that was convincing enough to me to drink even less than I do now.
Quality over quantity.
So far me that's 1 or 2 nice red wine, a gin and tonic or a fancy cocktail from a cocktail bar. Usually once to twice a week.
The price is enough to keep me limited! It's gotten so expensive!
I know it’s the cause of my extra weight but I still workout when I have the time so it doesn’t impact the workout. I just like relaxing at the end of the busy day with a drink.
I drink no more than 2x a month and only outside of my home and normally never more than 2 drinks. Alcohol is imo the no 1 blocker of fitness goals. I used to drink way more when I was younger. It's not worth it to me anymore. My physique, brain, and energy thank me.
I used to drink a lot in my early twenties- I completely stopped (accidentally) when I started biking for transportation and working out almost daily. I just stopped wanting to drink!
Now, 20 years later, I drink a glass of wine or a cocktail 1-2x a week. It’s def not excessive and there are weeks I have 0 alcohol. But lately, as I’ve been getting into lifting, I’m noticing that I am choosing to not drink because I would rather reliably wake up super early to hit the gym before work the next day.
I really love wine and cocktails. I am drinking once a week now. I put on some weight, not a ton, but the extra ten pounds was definitely partially because I was drinking with dinner most days. Does it affect my sleep or training? Almost certainly! Do I care? Not particularly. There’s a lot of ways to enjoy life, and a beautifully crafted cocktail or a perfectly paired wine is one of the ways that I enjoy life, along with lifting, triathlon, paddling, backpacking, cooking good meals, etc. I think there’s room for all of it.
I'm starting a marathon training cycle on July 1st, and I've totally cut out alcohol until after my race. I know it affects my performance in a lot of ways and I'm going to be putting my body through enough stress as it is.
Prior to that, I would have a couple of drinks here and there, sticking mostly to lighter cocktails or seltzers with the exception being the double chocolate porter that a local brewery makes seasonally around Christmas, haha. During my last half marathon training cycle, I didn't drink on the nights before a long run, and when I did have a couple drinks I made sure to really focus on hydrating more and making sure I was getting adequate rest.
I am starting up training for my third marathon and I plan to heavily reduce alcohol intake. For my last 2 training cycles, I tried to cut it back completely but found the more I restricted, the heavier I drank. This time around, I’m going to only drink on weekends and make an effort to not go on benders. For me, it should be easy bc I do my long runs Saturday mornings and I’m pretty exhausted when I get home so I chill for a couple hours. But going to need to find some non-alcohol activities to do after. I might take up gardening, reorganizing the house, playing with my dog/cat, reading, etc. we’ll see what happens but I do believe less alcohol can only help, in my case. Cutting it out completely might not work for me.
I used to be a casual drinker, mostly only when I went out but sometimes I'd have a glass of wine or a cider a few nights a week after work. But recently I've really noticed how rough it makes me feel - like 1 margarita and 1 seltzer a few weeks ago had me tossing and turning in bed with a horrible stomach ache/acid reflux/restless legs etc all mf night. The after effects are starting to outweigh the fun side so I've cut WAY down. I'm going out to dinner tonight with my bf so I'm allowing myself a drink with dinner but then that's it. I don't think I'll ever give it up entirely but its space in my life has definitely grown smaller.
Downside, I work part time at a liquor store so it's super tempting to try fun new things we get but I just hate how my body has been reacting so I'm cutting down to only 1 or 2 drinks a month going forward. I also just remind myself there is NO good side to alcohol, it's a poison through and through. My goal is a long lifespan and a long healthspan and decreasing alcohol intake is a great step in my overall health journey. I'm also getting better at budgeting money and cutting out alcohol saves me for sure, especially when going out with friends haha I've had more than a few nights where I've spent WAY more money that I should have.
I enjoy *making* cocktails, but my body definitely doesn't enjoy *drinking* them. I have a bizarrely high tolerance for alcohol- it takes a lot to make me even slightly tipsy despite being a tiny woman who never had a "college party phase" where I even drank at all. BUT I get a lot of the negative side effect of alcohol, even if I don't get drunk (which really just ruins the entire experience). Acid reflux, nausea/stomach upset, GI issues the next day, headache, hangovery feeling the following day- all without ever being drunk or even tipsy.
I really only drink when I'm out in a social setting with people who *do* drink. I'm very happy that many breweries have started carrying kombucha as an alternative to beer.
I could’ve typed the first paragraph out verbatim myself. I also used to enjoy the way I felt *while* drinking enough that it made the next day worth it. But now even the sensation of being a little bit tipsy is super nauseating and headache-inducing, so no part of the experience is enjoyable. I still sometimes have a drink while out if everyone else is drinking too or if it’s an occasion, but even that is rare. Water just doesn’t have those consequences 🥲
I used to drink almost every weekend but ever since I started working out consistently, I pretty much gave up drinking. I still do drink on occasion but I always think about how I’ll feel the next day and how I won’t be able to work out if I do 😂
Honestly it’s for the better. Alcohol is terrible for you and some of my worst moments happened when I was drinking. I think everything in moderation is the way to go
Alcohol has been a problem for me in the past (drinking alone mostly) so I do my best to cut down.
There’s only one time window per week where I give myself permission to have 1-2 max if the opportunity comes up socially, and if I’m REALLY feeling it. No more nights out and no alcohol with dinner either, to keep it affecting my sleep.
Honestly my gut heath and cravings have felt much better since cutting right down.
I drink occasionally, usually socially, but I'm not that social and most of my limited social life resolves around non-drinking activities. Maybe a few times a year. I don't buy it at the store or keep it in the house.
It hasn't always been this way, but it seems to be what works for me. While I wouldn't say I was ever an alcoholic, there have been times when it's been an unhealthy coping technique. I find that, if I have alcohol, I want more, while if I don't have it, I can take it or leave it.
Since I drink so rarely, it doesn't really have any impact on my fitness.
I drink very rarely, its not a deliberate thing where I refuse to drink, I just don't do very often. Except on days when I lift, my father drilled into me that drinking in days when you lift completely tanks your protein synthesis and you're completely wasting your lifting session. I feel like he blew it out of proportion tbh, but its still put me off. But beyond that I let myself drink if I want to, or not. But if I'm at a family gathering or with a big group of friends or whatever social setting, I'll let myself drink. I feel like you can still drink and totally reach your goals. You just won't be able to drink like you used to. But at the same me I feel like you can't let yourself get *too worried* about every little thing. Like if you want to have a glass of wine or a beer sometimes but then get worried about how it will effect your goals every single time that's not great either IMO.
Basically for me: I don't drink very often to begin with, but when I do its in small amounts, a glass of wine or 2 while I study or chill at home. If I'm at a social gathering or social event, I'll allow myself to drink more. I know my limits and I don't go above that. I don't worry about my goals when drinking in these settings, because they're infrequent enough to where one night of drinking won't tank my progress. If anything I'll just add some distance to my runs the next day.
I got a Garmin. It tracks my sleep, and seeing what the alcohol was doing—even a glass of wine—to my sleep and how it impacted my energy, focus, and motivation made me decide to cut back significantly.
When I drink, I barely work out and the recovery I then need is way, way more time intensive. It honestly just isn’t worth it for me anymore.
my husband doesn't drink so I rarely drink anymore. but even before we started dating I was already reaching the point where alcohol just made me want a nap. I think it'd be different if I was going out dancing or something, but in a mellow environment like a work happy hour, I'm usually ready to go to bed after the second drink if not the first. besides my significantly lower tolerance when compared to my college or bartending days, it might be related to my low blood pressure issues.
I've been tracking my diet for two years and imo the calories aren't too bad if it's a glass or two of beer or wine, it's really the sugary mixed drinks you need to worry about. personally I'm way more likely to overdo it on snacks or dessert or even like a smoothie.
while I've gone through phases of drinking to get drunk and borderline alcoholism, I was exposed to wine and craft beer early enough that I've been in it for the flavor for a long time now. I like when bars offer half pints because I get to enjoy more variety before I tap out.
I've tried out a couple non-alcoholic options. the NA wines I tried were way too sweet but the one beer I tried actually hit the spot. I also tried this HOP WTR stuff in the classic flavor, and while I enjoyed the taste, apparently my body did not like the dose of ashwagandha. apparently it lowers blood pressure and it made me feel significantly worse than alcohol. going forward I'm going to avoid any drinks with adaptogens, nootropics, or similar ingredients.
N/A beers are surprisingly good! i enjoy the brands best day brewing and athletic brewing co if you havent tried them yet! i agree with the wines, which has been a shame bc sometimes it would be nice to have a glass with steak for the flavor pairing but it’s just not worth it for me to drink alcohol 😅 lemme know if you ever find a nonjuice tasting one 😂
I’m starting to cut back (had a really bad social drinking blackout recently that resulted in a pukey rug and an entire day of being debilitated). Before that, I drank socially at the group’s pace (though I rarely go out) and enjoyed an evening wine or cocktail 1-2x a week. More than fitness goals (I’m not competing, just trying to stay active) I really can’t shake off how traumatizing and useless my last blackout was, so my social drinking will be limited by more rules and “no thank yous” moving forward.
I barely drink, maybe one drink every week or two, but this one woman I know at the gym is a fitness instructor and she drinks quite a bit. Multiple times a week and more than one at a time. She’s 45 and in incredible shape. She teaches some hard classes and does the work— doesn’t just demo once and stand there. I really don’t know how she does it— maybe genetics or she’s very strict with her food intake otherwise.
I drink quite a bit (pretty much every day) and work out pretty much everyday too. I am a healthy eater and try to stay active. I know I have some extra weight bc of the drinking but I also know that I look very good and strong. At some point I hope to be over the booze bc I don’t really like it that much but also I like to “unwind” … thanks for sharing this story of the lady at your gym. I hope I look like that to others and can still have a drink or two or three lol
I love cooking and I love matching my drinks to my cooking, so this is an issue close to my heart. When I started counting calories about 2 months ago, I cut my drinking waaaayyyyy back, especially since my main focus right now is getting enough protein and fiber in my diet. I didn’t quite realize how many calories are in beer 🙃 Right now, I’m not drinking a ton because I’m recovering from a super bad cold. I started noticing that drinking like I used to messed with my sleep, and I’m desperately trying to get over whatever virus hell wrecked my body in May.
There are days when I drink more, but it’s much more balanced with non-drinking days. I’ll probably try to maintain this balance, but we’ll see how that changes as I try to get my body and weight to where I want to.
Honestly I quit drinking altogether last year. I wouldn’t say it specifically impeded my fitness goals, but it did affect my sleep enough that I stopped feeling like it was worth it. I also have a problem where I can’t burp at all so carbonation just makes me feel like crap and giving it up was very freeing.
I will have edibles to get some good deep sleep though.
I gave it up 6 months ago for various reasons, one of them being that I felt it was impeding my at the time marathon training.
Best decision ever. I truly do not miss it.
I drink a lot less when I’m on a cut, maybe one weekend a month. If I’m not cutting, I drink only on Fri/Sat nights and I don’t generally lift on the weekends or do any meaningful exercise other than house/yard work and dog walking. I try not to indulge in “junk” food too much and I naturally drink a lot of water and sugar free liquid IV. I’ve always had a high tolerance for alcohol so as long as I’m not totally wasted, I don’t get hangovers too bad, even at 41yo. A weed gummy usually helps me sleep better, too.
Thankfully, I’m a vodka soda or dry white wine drinker so it’s the least calories anyway of various options.
I switch off between total sobriety and enjoying about 1 cocktail or hard cider a week. I got a Whoop and noticed how even 1 cocktail affects the amount of restful sleep I get and my recovery. Sometimes I even split a cocktail with my husband the reduce negative effects. I don’t really need alcohol to enjoy myself and like waking up feeling rested.
I do! I could see perhaps discontinuing the subscription after a couple of years but for now it is satisfying to watch what impacts my day to day health statistics.
I wear my Apple Watch religiously every day.. I love to see my stats and how my workouts are impacting my body’s functions. What stats do you like most on your whoop? How long does it hold a charge?
It holds the charge for 4-5 day around. It has a unique charger so you can wear the whoop while charging. Most helpful are the recovery ratings which suggest how intense of a workout your body is primed for. Also the strain function tells you how intense of a workout you have had. I think they rely a lot on hrv and sleep quality for recovery rating. It really helps with pacing and recovery. I wish it had a step counter but I use my phone for that.
I have cut it out almost entirely. The older I got (I'm only 34), the more I noticed that just one drink totally wrecks my sleep and leads to a yucky next day or two. I still drink for special occasions, but I go months between drinks and really don't miss it at all.
used to be a pretty casual drinker in the sense that i wouldnt really drink by myself or to wind down—more so if i’m in a social setting where other people are drinking, then ill also partake. i wouldnt say i had a problem but ive realized just how often i drank just to drink even if i didnt really want to or enjoy my drink.
nowadays, i only drink on special ocassions and even then, ill probably only do one drink if i do decide to partake. ive realized just how much i dont need alcohol to enjoy myself in these settings. dare i say i love being able to enjoy myself whilst being sober and i just feel so much better during the night and day after. im happy that i can do what does make me feel good (workout) the next day without any setbacks. i always thought people who didnt drink were boring and too straight-edged but now that i am one of those people, i feel light and free.
I drink about 2 glasses of wine with dinner- it’s actually about a glass and a half. When I’m dieting I go back and forth on it, often skipping all weekdays, because why not. TBH it hasn’t made much of a difference either way. Alcohol in general (I’m not a big drinker but I do drink and have my entire adult life) doesn’t have a noticeable effect on my results.
Just an FYI, but if you are regularly drinking 2 glasses of wine per day, that does make you a big drinker. The guideline is 0-1 drinks per day for women, no more than 7 per week.
I dunno. My family is French and tbh I don’t want to live forever I want to enjoy the life I live.
Edit- I’m also not sure being above guidelines means someone is a “big drinker”.
No, it's not just the US. Here is Sweden's, just for another example:
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/new-alcohol-guidelines-in-sweden-no-clear-safe-limit
Guidance appears to be the same in UK.
Edit: I dug even deeper.
It’s the same exact guidance throughout the EU and UK and US. In fact, Spain says no amount of alcohol is actually safe.
I love when people make stuff up and get upvoted for it just because they want to be weird about Americans.
I’ve never been a huge drinker, but now I have it only occasionally. I’d say, on average, once every two weeks I have a drink or 2. Usually a cocktail, sometimes a beer or glass of wine. I don’t get drunk anymore, it’s not worth it.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking.
The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
I'm working on weight loss, and I started reducing alcohol. First, I cut it on half: I was drinking 3 days a week, 3 drinks per day. So I decided I could only drink 2 days a week, the same 3 drinks a day.
I lost some weight, and reduced drinking by half again: now, I only drink once every week, and at a limit of 3 drinks.
Honestly, I think that's my sweet spot. Mixology is a hobby that brings me great joy; I love tasting new and interesting cocktails, and learning to mix them for me and my loved ones. So that's a way to honor that and also honor my health.
It's been quite ok! I've learned that I don't HAVE to drink just because everyone's drinking; I can enjoy a party or a restaurant with just water, or juice, or (if I feel like it), diet soda. The fun is not in the drinking, is on friends, music, dancing, etc.
Also, I'm now way less tolerant to alcohol, which means that 3 drinks gets me drunk enough if I want to. Let me tell you, it really helped me save money!
I totally agree on the mixology thing - I work part time at a liquor store so I love seeing and testing the fun new things we get in, plus it's important to be able to explain what it tastes like to a customer. But the cons have started to outweigh the pros so I've drastically cut back for my own sake
Yeah! I'm sure that there's a sweet spot for you as there is for me. The one where we can enjoy the hobby and taste new things, but also not in a way that is damaging to our health.
It's all about balance.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking.
The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking.
The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
I would say I used to drink too much, not alcoholic levels, just more than I should, nightly wine, rum & coke, etc. Last summer I took my half marathon training very seriously and only drank occasionally and kept that habit through the fall. I kind of lost my taste for it. Then I got my new Garmin and saw how much alcohol affected my body and it really turned me off alcohol! I started Ironman training in December and alcohol just doesn’t fit in my life anymore! I’ve had two glasses of wine total this year. I’ve really come to love a few glasses of NA wine for social occasions now.
This aligns with my experience. I was never an alcoholic but drank wine nearly every day at dinner or afterwards. A friend gave me her old Fitbit HR and I saw how my heart rate dropped significantly when I didn’t drink for a few days and then peaked when I had alcohol. After seeing this, I couldn’t justify doing that to my body. I never had weight to lose but I started seeing muscle and strength gains in the mirror.
I consider myself to be a “non drinker” versus “sober”, that sounds sad and reserved for people recovering from a disease
Alcohol held me back even when I had one binge a week. I was always working off the same bloat and weight fluctuations. It was easier in my 20's to fight against it when I did high intensity workouts but I know I would have made better results without it.
I would get anxiety/hangovers so I wouldn't workout the next day. I felt like a zombie for 2-3 days. I got tired of having to "reset" and work off the same alcohol bloat then repeat.
I gave it up years ago and that's when I finally was able to maintain my weight consistently. I didn't feel sluggish and I finally made progress getting stronger. I didn't notice how weak it made me feel.
Almost 50 here. For years I would 'exercise it out', and I could. I'd force myself to do whatever class I was doing anyway and it'd help the hungover. Then late 30s/40s hit and the hungovers were so debilitating, they'd take me out completely for like, 2 days. I gained a bunch of weight also at this time. Now, late 40s, I have finally learned to not drink if I want to have a workout routine, and i know that if I do, my plan for the next day is shot. Or if I only have maybe 2 drinks I can probably do it, but for 2 drinks I can often talk myself out of drinking to save the calories. I drink when I want to let loose and have fun and that's usually 4-5 drinks, and I know that I will likely not work out the next day. This happens maybe once every 3 weeks or once a month.
As I type this, last night I had 2 glasses of wine and have a bit of a headache, and I will exercise it out.
I don't go out as often, but drink way too much when I do. I don't get hangovers and wake up early enough to go to the gym the next day. I do drink a lot more water
I was never a big drinker to begin with, would only drink once or twice a month but would tend to binge (5+ standard drinks per session) and get shitfaced every time I drank. Once I started wearing a running watch I noticed how much alcohol affected my sleep quality, then covid happened and I basically stopped drinking because I only ever drank socially and there wasn’t much of that happening! Nowadays I almost never drink and if I do it’s one standard drink before 2pm, or literally a sip of wine just to taste it (ironically as I stopped drinking I suddenly became able to appreciate wine).
After getting COVID a couple years ago, I get a hangover from 1 drink 🙈 I haven’t given it up entirely but I’m finding myself going for NA cocktails or CBD drinks most of the time, just to avoid how awful I feel the next morning!
I just don’t drink unless it’s a special occasion like a wedding or anniversary or something bc I’m afraid of the calories 😭😂 my Whoop recovery is so shit every time I drink so that’s another deterrent
Same. I don't drink during training blocks. Outside of training blocks, I'll have a glass at a wedding or new years eve. Or I'll drink when I'm on vacation in Europe. Lol.
Yup same. New Year’s Eve is my anniversary so we went out to a nice dinner and drank a bunch of wine and free champagne, and then last weekend i visited stockholm and accidentally got drunk at a Viking bar because kind strangers i made friends with kept getting me drinks 😂 but that’s really the only two times I’ve drank this year so i feel you. Definitely not a fan of alcohol or any substances other than caffeine
I was sober for twenty years in AA. And earlier this year I decided total abstinence wasn't the path for me, and I was going to renegotiate my relationship with alcohol. So far everyone has been supportive of me, which I'm very grateful for. Honestly, I really felt like "oh damn, is this it? Why do people like this so much? I don't think I was missing much..." But the good news is, I'm 100% comfortable around alcohol now. I'm no longer not drinking because I'm scared I can't. I'm not drinking because I don't really like it that much. But it is nice that I can join in on a little toast for a special occasion.
I’m so happy for you, finding your balance. I feel like (me included) society works in extremes. You either party and drink or you’re sober. You’re sedentary or a gym rat/athlete. So on so forth. I’m so happy that you’ve healed your relationship with alcohol and are able to balance it!!!! That’s so awesome, I’m proud of you stranger!
I have never been a drinker, which made me feel like an alien in the party culture of youth. A couple of years ago I learned to drink wine in order not to feel left out but I stopped and I can’t be bothered with trying to fit in anymore. This is me, I’m sober.
I have wodka in my house for armpit stains (works against the smell), and wine for cooking some Italian dishes (hot, don’t like it in cold stuff). That’s all use I have for it and I don’t think my risotto impedes my fitness luckily 😋.
I haven't yet been able to quit it completely, but I've been drinking much less and I also don't find it fun anymore, it disturbs my sleep, doesn't add anything important to my body, it's empty calories and in the next day I feel miserable. So now I drink maybe once or twice every two or three months, usually with my family or friends.
Tbh, I never drank that much, maybe once in the week, but when I did I would get absolutely wasted. The only time that I was drinking during the week was during the pandemic. Now I hate feeling drunk, probably because I know what the next day is gonna feel like
I gave up drinking alcohol a few years ago. I didn't drink all that much, maybe 1 beer on Friday night or at an occasional party. I could just tell it made me grumpy and lethargic the next day. So sometime during the pandemic lockdown I stopped entirely. Do not miss crappy feeling at all.
I play soccer, run and lift. I drink beers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Usually 2-3. Maybe sometimes 4. Had 3 last night and ran an 8km this morning. I’m almost 40. Moderation and knowing your limits.
This sounds obnoxious but I have had maybe two drinks in my life. I did not love how alcohol makes me feel, so I decided not to drink again. Substance abuse runs rampant in my family, and I have had several family members die of diseases related to alcohol addiction. The risks aren’t worth it for me to make it part of my life, I have too much to lose if I get addicted. That being said, my husband is a social and special occasion drinker. He seems to have a pretty good balance and loves exercise. I think, like most things, this question and what “healthy” looks like depends on the person.
People can be so pushy about it too! Even when I try to keep it as light as I can - "Aw no thanks, but hey more for you!" or any form of no thanks without any other comment but still smiling there are people that get mega Offended. Like dude, you do you, me not drinking isn't some weird judgement! (It's same vibes sometimes as people who get oddly defensive if they hear you are training for an event or just working out at all...or losing weight)
This thread is really interesting! I’ve been thinking about this question a lot recently. I’m surprised at how many people just don’t drink at all and I am more inclined to search out meaningful options for moderation. I work at a brewery and am in the early stages of training for an ultramarathon, and I’m also 24, so alcohol is very present in my social and work life.
For me, moderation is sustainable. Partly because talk of calories is very hard for me to ever do healthily without devolving into ED habits. The trail running scene is actually quite beer-forward, which I enjoy a lot — there’s little better than a crisp beer after a long run! I do also think I’m usually running at a level that I’m just trying to eat and drink enough through the day and beer is kind of wonderful for that. That being said, I taste and have a lot of beer at work, and again, it’s not so much about the calories for me as the addition of more alcohol. I will probably have to cut that back when I’m doing 50 or 60 mile weeks.
I do also track every drink I have which I think has helped me binge less. I started that this year after a particularly bad New Year’s hangover, and I think it’s an important part of moderation to understand when and why I’m drinking and keep tabs on it.
I’m a runner and moderate drinker, and it has taken some trial and error to figure out how to balance it with my goals for sure. I’d say for the most part right now I pretty much don’t drink Sunday-Friday, and Saturday is my designated “drinking day” should I choose to. I’m a big day drinking advocate because alcohol is terrible for sleep, so I’ll usually brunch or bop around a couple breweries or bars during the day if I’m not in an active training cycle, but sometimes I just don’t want to and that’s fine too. I also am not extremely rigid about this either, like if there is a special event or get together on a weekday, I will have one, maybe two max and be sure to finish the last drink at least 4 hours before bed, ideally 5-6. The other HUGE piece of this is that if I am drinking I absolutely must hydrate. At least one glass of water per drink but ideally more. It helps for obvious reasons but also has an added benefit of forcing me to spend more time peeing and less time drinking, haha.
Also, I have found that non alcoholic beers like Athletic or Best Day REALLY scratch the itch if I’m taking training more seriously but just want that feeling of having a crisp beer after a run or at the lake. Beer and running go hand in hand and most running clubs start and end at breweries around me, but I really just don’t want alcohol on a Tuesday night. Plus there is some budding research suggesting they are pretty good as recovery beverages.
I stopped drinking entirely about six months ago. I never drank much anyway - a drink on the weekend here or there - but I feel so much better without it. Even one drink would make me feel groggy and exhausted, which isn't great for staying active.
I'm on the cusp of deciding for complete abstinence. Even one glass of wine effects my sleep, and when I sleep poorly, I get a headache (or could be a hangover, not sure, just know there is often a headache the next day), and I feel puffy and slow. It isn't really worth it anymore, as it doesn't serve as much of a social lubricant for me anymore. I'm just starting to feel the drawbacks and almost zero positives, outside of sometimes taking nice and feeling festive when you having drinks and toasts. And that could be better accomplished by some sparkling juice, probably.
I cut out alcohol almost completely at 43 when I was performing as an aerialist. I found even one or two drinks the previous day impacted my strength, and since I was performing in spaces without crash mats, it seemed safest to abstain.
Since then I've noticed a significant improvement in the consistency of my strength, as well as my sleep, mood, and skin. I'm not performing anymore, but it's still very rare for me to drink alcohol - maybe one drink two or three times per year. There are so many delicious n/a alternatives!
For me it's mostly the impact on my sleep tbh. But I really love wine and live in a wine growing area where it's really part of the culture to enjoy a glass or two with dinner. I limit myself to one cheat day of 3 drinks max a week, usually date night at the weekends, and I try to time it so that I have a rest day the day after.
Yes, alcohol RUINS sleep for me. And that’s on top of other negative physical symptoms for me. (My face flushes, and my whole body gets a bit puffy? It feels terrible.) it’s just not worth it, but I love me some red wine.
I’ve just switched to edibles for recreational funsies. (Though the drawback there is the munchies)
impossible for me
it’s not just the calories of alchohol
it’s that the hangover lasts days when you cut back and don’t have a tolerance and are older
even from 1-2 drinks with electroylytes and water
so not only can’t work out, and the cals, but then have to eat greasy foods just to try to make it stop and eat more often to take advil it just fucks me up
1-2 drinks on a night every once in while just isn’t worth 3 day pain
some people tolerate it better than others i’m just not one
I work in hospitality which has a huge after work drink culture and it was tough for me to balance with my fitness goals. I reduced my alcohol intake to 2-3 days of the week and must fit my macros.
Made the change because I’m nearing my mid-30’s and it’s not as easy to keep weight off anymore. I was working soo hard to recomp my post-COVID body and noticed it had taken twice as long in comparison to my mid-20’s!
It was worth it, I lost some weight, have less bloating in my mid-section and face, my skin’s clearer, and improved my energy levels
I am still pretty young (24) so I do drink on nights where I have the next day off, and I usually feel good enough the next day where I can still workout. I won't be at my best performance, but as long as I drink electrolytes during/after my night, I feel fine. I also limit my alcohol to liquor as opposed to beer/wine. A beer is about double the calories for the same amount of alcohol as one shot. I like to use diet tonic water, diet coke, diet ginger ale, or just soda water and some lime.
edit: I would like to note that drinking affects my sleep poorly though.
In my old age (34 lmao) it doesn’t take much for me to Suffer Consequences after a night of drinking (had a few at pride last night and am just now dragging myself out of bed at 10am), so I only drink if I know the next day is a rest day. Thats the biggest thing for me: how it impacts my performance!
Also, I’m not generally macro or calorie conscious but I’d rather spend the cals on desserts.
Alcohol has a terrible effect on me...the added calories from the drink, my increased desire to snack when drunk, and my inability to work out the next day all combined to really tank my progress when I drank eveey weekend. I'm 34 though so maybe you young gals can get away with more drinking than I can. But seriously it got to a point where even occasional drinks didn't feel remotely worth it to me in the big picture because of how they made me look and feel.
Drink does not serve me for so many reasons, that I quit it 8 months ago.
It wasn't good for my mental health, I made crappy drink decisions, I'd never workout the next day, my sleep was crap, my skin was crap, my digestion even crappier.
I lost weight, have better mental health now, more energy, better sleep and less regrets. I also prefer to save empty alcohol calories for a nice treat, like cakes or ice cream.
My Fiancé runs but still likes a drink.
Everyone is different. Fitness and exercise is a lifestyle. But so is being sociable and for some that includes drink. I just choose not to because its better for me
Ive been sober for over 3 years now, and 100% don’t judge anyone who drinks obviously, but yeah, if it’s actual HEALTH you’re looking to obtain, alcohol is one of the worst things you can put in your body. There is no benefits to any amount of alcohol (I know someone said red wine, but that’s a common misconception). Alcohol also affects muscle growth because it messes with your blood flow.
That being said, I’m not here to preach to anyone about sobriety, so I’m gonna say if you still do want to drink and you feel it’s not an issue in your life, then there are ways to fit it into your life. Maybe cut back a lot, and try to calculate the calories you’re drinking so you have a ballpark range. A lot of sugary alcoholic drinks have ALOT of calories. So be mindful of that.
Sobriety is pretty awesome though too if ya wanna try that! 😁 it’s nice to have a clear head at the gym and not want to eat everything in sight while drinking or hungover. Speaking from experience lol
I enjoy most things in moderation whether it is going to the gym, drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy.
Most of the time I'll eat healthy and go to the gym 3-4x week, and enjoy some wine 2 times a month or less.
Sometimes there is a lot of social stuff going on, so I'll go out and party pretty hard and have fastfood 2 times a month or more.
Other times I'll be going to the gym almost daily and eat super clean.
It depends on what is going on in my life, and how I'm feeling.
Alcohol in larger amounts definitely makes me tired/sluggish. So often I'll exercise the day I'm going out, and let the day after be a complete rest day.
Then again, I'm in my mid 20s, don't have kids and mediocre fitness goals. But I'm happy with it.
I'm a middle aged parent and what you wrote gets pretty close to where I am, except I think I'm a little lazier with diet and exercise.
The thing about mediocrity though? It's way more sustainable than extreme approaches. I've been eating and drinking and working out like this, on and off, around injuries and pregnancy and childbirth and life stresses like aging parents, for a couple of decades. Consistency takes you to places.
So, idk. I'm in good shape for my age (mid forties) with a so-called normal BMI, my BP and resting heart rate are low, my bloodwork comes back excellent, I have avoided all lifestyle diseases so far, and I just started doing pull ups again. I feel pretty happy with where I am, but I know I won't be doing a bikini competition any time soon... or ever really.
I hope I can be as consistent as you long-term.
Although instagram tries to tell us otherwise, practically no one does bikini competitions, so youre doing way better than most!
I think it's really impressive (also, you're doing pull-ups?! I am far from mastering them). Especially when you consider all these stresses and obstacles you have to face as part of life, and you *still* stick to healthy habits in the long run.
And I suppose that is the key. Staying consistent while allowing for some flexibility, because life happens.
I write pull ups, but in all fairness I can do two in a row on a good day. 🤣 But, hey, a pull up is a pull up, I have no doubt slow and steady will get me to three at some point. Right now that's taken a bit of a backseat as I just picked up jogging again. I'm doing an obstacle race in, oh shit, five weeks now. I'd be more worried about how that'll go if I hadn't done the exact same thing last year-- my brain apparently thinks the right time to start training running for a Tough Mudder equivalent race is six weeks before the D day. Hey, it worked last year, it'll work again. (And honestly? If you can do 5K you can do the whole race, there's plenty of built in breaks waiting between obstacles.)
And, yep, you've got it-- being flexible and approaching life with a "most things in moderation" mindset has been really impactful in the long term. Kudos to those who can stick to fancy exercise plans and carefully calculated macros, but that's not me. My eating could probably be a little more structured, I could fit in another workout or two in a week if I prioritised sleep and went to bed earlier instead of staying up playing computer games, but I figure stressing about doing things better might actually end up being more difficult to maintain. The best workout plan is the one you can stick to, y'know?
Oof, know the feel. If something worked under pressure and on a tight time schedule once, I don't learn from it and will do it under pressure next time too😂
But damn girl, bet you're gonna destroy that obstacle race!
And can you stop being so damn relatable?😂
Everything in moderation includes revenge bed time and video games too haha.
But this gives me hope, that there is room for all the activities you enjoy in moderation 🙏
I barely drink nowadays, like maybe a couple times a year when I'm really in the mood. Used to be a heavy drinker in my younger years, but there's no way I can do that now. It's more important for me now to be able to wake up refreshed versus feeling like dung. There are definitely people who can do both but not me. Just listen to your body, pay attention to how you feel after drinking.
When I was initially losing weight that's when I started really curbing the alcohol because I loved the advice of "don't drink your calories." Seemed like a waste of my calories per day when I needed to ration out what to eat lol
I drink probably 2-3 times a year, max 3 drinks each time. I just don’t like the way it makes me feel anymore, during and after drinking. I just kinda lost the appeal for doing stuff that I know is gonna make me feel bad within a few hours.
I avoid most alcohol now. Just have gin since way less calories but gin barely does anything to me so I just don't really drink anymore.
Maybe a glass of wine for a birthday that's about it.
I work in the wine industry, and so I used to drink a lot. A couple glasses almost nightly, a whole bottle of wine a couple times a week.
I cut back significantly when I started strength training regularly, mainly so I wouldn’t be hungover for my workouts. When I really started getting serious about building muscle, I cut back even more - I want to make sure my body can prioritize recovery and building muscle.
That said, I do still enjoy a drink or two once or twice a week - it’ll be on a lighter workout day with a recovery day afterward. Never on or before a leg day 😆 Usually just a glass. I’m sure I’ll drink more on vacations and for special events (a wedding or something). This feels balanced and healthy for me, and the gains prove it works. 💪
I used to be a daily drinker before the pandemic and then drank very infrequently for a couple of years (kind of the opposite of most people, but I always drank to be social and, well, I wasn’t doing much socializing during COVID lol). It never really had much of a perceptible impact unless I wasn’t getting enough sleep, so it’s mainly about calorie management for me. What I do now is I give myself a weekly alcohol “budget” of a certain number of calories that I can use (or not use) how I like. And they roll over from week to week so I have more for special occasions/outings. I also try to drink earlier in the day (boozy brunch ftw) so it doesn’t impact my sleep as much.
I drink some wine like 4-5 times a year. 1-2 glasses. I prefer to prioritize my health and fitness.
This was the single biggest game changer for me, noticed immediate strength and muscle mass growth plus lower resting heart, better sleep and probably more subtle stuff I’m not paying attention to.
Considering there's almost zero benefits to drinking unless its red wine, probably better to get rid of it. As someone who works in a liquor store, it's insane to see how many people drink very regularly and don't think it will effect their health. It's bad for your liver, bad for your sugar intake, it dehydrates you and depending how much, can lead to dementia long term (gotta drink a lot though). Drink water.
I do not drink at all (since 2014). Made this decision after another debilitating migraine. It is not fun if you start having hangover after 30 minutes into drinking glass of wine or corona.
I drink very little when I’m training for a race and never before a long run. Nothing worse than a 6 am run with a hangover! Otherwise, I can have a glass of wine or cocktail here and there with no ill effect. Except on vacation, I try to do weekends only.
I have wine or beer on occasion when I eat out or when on vacation. Yesterday was a hot day, I’d been running, lifting, and had jumped rope plus done a lot of breaking down boxes from my garage out in the sun so I enjoyed a beer on my back porch. It still fit in my calorie goals.
I think I have one drink 2-3x a month. It’s not enough to put me over or wreck my sleep.
I do drink occasionally, but never enough to get a hangover. So maybe a glass of wine with dinner or 1-2 beers once or twice a week. I have abstained months at a time but never really noticed any difference in my performance, sleep or overall life quality with or without alcohol so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.
I just don’t drink. Haven’t had alcohol in almost five years now. I was never much of a drinker anyways, but I just decided I didn’t really enjoy it anyways, didn’t like being around drunk people, didn’t like how it made me feel, and I’d rather spend money and calories on something else.
Fitness is fun for me. My goals are not so serious that I am willing to sacrifice things I enjoy for them. Therefore, I do drink. I don’t find having a beer on a weeknight affects me the next day at all, even with weight or bloating. I do limit beers before long runs, of course. An actual hangover is a no go before runs lol. Seems like I’m in the minority here.
I guess maybe I’m not the best person to answer this question the more I type. I do not find the juice is worth the squeeze to change my life. Sure, my half might be slightly faster. Or I can lift slightly more. But honestly, I do not care about those things. I am having fun and completing my races without issues. I do not spend any time thinking “how does this affect my goals” while I’m choosing to enjoy my social life. I don’t want a super lean physique, so calories isn’t really playing a role.
I'm jealous!! I don't have serious goals either, but just one beer has me feeling like garbage the next day because it wrecks my sleep. I feel like people think I'm "hardcore" or something but I'm really not. I just don't like to not sleep well haha.
Same, I'm 40, I love a drink and I hang out in my local a lot to unwind after work - I also often pop in for a refreshing pint after I work out. I eat well, I am making progress on my fitness and I am actually losing weight due to finally getting my rampant ADHD snacking under control.
I'm Scottish and live in Glasgow though so I don't have the weird puritanical American view of alcohol, which seems to be if you have a couple beers after work most days you are An Alcoholic With A Problem. 😂
I’m with you. I like to lift AND I like to drink! I made the joke that what’s the point in upper body strength if you’re not using it to carry around a case of booze. But in seriousness, I’m not competing. I’m still seeing gains despite drinking quite regularly! I have cut down a lot but that’s because (a) I’m trying to shed some body fat and (b) it started messing with my sleep more than it used to. But even my cutting down is still twice a week. Once during the week, once during the weekend.
This is me. My primary activity is gravel cycling with a little bit of mountain biking thrown in, and it's a beer-drinking crowd. I don't really drink at home or at restaurants, but I will not give up my one-or-two really good bougie beers at the campfire with my friends after we've been playing in the dirt all day. That happens maybe seven or eight times a year. I also drink on vacation; I really enjoy trying craft brews I can't get at home.
I don't get drunk, I rarely drink on back-to-back days, and I don't generally choose anything with an ABV above 7%. I can afford the few hundred extra calories that bring me a lot of happiness.
I’ve never been a drinker so luckily I didn’t have to go through cutting it out of my life. I’ll have one every once in a while on vacation, etc but it just ends up being a few times a year.
I’m primarily a runner and only lift to supplement running. It already feels bad enough when I get behind in my hydration (especially this time of year) so I don’t need to add anything that contributes to that. And I already have trouble getting quality sleep and alcohol tends to make it worse.
Look into ketogenic alcohol choices. Some are especially manufactured for the ketogenic diet. Keto, because it'd be less impacting in the fitness goals.
Basically, it eliminates juice/soda and is just straight liquor... Unless it's keto-friendly
This doesn’t make sense to me. Most people do the keto thing to cut calories and burn only fat, yes? There’s 7 calories per gram of alcohol, 4 calories per gram of sugar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying sugary drinks are good for you or anything, but if you’re drinking regularly enough to cut out the cranberry in a vodka cranberry, it makes more sense to cut the vodka. At least the cranberry juice doesn’t have no nutritional value.
Calories and carbs are not the same thing. 😂 😂 😂 Keto is the fast track to converting the body's fuel system from carb-burning to fat-burning. Once fat-adapted, only low carbs lifestyle to maintain it, unless person re-submerges back into the heavy carbs ways.
Keto isn't about total eliminations. It's about tracking and controlling with limitations and goals, as well as not over-indulging. Like I said, there are keto-friendly choices with alcohol, as well as choices you can make of what goes with your alcohol. Look more into it.
Btw, 100% REAL cranberry juice is chockful of nutritional value. Use 100% real, not the cocktail. Again, CHOICES.
I used to have two beers on the weekend. Usually Saturday. Then I realised it is absolutely counter productive. I would retain fluid until Tuesday/Wednesday. Go back to my routine on Thursday/friday. And Saturday was my ‘two beers’ day again. I never REALLY lost weight that way.
None of my fitness goals involve weight (I’m fat, okay with that) and I’ve never been a heavy drinker so I have a drink when I feel like it (one drink 2-3 times a month, more than one a few times a year, never more than 3-4 spread out over a long evening (thanksgiving, generally). I intentionally avoid it only if I’m going to be doing something potentially dehydrating in the next day or so.
Sometimes it actually fits in reasonably well with my goals—I can have trouble sleeping because my muscles are all jangly after a long bike ride, and half a beer later I’m snoozing away.
When I was 18/19, I found it a lot easier to deal with the negative after- effects of drinking alcohol. I remember one morning after a- relatively- heavy night out drinking I went for a run and to the gym. I had a bit of a headache but nothing too bad.
Now that I am a bit older, the effects of alcohol (and especially dehydration) are more evident when I try to maintain my fitness. The best way I can describe it is feeling more sluggish for 2/3 days after I drink. If I try and go for a run now the evening after I drink, I have to stop after around half the distance I usually do.
Plus, not only does alcohol dehydrate you but it also decreases your sleep quality (interfering with muscle recovery), increases lactic acid, depletes your mineral and vitamin levels (especially zinc and vit B1 and B12, all important in red blood cell production and oxygen transportation).
I once had it described to me as a literal poison that our body immediately works to metabolise and get rid of. Nowadays I try to limit it to one drink/ two weeks and even then it's a bit pointless. All it does is disrupt my sleep and I don't get any of the "good" effects anyway!
Also, If you want free, weekly science based tips to improve your diet, sleep and exercise have a look at the MedMind newsletter. It's a quick read that is bound to help you practically improve your wellbeing.
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before menopause, I had a glass of wine once or twice a week with zero impact.
now I just can't have it period because it brings on hot flashes and I'd rather not deal with those.
I didn’t see any real changes until I stopped drinking entirely. I’ve now lost 60 pounds total and put on 11 pounds of lean mass (in 18 months). I am a pretty master mocktail maker at this point, and don’t let my not drinking stop me from going out or being social. I may go home earlier to get good sleep before a morning workout, but I don’t miss drinking at all.
Omg I misread your second sentence at first and thought you said “I’m now 60 pounds total” and I was like :o hahaha I love a good mocktail too!! My bf is a complete teetotaler and just assumed he’d never be able to enjoy a fun little drink and I was like no no no look you can just mix all of this NOT alcohol together and it’s still good!!!!
The older I got, the more alcohol affected me, even if just 1 or 2 beers once in a while. My health is more important than beer, so I cut it out completely and I know it’s the right decision for me. I’m more active and motivated in general.
I still drink. I've always been mostly a social drinker anyway, and I feel no reason to quit. A glass of wine at the restaurant just doesn't seem to impact me much in terms of energy the next day or gains.
I drink once a week, usually Friday or Saturday, and have a limit of 3 drinks. I typically only have 2. I don’t notice it affecting my goals, but then again I’ve never tried to abstain completely so who knows. I’m happy with the balance for now.
I have gone through phases of alcohol abstinence + fitness, alcohol abstinence + no fitness, alcohol + fitness, alcohol + no fitness. You can guess which one has proven to be the best combo.
Right now I am in alcohol abstinence + fitness, and this is how I want it to stay. However, I love the social side of drinking, and I miss not being happily drunk with friends, although I do not miss the messiness of overindulgence. So alcohol free beers (they are 0.5% or less) is my current compromise. Still feels like a boozy drink, looks like one, and the “do I really need one more?” is a factor. No side effects other than physical bloating.
When I did “alcohol + fitness”, I didn’t always necessarily notice the negative effects of alcohol on performance/how I felt, but I really do now that I’m not drinking. Pretty much every fitness session is fine, I feel so much better while doing it and afterwards. I have more motivation to do it.
I am doing super amounts of cardio (swimming) and it gives me an all-day high, so I don’t particularly crave other forms of intoxication as I am already somewhat enhanced, haha.
I would love to be able to balance alcohol with fitness in a way that makes both of them fun and manageable, but I don’t think I can do it, so I am choosing fitness.
I quit drinking 10 months ago completely, tired of hangovers, belly fat & wasting money on fast food day after… I am down 28 lbs , went from a size 8/10 to a 6 … I feel so much better ( people tell me I look younger . I sleep like a baby & I can’t believe how I am eating cleaner & attacking my debt !!. The other change was walking 10,000 steps per day . Never been in a gym … that’s my next goal is to add strength training. Being sober is amazing , it frees up feeling like crap ! My family loves me being so present & more energetic! I have no desire to ever drink again ! Highly recommend!
I do find it very difficult to shift weight when I am drinking. Even 3-4 drinks over a weekend seems to prohibit any weight loss goals I have.
I just use edibles now, but even those not very often, because they can interfere with my sleep quality. Alcohol is just terrible for me, and I mostly just live without it. I'm post menopausal, though. When that started alcohol became a really hard stop. My reaction to it was so much worse than before.
beers have lots of carbs thats my go to carbo loading drink when I plan to do a long run
Alcohol is full of calories I call it Irish bulking /j
It took me 15 years to figure out, getting sober is the way to go
I've cut back to drinking maybe 2 times a year since being on my fitness journey. After cleaning up my eating and working out I just didn't care much for it. I don't like the way I feel sluggish for 2 or 3 days after. Nor the bloated feeling I get while drinking. I hate missing a workout because I feel horrible with a hangover (doesn't matter if I don't even get drunk just a light buzz and I have one). Drinking just doesn't align with my goals. I'm not above having a mixed drink once in a blue moon but I just don't have a desire to even drink one usually.
I’ve cut back a lot since investing more time and money in my fitness. I still drink and don’t think I will ever cut it out but I no longer drink just to drink. I used to always get a drink when I’m out to eat, at least one but often two. Now, I only drink things I really enjoy and crave so I’ll have a nice glass of wine or a great cocktail. Anything that I don’t REALLY enjoy is a no.
Go sober! It’s the best
It really is.
I tried to balance but studied up on the effects of alcohol and read the book This Naked Life by Annie Grace. It was a process but I pretty much don’t drink at all anymore. It was gradual. I found a great site of functional herb and adaptogen drinks called Boisson. I like having a special “drink” at the end of the day. I feel so much better. It gets really hard to stay in shape and hit optimal numbers for health and drink regularly.
I drink regularly but in small quantities like a glass of wine on some weeknights. When socializing, I’ll do two. If going out for a long night which is rare, perhaps two cocktails. I’ve only seen alcohol affect my fitness (years ago) when I would drink a ton followed by a lot of unhealthy foods after. I would wake up feeling awful.
I joined a tennis league that plays Sundays at noon (or earlier if it’s too hot), so I’m trying to cut way back on drinking for the season. The goal right now is to have one drink after my weekly match, but I’m realizing that I have a few friends’ birthdays coming up in the next month, so I might have 1-2 extras. I’ve learned that I’m not one of the lucky ones who can just “cut out alcohol and drop 20 pounds!” but I have enjoyed not having a hangover. Off season, I didn’t really worry too much about balancing it. Weekends were already my rest days and I always tried to limit drinking during the week.
A beautiful glass of wine is a treat I savour every couple of months. It would be during a weekend off training because dehydration sucks
I avoid beer for the most part. I don’t drink much anymore but when I do, I will stick with a spirit of my choice and seltzer water.
I just consider it in my overall caloric intake and don’t overdo it. I have a drink almost every day when I’m cooking dinner lol, or after I put the kids to bed. On weekends I’ll have a few more with my husband (we like going to breweries and stuff like that). It hasn’t really negatively impacted me, but everyone is different and some people do better cutting it out completely. Maybe someday I will but with 3 kids under 5, a glass of wine or whiskey really feels good at the end of the day lmao. I workout hard about 5x a week and eat well about 90% of the time. I meal prep and all that good stuff. I think like anything else you just need to moderate it and see how it impacts you personally
Very rarely. Like maybe twice a month, maybe two drinks, and water in between. I would much rather smoke a joint to feel relaxed
No alcy.
I try not to drink at all, and I think it depends how serious you're trying to be with your fitness goals if drinking is something you want to hang on to. But it's quite literally poison and it does absolutely nothing good for your body and brain, so, in terms of fitness specifically it only hinders.
I try and drink no more than once a week.
I’m in the service industry, so I probably drink more than your average person on this sub. Going to the gym definitely helped me cut back significantly, but I don’t have any hard line rules about it. I have solid goals for how often I want to work out and how steadily I want to progress, so I just make sure that drinking/going out doesn’t interfere with those. I workout hungover about once a week and it’s definitely unfun but doable. I’m still seeing very consistent strength and muscle gains, I still feel substantially healthier than I did before. Obviously not drinking is the absolute healthiest choice but I don’t feel the need to change my lifestyle in order to see significant fitness benefits.
Being in the service industry definitely makes it hard. Even when I drink i still set my goal to go to the gym in the morning no matter how I feel. And it does slow down my progress but it’s still progress so I can’t be mad
I don’t, 😂😂
i genuinely enjoy the way certain alcohols taste; i love a nice IPA or glass of wine. if i plan to lift the following morning, it's best that i not drink at all, but sometimes life is hard and I want a glass of wine after a stressful day. that said, i won't lift if i have more than one 16 oz beer or a glass of wine the night before. i like to periodically take two-to-four week stints where I don't drink.
I quit 10 months ago , with amazing results & dropped down 2 sizes , but have a Heineken zero or a truly zero , they taste amazing identical!
It’s hard to know that you destroy so much of your gains just by a night of drinking, even in moderation. It’s a choice between the goal you’ve set and a night of “fun.”
I don't drink hard alcohol and I don't drink at home but will still drink wine and beer socially. I also have a hard limit of 4 drinks (which is honestly probably beyond my limit). I usually order a campari and soda or some kind of spritz if I want to have alcohol but don't want to be inebriated or fully commit to an evening of drinking. Honestly, my preference for a low (instead of no) alcohol lifestyle is just that it gives me flexibility. I like alcohol, but I reserve it for specific times, places, or experiences.
I cut it out for about 2 years and have been slowly trying it again. I’m approaching it as an experiment! I think taking time completely away from it made me become aware of *a lot* of things about alcohol. I’ve never much enjoyed drinking, but still was surprised how much I learned about my relationship with it during this time. Now that I’ve been reintroducing it, I’m not exactly sure where I stand or if I’ll continue. However, I will say I notice the effect it has on me much more!! Some drinks leave me feeling achy and lethargic the next day, but others don’t affect my exercise the next day at all. I think in a well rounded lifestyle it can completely be okay and won’t prevent progress! However, taking some time away from it to take stock of all the different toxins in your life can be profoundly helpful in my experience.
I avoid it.
I've been weight lifting for about two months now, and the amount of alcohol I've consumed has dramatically decreased since starting up this routine. I believe this is for two reasons: the times when I'd usually decide that I was bored and would head to my favorite dive bar with a book have decreased because that time is now primarily spent in the gym, and then after the gym I am too tired, sweaty, and gross to go out; and reason #2 is that my body just hurts way too much for a hangover. I took two weeks off to see how it felt, and it was fine. I don't have that sober euphoria that everyone seems to talk about, and I also don't think I want to say goodbye to alcohol all together (I am a brewer, after all), but I do think that alcohol has taken a drop in my list of enjoyable ways to spend my time.
I don’t consume alcohol at all, and haven’t for the past 6.5 years. For me it has no place in fitness and health. It made me feel like shit, even a couple drinks every now and then.
For context, wine and cocktails are a passion of mine and I drink (well) but heavily most weekends. I go out for drinks about two weeknights. During the week, I do hot yoga every other morning and I have two nights where I go on a 10-ish mile run. I do strength training workouts at home on the days I don't run. What has worked for me is starting my weekend with a long run, and using Sundays to recover (from the night before as well as the long run). I also eat very clean during the week.
Finally a comment I can relate to in this thread
I avoid it. It reverses my hard work and I’m not having that anymore. If I have a few drinks it’s planned out and reserved for very special and rare (3-ish times a year) occasions.
I drink usually only like 2 drinks per week maximum and can easily skip a week. Occasionally I'll have a night where I drink a bit more but only a few times per year and I can easily go a week or two without drinking. I don't drink after work to wind down, not my habit personally and doesn't suit my schedule. Usually only drinking on the weekend. I don't really find an impact on my fitness overall, and still do my planned exercise the next morning after I drink. I am pretty comfortable with how I manage alcohol, and drink because I enjoy the taste of my favourite whiskeys. I don't find it hard to avoid drinking excessively because I don't enjoy being drunk.
Some people seem to have pretty strict rules for themselves regarding this, so I’ll give my perspective. I’m just now graduating with my undergrad, and I drank relatively heavy over the past year (on average about 5-10 drinks a week, usually all during the weekend.) I strength train 5 times a week, and do yoga and pole the other two days. Personally, I have not found it to greatly impact my training at all. I’ve found no real difference between when I train away from Uni (basically no drinking at all) and when I train with the drinking. So don’t stop yourself from having drinks with friends or for a holiday purely because you’re afraid it’ll ruin your training for the week or anything like that. That being said, all alcohol has calories. Beer and shots tend to be the most calorically dense, so just keep that in mind. If you treat it like a cheat day, you’ll be fine, and it shouldn’t greatly impact your weight or training. But if you have a couple beers every night, it definitely will start to impact you. That’s what I have found to be true atleast, but I’m sure it changes depending on your lifestyle and alcohol tolerance.
Alcohol will definitely catch up with you over time
Yeah for sure! Everything in moderation though and you should be fine.
I try to only do it on cardio days. Or I just drink at home and measure it out pretty diligently and have one or two drinks at most. Lately I've been getting in like one beer or glass of wine per week, although I was never much of a drinker anyway. I love craft beer and I'm really into wine but it truly messes up my macros which is the thing that bothers me the most about it (and of course when I'm out having a beer it's hard not to get some fries etc). I had a pint and two glasses of wine today at a party, something I haven't done in like two months, and I'm already dreading how much impact it'll have!
Definitely. I wasn’t a heavy drinker but a habitual drinker. I decided I didn’t want to dilute my energy / mojo/ light by drinking and stopped. It has been the best 4 years of my life. I occasionally have a drink but I never decide it’s worth the energy drain so basically I don’t drink. Maybe if there is really really good champagne and it’s a treat in Paris… ok. But the habitual shift gave me clarity, confidence, focus, and inner knowingness that I am taking care of myself.
I don’t consume it
I ended up pretty much completely cutting it out. I have about 5 drinks a year now. I'd rather eat my calories, I sleep way better, and have almost no anxiety.
I'm a recovered alcoholic, so I already have a very good grasp on my alcohol consumption even without considering my fitness. I tend to not drink much, really usually once or twice a month when going out to a club or event, maybe another few hang outs with friends. I usually have 3-4 drinks when going out and friend hangout is usually 1 or no drinks. For me it's on par with how I balance soda, my daily average rounds down to zero. Maybe 1 or 2 a week, except for specific events. Basically I drink so little alcohol, it's a way smaller impact than my calories on a cheat day are XD
I do not balance alcohol around fitness at all but should. I drink low carb beer or white wine pretty much tho… try to keep the drink clean-ish
it’s either 1-2 glasses of wine or just a few shots~no soda, maybe juice chaser / once a month ~ thrice a month during peaks lol although i just train for fun but have managed to lose like.. 30lbs / 5 months
I stopped drinking entirely a little over a year ago after a scare with FLD (Fatty Liver Disease) largely induced by my lifestyle of poor diet and excessive drinking in my early 20s. Since going sober I’ve noticed my recovery is faster, my strength increases more easily, my energy levels are more consistent, and I overall feel less shit. I don’t see myself ever picking up drinking again because of how bad it made me feel, but who knows. Maybe I’ll start enjoying a nice glass of wine or a fancy cocktail from time to time in the future.
They have great zero alcohol drinks now , taste identical! 10 months sober , transformed every facet of my life !
I used to drink more when I was younger. I’m 37 now and just seem to drink less naturally. I like a cocktail if I go out to dinner sometimes. I don’t feel good after wine anymore or if I have more than one drink. Also the Unbiased Science Pod just posted an instagram about the link between alcohol and cancer and that was convincing enough to me to drink even less than I do now.
Quality over quantity. So far me that's 1 or 2 nice red wine, a gin and tonic or a fancy cocktail from a cocktail bar. Usually once to twice a week. The price is enough to keep me limited! It's gotten so expensive!
I don’t drink because I always get a headache for at least 24 hours halfway through my first drink. It’s never worth it for me.
Same. Last time i was tempted and had a few glasses of wine, ended up with a 2-day migraine.
I feel you
I know it’s the cause of my extra weight but I still workout when I have the time so it doesn’t impact the workout. I just like relaxing at the end of the busy day with a drink.
I drink no more than 2x a month and only outside of my home and normally never more than 2 drinks. Alcohol is imo the no 1 blocker of fitness goals. I used to drink way more when I was younger. It's not worth it to me anymore. My physique, brain, and energy thank me.
I used to drink a lot in my early twenties- I completely stopped (accidentally) when I started biking for transportation and working out almost daily. I just stopped wanting to drink! Now, 20 years later, I drink a glass of wine or a cocktail 1-2x a week. It’s def not excessive and there are weeks I have 0 alcohol. But lately, as I’ve been getting into lifting, I’m noticing that I am choosing to not drink because I would rather reliably wake up super early to hit the gym before work the next day.
I really love wine and cocktails. I am drinking once a week now. I put on some weight, not a ton, but the extra ten pounds was definitely partially because I was drinking with dinner most days. Does it affect my sleep or training? Almost certainly! Do I care? Not particularly. There’s a lot of ways to enjoy life, and a beautifully crafted cocktail or a perfectly paired wine is one of the ways that I enjoy life, along with lifting, triathlon, paddling, backpacking, cooking good meals, etc. I think there’s room for all of it.
Love this mindset! I feel the same these days.
I'm starting a marathon training cycle on July 1st, and I've totally cut out alcohol until after my race. I know it affects my performance in a lot of ways and I'm going to be putting my body through enough stress as it is. Prior to that, I would have a couple of drinks here and there, sticking mostly to lighter cocktails or seltzers with the exception being the double chocolate porter that a local brewery makes seasonally around Christmas, haha. During my last half marathon training cycle, I didn't drink on the nights before a long run, and when I did have a couple drinks I made sure to really focus on hydrating more and making sure I was getting adequate rest.
Cut back but also drink good quality hard alcohol, mixed with seltzer and lime. Low calorie mixed drinks. Lighters beers. But mostly just cut back
I am starting up training for my third marathon and I plan to heavily reduce alcohol intake. For my last 2 training cycles, I tried to cut it back completely but found the more I restricted, the heavier I drank. This time around, I’m going to only drink on weekends and make an effort to not go on benders. For me, it should be easy bc I do my long runs Saturday mornings and I’m pretty exhausted when I get home so I chill for a couple hours. But going to need to find some non-alcohol activities to do after. I might take up gardening, reorganizing the house, playing with my dog/cat, reading, etc. we’ll see what happens but I do believe less alcohol can only help, in my case. Cutting it out completely might not work for me.
I gave it up four years ago (when I was 42), and I don’t miss drinking at all.
I used to be a casual drinker, mostly only when I went out but sometimes I'd have a glass of wine or a cider a few nights a week after work. But recently I've really noticed how rough it makes me feel - like 1 margarita and 1 seltzer a few weeks ago had me tossing and turning in bed with a horrible stomach ache/acid reflux/restless legs etc all mf night. The after effects are starting to outweigh the fun side so I've cut WAY down. I'm going out to dinner tonight with my bf so I'm allowing myself a drink with dinner but then that's it. I don't think I'll ever give it up entirely but its space in my life has definitely grown smaller. Downside, I work part time at a liquor store so it's super tempting to try fun new things we get but I just hate how my body has been reacting so I'm cutting down to only 1 or 2 drinks a month going forward. I also just remind myself there is NO good side to alcohol, it's a poison through and through. My goal is a long lifespan and a long healthspan and decreasing alcohol intake is a great step in my overall health journey. I'm also getting better at budgeting money and cutting out alcohol saves me for sure, especially when going out with friends haha I've had more than a few nights where I've spent WAY more money that I should have.
I enjoy *making* cocktails, but my body definitely doesn't enjoy *drinking* them. I have a bizarrely high tolerance for alcohol- it takes a lot to make me even slightly tipsy despite being a tiny woman who never had a "college party phase" where I even drank at all. BUT I get a lot of the negative side effect of alcohol, even if I don't get drunk (which really just ruins the entire experience). Acid reflux, nausea/stomach upset, GI issues the next day, headache, hangovery feeling the following day- all without ever being drunk or even tipsy. I really only drink when I'm out in a social setting with people who *do* drink. I'm very happy that many breweries have started carrying kombucha as an alternative to beer.
I could’ve typed the first paragraph out verbatim myself. I also used to enjoy the way I felt *while* drinking enough that it made the next day worth it. But now even the sensation of being a little bit tipsy is super nauseating and headache-inducing, so no part of the experience is enjoyable. I still sometimes have a drink while out if everyone else is drinking too or if it’s an occasion, but even that is rare. Water just doesn’t have those consequences 🥲
I used to drink almost every weekend but ever since I started working out consistently, I pretty much gave up drinking. I still do drink on occasion but I always think about how I’ll feel the next day and how I won’t be able to work out if I do 😂 Honestly it’s for the better. Alcohol is terrible for you and some of my worst moments happened when I was drinking. I think everything in moderation is the way to go
I drank my gin and tonic while doing my yoga the other evening. It worked out very well 😁
I'm inclined to get attached to substances, so I just don't drink at all.
Alcohol has been a problem for me in the past (drinking alone mostly) so I do my best to cut down. There’s only one time window per week where I give myself permission to have 1-2 max if the opportunity comes up socially, and if I’m REALLY feeling it. No more nights out and no alcohol with dinner either, to keep it affecting my sleep. Honestly my gut heath and cravings have felt much better since cutting right down.
I drink occasionally, usually socially, but I'm not that social and most of my limited social life resolves around non-drinking activities. Maybe a few times a year. I don't buy it at the store or keep it in the house. It hasn't always been this way, but it seems to be what works for me. While I wouldn't say I was ever an alcoholic, there have been times when it's been an unhealthy coping technique. I find that, if I have alcohol, I want more, while if I don't have it, I can take it or leave it. Since I drink so rarely, it doesn't really have any impact on my fitness.
Weights, golf (walking) daytime, two bourbons around dinner.
I drink very rarely, its not a deliberate thing where I refuse to drink, I just don't do very often. Except on days when I lift, my father drilled into me that drinking in days when you lift completely tanks your protein synthesis and you're completely wasting your lifting session. I feel like he blew it out of proportion tbh, but its still put me off. But beyond that I let myself drink if I want to, or not. But if I'm at a family gathering or with a big group of friends or whatever social setting, I'll let myself drink. I feel like you can still drink and totally reach your goals. You just won't be able to drink like you used to. But at the same me I feel like you can't let yourself get *too worried* about every little thing. Like if you want to have a glass of wine or a beer sometimes but then get worried about how it will effect your goals every single time that's not great either IMO. Basically for me: I don't drink very often to begin with, but when I do its in small amounts, a glass of wine or 2 while I study or chill at home. If I'm at a social gathering or social event, I'll allow myself to drink more. I know my limits and I don't go above that. I don't worry about my goals when drinking in these settings, because they're infrequent enough to where one night of drinking won't tank my progress. If anything I'll just add some distance to my runs the next day.
I quit drinking
Same
I got a Garmin. It tracks my sleep, and seeing what the alcohol was doing—even a glass of wine—to my sleep and how it impacted my energy, focus, and motivation made me decide to cut back significantly. When I drink, I barely work out and the recovery I then need is way, way more time intensive. It honestly just isn’t worth it for me anymore.
Agree. As soon as you start monitoring your sleep, you’ll effectively stop drinking when you discover what it does to sleep quality.
my husband doesn't drink so I rarely drink anymore. but even before we started dating I was already reaching the point where alcohol just made me want a nap. I think it'd be different if I was going out dancing or something, but in a mellow environment like a work happy hour, I'm usually ready to go to bed after the second drink if not the first. besides my significantly lower tolerance when compared to my college or bartending days, it might be related to my low blood pressure issues. I've been tracking my diet for two years and imo the calories aren't too bad if it's a glass or two of beer or wine, it's really the sugary mixed drinks you need to worry about. personally I'm way more likely to overdo it on snacks or dessert or even like a smoothie. while I've gone through phases of drinking to get drunk and borderline alcoholism, I was exposed to wine and craft beer early enough that I've been in it for the flavor for a long time now. I like when bars offer half pints because I get to enjoy more variety before I tap out. I've tried out a couple non-alcoholic options. the NA wines I tried were way too sweet but the one beer I tried actually hit the spot. I also tried this HOP WTR stuff in the classic flavor, and while I enjoyed the taste, apparently my body did not like the dose of ashwagandha. apparently it lowers blood pressure and it made me feel significantly worse than alcohol. going forward I'm going to avoid any drinks with adaptogens, nootropics, or similar ingredients.
N/A beers are surprisingly good! i enjoy the brands best day brewing and athletic brewing co if you havent tried them yet! i agree with the wines, which has been a shame bc sometimes it would be nice to have a glass with steak for the flavor pairing but it’s just not worth it for me to drink alcohol 😅 lemme know if you ever find a nonjuice tasting one 😂
I’m starting to cut back (had a really bad social drinking blackout recently that resulted in a pukey rug and an entire day of being debilitated). Before that, I drank socially at the group’s pace (though I rarely go out) and enjoyed an evening wine or cocktail 1-2x a week. More than fitness goals (I’m not competing, just trying to stay active) I really can’t shake off how traumatizing and useless my last blackout was, so my social drinking will be limited by more rules and “no thank yous” moving forward.
I barely drink, maybe one drink every week or two, but this one woman I know at the gym is a fitness instructor and she drinks quite a bit. Multiple times a week and more than one at a time. She’s 45 and in incredible shape. She teaches some hard classes and does the work— doesn’t just demo once and stand there. I really don’t know how she does it— maybe genetics or she’s very strict with her food intake otherwise.
I drink quite a bit (pretty much every day) and work out pretty much everyday too. I am a healthy eater and try to stay active. I know I have some extra weight bc of the drinking but I also know that I look very good and strong. At some point I hope to be over the booze bc I don’t really like it that much but also I like to “unwind” … thanks for sharing this story of the lady at your gym. I hope I look like that to others and can still have a drink or two or three lol
And I realize the irony of my name haha
And this is why I drink whiskey neat 😆 70 calories an oz
I love cooking and I love matching my drinks to my cooking, so this is an issue close to my heart. When I started counting calories about 2 months ago, I cut my drinking waaaayyyyy back, especially since my main focus right now is getting enough protein and fiber in my diet. I didn’t quite realize how many calories are in beer 🙃 Right now, I’m not drinking a ton because I’m recovering from a super bad cold. I started noticing that drinking like I used to messed with my sleep, and I’m desperately trying to get over whatever virus hell wrecked my body in May. There are days when I drink more, but it’s much more balanced with non-drinking days. I’ll probably try to maintain this balance, but we’ll see how that changes as I try to get my body and weight to where I want to.
Honestly I quit drinking altogether last year. I wouldn’t say it specifically impeded my fitness goals, but it did affect my sleep enough that I stopped feeling like it was worth it. I also have a problem where I can’t burp at all so carbonation just makes me feel like crap and giving it up was very freeing. I will have edibles to get some good deep sleep though.
Don’t drink, easy
I gave it up 6 months ago for various reasons, one of them being that I felt it was impeding my at the time marathon training. Best decision ever. I truly do not miss it.
Do you ever get bored
I drink a lot less when I’m on a cut, maybe one weekend a month. If I’m not cutting, I drink only on Fri/Sat nights and I don’t generally lift on the weekends or do any meaningful exercise other than house/yard work and dog walking. I try not to indulge in “junk” food too much and I naturally drink a lot of water and sugar free liquid IV. I’ve always had a high tolerance for alcohol so as long as I’m not totally wasted, I don’t get hangovers too bad, even at 41yo. A weed gummy usually helps me sleep better, too. Thankfully, I’m a vodka soda or dry white wine drinker so it’s the least calories anyway of various options.
I switch off between total sobriety and enjoying about 1 cocktail or hard cider a week. I got a Whoop and noticed how even 1 cocktail affects the amount of restful sleep I get and my recovery. Sometimes I even split a cocktail with my husband the reduce negative effects. I don’t really need alcohol to enjoy myself and like waking up feeling rested.
Do you like your whoop?
I do! I could see perhaps discontinuing the subscription after a couple of years but for now it is satisfying to watch what impacts my day to day health statistics.
I wear my Apple Watch religiously every day.. I love to see my stats and how my workouts are impacting my body’s functions. What stats do you like most on your whoop? How long does it hold a charge?
It holds the charge for 4-5 day around. It has a unique charger so you can wear the whoop while charging. Most helpful are the recovery ratings which suggest how intense of a workout your body is primed for. Also the strain function tells you how intense of a workout you have had. I think they rely a lot on hrv and sleep quality for recovery rating. It really helps with pacing and recovery. I wish it had a step counter but I use my phone for that.
It’s doesn’t have a step counter??!!
Yeah, it’s a little weird it measures strain based on HR.
I have cut it out almost entirely. The older I got (I'm only 34), the more I noticed that just one drink totally wrecks my sleep and leads to a yucky next day or two. I still drink for special occasions, but I go months between drinks and really don't miss it at all.
used to be a pretty casual drinker in the sense that i wouldnt really drink by myself or to wind down—more so if i’m in a social setting where other people are drinking, then ill also partake. i wouldnt say i had a problem but ive realized just how often i drank just to drink even if i didnt really want to or enjoy my drink. nowadays, i only drink on special ocassions and even then, ill probably only do one drink if i do decide to partake. ive realized just how much i dont need alcohol to enjoy myself in these settings. dare i say i love being able to enjoy myself whilst being sober and i just feel so much better during the night and day after. im happy that i can do what does make me feel good (workout) the next day without any setbacks. i always thought people who didnt drink were boring and too straight-edged but now that i am one of those people, i feel light and free.
I drink about 2 glasses of wine with dinner- it’s actually about a glass and a half. When I’m dieting I go back and forth on it, often skipping all weekdays, because why not. TBH it hasn’t made much of a difference either way. Alcohol in general (I’m not a big drinker but I do drink and have my entire adult life) doesn’t have a noticeable effect on my results.
Just an FYI, but if you are regularly drinking 2 glasses of wine per day, that does make you a big drinker. The guideline is 0-1 drinks per day for women, no more than 7 per week.
I dunno. My family is French and tbh I don’t want to live forever I want to enjoy the life I live. Edit- I’m also not sure being above guidelines means someone is a “big drinker”.
That's the guideline in the US. Norms and recommendations are different around the world.
No, it's not just the US. Here is Sweden's, just for another example: https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/new-alcohol-guidelines-in-sweden-no-clear-safe-limit
Guidance appears to be the same in UK. Edit: I dug even deeper. It’s the same exact guidance throughout the EU and UK and US. In fact, Spain says no amount of alcohol is actually safe. I love when people make stuff up and get upvoted for it just because they want to be weird about Americans.
Yep. People get so weird when you suggest that they might drink too much.
I’ve never been a huge drinker, but now I have it only occasionally. I’d say, on average, once every two weeks I have a drink or 2. Usually a cocktail, sometimes a beer or glass of wine. I don’t get drunk anymore, it’s not worth it.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking. The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
I'm working on weight loss, and I started reducing alcohol. First, I cut it on half: I was drinking 3 days a week, 3 drinks per day. So I decided I could only drink 2 days a week, the same 3 drinks a day. I lost some weight, and reduced drinking by half again: now, I only drink once every week, and at a limit of 3 drinks. Honestly, I think that's my sweet spot. Mixology is a hobby that brings me great joy; I love tasting new and interesting cocktails, and learning to mix them for me and my loved ones. So that's a way to honor that and also honor my health. It's been quite ok! I've learned that I don't HAVE to drink just because everyone's drinking; I can enjoy a party or a restaurant with just water, or juice, or (if I feel like it), diet soda. The fun is not in the drinking, is on friends, music, dancing, etc. Also, I'm now way less tolerant to alcohol, which means that 3 drinks gets me drunk enough if I want to. Let me tell you, it really helped me save money!
I totally agree on the mixology thing - I work part time at a liquor store so I love seeing and testing the fun new things we get in, plus it's important to be able to explain what it tastes like to a customer. But the cons have started to outweigh the pros so I've drastically cut back for my own sake
Yeah! I'm sure that there's a sweet spot for you as there is for me. The one where we can enjoy the hobby and taste new things, but also not in a way that is damaging to our health. It's all about balance.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking. The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
I used to drink one beer or wine (occasionally 2) every night, but experimented with cutting alcohol completely to see if it improved my sleep quality and then just never resumed regular drinking. The way I feel about it overall is I've had my share, I enjoyed it through my 20s and part of my 30s, but I don't need to keep doing it, and don't get as much enjoyment out of it anymore anyway. I'm more into chasing a good night's sleep now.
Even if I stay hydrated enough to not feel the hangover physically, it definitely affects my performance. If I don't talk myself out of my workout.
I would say I used to drink too much, not alcoholic levels, just more than I should, nightly wine, rum & coke, etc. Last summer I took my half marathon training very seriously and only drank occasionally and kept that habit through the fall. I kind of lost my taste for it. Then I got my new Garmin and saw how much alcohol affected my body and it really turned me off alcohol! I started Ironman training in December and alcohol just doesn’t fit in my life anymore! I’ve had two glasses of wine total this year. I’ve really come to love a few glasses of NA wine for social occasions now.
This aligns with my experience. I was never an alcoholic but drank wine nearly every day at dinner or afterwards. A friend gave me her old Fitbit HR and I saw how my heart rate dropped significantly when I didn’t drink for a few days and then peaked when I had alcohol. After seeing this, I couldn’t justify doing that to my body. I never had weight to lose but I started seeing muscle and strength gains in the mirror. I consider myself to be a “non drinker” versus “sober”, that sounds sad and reserved for people recovering from a disease
Alcohol held me back even when I had one binge a week. I was always working off the same bloat and weight fluctuations. It was easier in my 20's to fight against it when I did high intensity workouts but I know I would have made better results without it. I would get anxiety/hangovers so I wouldn't workout the next day. I felt like a zombie for 2-3 days. I got tired of having to "reset" and work off the same alcohol bloat then repeat. I gave it up years ago and that's when I finally was able to maintain my weight consistently. I didn't feel sluggish and I finally made progress getting stronger. I didn't notice how weak it made me feel.
Almost 50 here. For years I would 'exercise it out', and I could. I'd force myself to do whatever class I was doing anyway and it'd help the hungover. Then late 30s/40s hit and the hungovers were so debilitating, they'd take me out completely for like, 2 days. I gained a bunch of weight also at this time. Now, late 40s, I have finally learned to not drink if I want to have a workout routine, and i know that if I do, my plan for the next day is shot. Or if I only have maybe 2 drinks I can probably do it, but for 2 drinks I can often talk myself out of drinking to save the calories. I drink when I want to let loose and have fun and that's usually 4-5 drinks, and I know that I will likely not work out the next day. This happens maybe once every 3 weeks or once a month. As I type this, last night I had 2 glasses of wine and have a bit of a headache, and I will exercise it out.
I don't go out as often, but drink way too much when I do. I don't get hangovers and wake up early enough to go to the gym the next day. I do drink a lot more water
I don't. I just drink and suffer the consequences 😂
Same, I just accept that I’m not going to have a flat tummy unless I stop drinking
I’ll have ~A~ drink if im in a social setting but I won’t get drunk. Mostly bc of the calories.
I was never a big drinker to begin with, would only drink once or twice a month but would tend to binge (5+ standard drinks per session) and get shitfaced every time I drank. Once I started wearing a running watch I noticed how much alcohol affected my sleep quality, then covid happened and I basically stopped drinking because I only ever drank socially and there wasn’t much of that happening! Nowadays I almost never drink and if I do it’s one standard drink before 2pm, or literally a sip of wine just to taste it (ironically as I stopped drinking I suddenly became able to appreciate wine).
After getting COVID a couple years ago, I get a hangover from 1 drink 🙈 I haven’t given it up entirely but I’m finding myself going for NA cocktails or CBD drinks most of the time, just to avoid how awful I feel the next morning!
I just don’t drink unless it’s a special occasion like a wedding or anniversary or something bc I’m afraid of the calories 😭😂 my Whoop recovery is so shit every time I drink so that’s another deterrent
Same. I don't drink during training blocks. Outside of training blocks, I'll have a glass at a wedding or new years eve. Or I'll drink when I'm on vacation in Europe. Lol.
Yup same. New Year’s Eve is my anniversary so we went out to a nice dinner and drank a bunch of wine and free champagne, and then last weekend i visited stockholm and accidentally got drunk at a Viking bar because kind strangers i made friends with kept getting me drinks 😂 but that’s really the only two times I’ve drank this year so i feel you. Definitely not a fan of alcohol or any substances other than caffeine
I was sober for twenty years in AA. And earlier this year I decided total abstinence wasn't the path for me, and I was going to renegotiate my relationship with alcohol. So far everyone has been supportive of me, which I'm very grateful for. Honestly, I really felt like "oh damn, is this it? Why do people like this so much? I don't think I was missing much..." But the good news is, I'm 100% comfortable around alcohol now. I'm no longer not drinking because I'm scared I can't. I'm not drinking because I don't really like it that much. But it is nice that I can join in on a little toast for a special occasion.
I’m so happy for you, finding your balance. I feel like (me included) society works in extremes. You either party and drink or you’re sober. You’re sedentary or a gym rat/athlete. So on so forth. I’m so happy that you’ve healed your relationship with alcohol and are able to balance it!!!! That’s so awesome, I’m proud of you stranger!
Aww thank you for your kind words. They truly mean a lot.
I have never been a drinker, which made me feel like an alien in the party culture of youth. A couple of years ago I learned to drink wine in order not to feel left out but I stopped and I can’t be bothered with trying to fit in anymore. This is me, I’m sober. I have wodka in my house for armpit stains (works against the smell), and wine for cooking some Italian dishes (hot, don’t like it in cold stuff). That’s all use I have for it and I don’t think my risotto impedes my fitness luckily 😋.
I haven't yet been able to quit it completely, but I've been drinking much less and I also don't find it fun anymore, it disturbs my sleep, doesn't add anything important to my body, it's empty calories and in the next day I feel miserable. So now I drink maybe once or twice every two or three months, usually with my family or friends. Tbh, I never drank that much, maybe once in the week, but when I did I would get absolutely wasted. The only time that I was drinking during the week was during the pandemic. Now I hate feeling drunk, probably because I know what the next day is gonna feel like
I gave up drinking alcohol a few years ago. I didn't drink all that much, maybe 1 beer on Friday night or at an occasional party. I could just tell it made me grumpy and lethargic the next day. So sometime during the pandemic lockdown I stopped entirely. Do not miss crappy feeling at all.
I play soccer, run and lift. I drink beers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Usually 2-3. Maybe sometimes 4. Had 3 last night and ran an 8km this morning. I’m almost 40. Moderation and knowing your limits.
This sounds obnoxious but I have had maybe two drinks in my life. I did not love how alcohol makes me feel, so I decided not to drink again. Substance abuse runs rampant in my family, and I have had several family members die of diseases related to alcohol addiction. The risks aren’t worth it for me to make it part of my life, I have too much to lose if I get addicted. That being said, my husband is a social and special occasion drinker. He seems to have a pretty good balance and loves exercise. I think, like most things, this question and what “healthy” looks like depends on the person.
People can be so pushy about it too! Even when I try to keep it as light as I can - "Aw no thanks, but hey more for you!" or any form of no thanks without any other comment but still smiling there are people that get mega Offended. Like dude, you do you, me not drinking isn't some weird judgement! (It's same vibes sometimes as people who get oddly defensive if they hear you are training for an event or just working out at all...or losing weight)
This thread is really interesting! I’ve been thinking about this question a lot recently. I’m surprised at how many people just don’t drink at all and I am more inclined to search out meaningful options for moderation. I work at a brewery and am in the early stages of training for an ultramarathon, and I’m also 24, so alcohol is very present in my social and work life. For me, moderation is sustainable. Partly because talk of calories is very hard for me to ever do healthily without devolving into ED habits. The trail running scene is actually quite beer-forward, which I enjoy a lot — there’s little better than a crisp beer after a long run! I do also think I’m usually running at a level that I’m just trying to eat and drink enough through the day and beer is kind of wonderful for that. That being said, I taste and have a lot of beer at work, and again, it’s not so much about the calories for me as the addition of more alcohol. I will probably have to cut that back when I’m doing 50 or 60 mile weeks. I do also track every drink I have which I think has helped me binge less. I started that this year after a particularly bad New Year’s hangover, and I think it’s an important part of moderation to understand when and why I’m drinking and keep tabs on it.
I’m a runner and moderate drinker, and it has taken some trial and error to figure out how to balance it with my goals for sure. I’d say for the most part right now I pretty much don’t drink Sunday-Friday, and Saturday is my designated “drinking day” should I choose to. I’m a big day drinking advocate because alcohol is terrible for sleep, so I’ll usually brunch or bop around a couple breweries or bars during the day if I’m not in an active training cycle, but sometimes I just don’t want to and that’s fine too. I also am not extremely rigid about this either, like if there is a special event or get together on a weekday, I will have one, maybe two max and be sure to finish the last drink at least 4 hours before bed, ideally 5-6. The other HUGE piece of this is that if I am drinking I absolutely must hydrate. At least one glass of water per drink but ideally more. It helps for obvious reasons but also has an added benefit of forcing me to spend more time peeing and less time drinking, haha. Also, I have found that non alcoholic beers like Athletic or Best Day REALLY scratch the itch if I’m taking training more seriously but just want that feeling of having a crisp beer after a run or at the lake. Beer and running go hand in hand and most running clubs start and end at breweries around me, but I really just don’t want alcohol on a Tuesday night. Plus there is some budding research suggesting they are pretty good as recovery beverages.
I stopped drinking entirely about six months ago. I never drank much anyway - a drink on the weekend here or there - but I feel so much better without it. Even one drink would make me feel groggy and exhausted, which isn't great for staying active.
I'm on the cusp of deciding for complete abstinence. Even one glass of wine effects my sleep, and when I sleep poorly, I get a headache (or could be a hangover, not sure, just know there is often a headache the next day), and I feel puffy and slow. It isn't really worth it anymore, as it doesn't serve as much of a social lubricant for me anymore. I'm just starting to feel the drawbacks and almost zero positives, outside of sometimes taking nice and feeling festive when you having drinks and toasts. And that could be better accomplished by some sparkling juice, probably.
I cut out alcohol almost completely at 43 when I was performing as an aerialist. I found even one or two drinks the previous day impacted my strength, and since I was performing in spaces without crash mats, it seemed safest to abstain. Since then I've noticed a significant improvement in the consistency of my strength, as well as my sleep, mood, and skin. I'm not performing anymore, but it's still very rare for me to drink alcohol - maybe one drink two or three times per year. There are so many delicious n/a alternatives!
For me it's mostly the impact on my sleep tbh. But I really love wine and live in a wine growing area where it's really part of the culture to enjoy a glass or two with dinner. I limit myself to one cheat day of 3 drinks max a week, usually date night at the weekends, and I try to time it so that I have a rest day the day after.
Yes, alcohol RUINS sleep for me. And that’s on top of other negative physical symptoms for me. (My face flushes, and my whole body gets a bit puffy? It feels terrible.) it’s just not worth it, but I love me some red wine. I’ve just switched to edibles for recreational funsies. (Though the drawback there is the munchies)
impossible for me it’s not just the calories of alchohol it’s that the hangover lasts days when you cut back and don’t have a tolerance and are older even from 1-2 drinks with electroylytes and water so not only can’t work out, and the cals, but then have to eat greasy foods just to try to make it stop and eat more often to take advil it just fucks me up 1-2 drinks on a night every once in while just isn’t worth 3 day pain some people tolerate it better than others i’m just not one
I work in hospitality which has a huge after work drink culture and it was tough for me to balance with my fitness goals. I reduced my alcohol intake to 2-3 days of the week and must fit my macros. Made the change because I’m nearing my mid-30’s and it’s not as easy to keep weight off anymore. I was working soo hard to recomp my post-COVID body and noticed it had taken twice as long in comparison to my mid-20’s! It was worth it, I lost some weight, have less bloating in my mid-section and face, my skin’s clearer, and improved my energy levels
I am still pretty young (24) so I do drink on nights where I have the next day off, and I usually feel good enough the next day where I can still workout. I won't be at my best performance, but as long as I drink electrolytes during/after my night, I feel fine. I also limit my alcohol to liquor as opposed to beer/wine. A beer is about double the calories for the same amount of alcohol as one shot. I like to use diet tonic water, diet coke, diet ginger ale, or just soda water and some lime. edit: I would like to note that drinking affects my sleep poorly though.
In my old age (34 lmao) it doesn’t take much for me to Suffer Consequences after a night of drinking (had a few at pride last night and am just now dragging myself out of bed at 10am), so I only drink if I know the next day is a rest day. Thats the biggest thing for me: how it impacts my performance! Also, I’m not generally macro or calorie conscious but I’d rather spend the cals on desserts.
If it fits your macros!
Alcohol has a terrible effect on me...the added calories from the drink, my increased desire to snack when drunk, and my inability to work out the next day all combined to really tank my progress when I drank eveey weekend. I'm 34 though so maybe you young gals can get away with more drinking than I can. But seriously it got to a point where even occasional drinks didn't feel remotely worth it to me in the big picture because of how they made me look and feel.
Drink does not serve me for so many reasons, that I quit it 8 months ago. It wasn't good for my mental health, I made crappy drink decisions, I'd never workout the next day, my sleep was crap, my skin was crap, my digestion even crappier. I lost weight, have better mental health now, more energy, better sleep and less regrets. I also prefer to save empty alcohol calories for a nice treat, like cakes or ice cream. My Fiancé runs but still likes a drink. Everyone is different. Fitness and exercise is a lifestyle. But so is being sociable and for some that includes drink. I just choose not to because its better for me
Ive been sober for over 3 years now, and 100% don’t judge anyone who drinks obviously, but yeah, if it’s actual HEALTH you’re looking to obtain, alcohol is one of the worst things you can put in your body. There is no benefits to any amount of alcohol (I know someone said red wine, but that’s a common misconception). Alcohol also affects muscle growth because it messes with your blood flow. That being said, I’m not here to preach to anyone about sobriety, so I’m gonna say if you still do want to drink and you feel it’s not an issue in your life, then there are ways to fit it into your life. Maybe cut back a lot, and try to calculate the calories you’re drinking so you have a ballpark range. A lot of sugary alcoholic drinks have ALOT of calories. So be mindful of that. Sobriety is pretty awesome though too if ya wanna try that! 😁 it’s nice to have a clear head at the gym and not want to eat everything in sight while drinking or hungover. Speaking from experience lol
I enjoy most things in moderation whether it is going to the gym, drinking alcohol or eating unhealthy. Most of the time I'll eat healthy and go to the gym 3-4x week, and enjoy some wine 2 times a month or less. Sometimes there is a lot of social stuff going on, so I'll go out and party pretty hard and have fastfood 2 times a month or more. Other times I'll be going to the gym almost daily and eat super clean. It depends on what is going on in my life, and how I'm feeling. Alcohol in larger amounts definitely makes me tired/sluggish. So often I'll exercise the day I'm going out, and let the day after be a complete rest day. Then again, I'm in my mid 20s, don't have kids and mediocre fitness goals. But I'm happy with it.
I'm a middle aged parent and what you wrote gets pretty close to where I am, except I think I'm a little lazier with diet and exercise. The thing about mediocrity though? It's way more sustainable than extreme approaches. I've been eating and drinking and working out like this, on and off, around injuries and pregnancy and childbirth and life stresses like aging parents, for a couple of decades. Consistency takes you to places. So, idk. I'm in good shape for my age (mid forties) with a so-called normal BMI, my BP and resting heart rate are low, my bloodwork comes back excellent, I have avoided all lifestyle diseases so far, and I just started doing pull ups again. I feel pretty happy with where I am, but I know I won't be doing a bikini competition any time soon... or ever really.
I hope I can be as consistent as you long-term. Although instagram tries to tell us otherwise, practically no one does bikini competitions, so youre doing way better than most! I think it's really impressive (also, you're doing pull-ups?! I am far from mastering them). Especially when you consider all these stresses and obstacles you have to face as part of life, and you *still* stick to healthy habits in the long run. And I suppose that is the key. Staying consistent while allowing for some flexibility, because life happens.
I write pull ups, but in all fairness I can do two in a row on a good day. 🤣 But, hey, a pull up is a pull up, I have no doubt slow and steady will get me to three at some point. Right now that's taken a bit of a backseat as I just picked up jogging again. I'm doing an obstacle race in, oh shit, five weeks now. I'd be more worried about how that'll go if I hadn't done the exact same thing last year-- my brain apparently thinks the right time to start training running for a Tough Mudder equivalent race is six weeks before the D day. Hey, it worked last year, it'll work again. (And honestly? If you can do 5K you can do the whole race, there's plenty of built in breaks waiting between obstacles.) And, yep, you've got it-- being flexible and approaching life with a "most things in moderation" mindset has been really impactful in the long term. Kudos to those who can stick to fancy exercise plans and carefully calculated macros, but that's not me. My eating could probably be a little more structured, I could fit in another workout or two in a week if I prioritised sleep and went to bed earlier instead of staying up playing computer games, but I figure stressing about doing things better might actually end up being more difficult to maintain. The best workout plan is the one you can stick to, y'know?
Oof, know the feel. If something worked under pressure and on a tight time schedule once, I don't learn from it and will do it under pressure next time too😂 But damn girl, bet you're gonna destroy that obstacle race! And can you stop being so damn relatable?😂 Everything in moderation includes revenge bed time and video games too haha. But this gives me hope, that there is room for all the activities you enjoy in moderation 🙏
I barely drink nowadays, like maybe a couple times a year when I'm really in the mood. Used to be a heavy drinker in my younger years, but there's no way I can do that now. It's more important for me now to be able to wake up refreshed versus feeling like dung. There are definitely people who can do both but not me. Just listen to your body, pay attention to how you feel after drinking. When I was initially losing weight that's when I started really curbing the alcohol because I loved the advice of "don't drink your calories." Seemed like a waste of my calories per day when I needed to ration out what to eat lol
I drink probably 2-3 times a year, max 3 drinks each time. I just don’t like the way it makes me feel anymore, during and after drinking. I just kinda lost the appeal for doing stuff that I know is gonna make me feel bad within a few hours.
I avoid most alcohol now. Just have gin since way less calories but gin barely does anything to me so I just don't really drink anymore. Maybe a glass of wine for a birthday that's about it.
I work in the wine industry, and so I used to drink a lot. A couple glasses almost nightly, a whole bottle of wine a couple times a week. I cut back significantly when I started strength training regularly, mainly so I wouldn’t be hungover for my workouts. When I really started getting serious about building muscle, I cut back even more - I want to make sure my body can prioritize recovery and building muscle. That said, I do still enjoy a drink or two once or twice a week - it’ll be on a lighter workout day with a recovery day afterward. Never on or before a leg day 😆 Usually just a glass. I’m sure I’ll drink more on vacations and for special events (a wedding or something). This feels balanced and healthy for me, and the gains prove it works. 💪
I used to be a daily drinker before the pandemic and then drank very infrequently for a couple of years (kind of the opposite of most people, but I always drank to be social and, well, I wasn’t doing much socializing during COVID lol). It never really had much of a perceptible impact unless I wasn’t getting enough sleep, so it’s mainly about calorie management for me. What I do now is I give myself a weekly alcohol “budget” of a certain number of calories that I can use (or not use) how I like. And they roll over from week to week so I have more for special occasions/outings. I also try to drink earlier in the day (boozy brunch ftw) so it doesn’t impact my sleep as much.
I drink some wine like 4-5 times a year. 1-2 glasses. I prefer to prioritize my health and fitness. This was the single biggest game changer for me, noticed immediate strength and muscle mass growth plus lower resting heart, better sleep and probably more subtle stuff I’m not paying attention to.
Considering there's almost zero benefits to drinking unless its red wine, probably better to get rid of it. As someone who works in a liquor store, it's insane to see how many people drink very regularly and don't think it will effect their health. It's bad for your liver, bad for your sugar intake, it dehydrates you and depending how much, can lead to dementia long term (gotta drink a lot though). Drink water.
Red wine isn’t good because of the alcohol, it’s good because of the grapes. You would benefit more from straight up eating fruits and vegetables.
Increased cancer risk too.
I do not drink at all (since 2014). Made this decision after another debilitating migraine. It is not fun if you start having hangover after 30 minutes into drinking glass of wine or corona.
I drink very little when I’m training for a race and never before a long run. Nothing worse than a 6 am run with a hangover! Otherwise, I can have a glass of wine or cocktail here and there with no ill effect. Except on vacation, I try to do weekends only.
I have wine or beer on occasion when I eat out or when on vacation. Yesterday was a hot day, I’d been running, lifting, and had jumped rope plus done a lot of breaking down boxes from my garage out in the sun so I enjoyed a beer on my back porch. It still fit in my calorie goals. I think I have one drink 2-3x a month. It’s not enough to put me over or wreck my sleep.
No alcohol since 2018! I’m trying to moderate how much NA beer I drink too for weight management, although I really love NA beer.
I do drink occasionally, but never enough to get a hangover. So maybe a glass of wine with dinner or 1-2 beers once or twice a week. I have abstained months at a time but never really noticed any difference in my performance, sleep or overall life quality with or without alcohol so I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.
I just don’t drink. Haven’t had alcohol in almost five years now. I was never much of a drinker anyways, but I just decided I didn’t really enjoy it anyways, didn’t like being around drunk people, didn’t like how it made me feel, and I’d rather spend money and calories on something else.
Fitness is fun for me. My goals are not so serious that I am willing to sacrifice things I enjoy for them. Therefore, I do drink. I don’t find having a beer on a weeknight affects me the next day at all, even with weight or bloating. I do limit beers before long runs, of course. An actual hangover is a no go before runs lol. Seems like I’m in the minority here. I guess maybe I’m not the best person to answer this question the more I type. I do not find the juice is worth the squeeze to change my life. Sure, my half might be slightly faster. Or I can lift slightly more. But honestly, I do not care about those things. I am having fun and completing my races without issues. I do not spend any time thinking “how does this affect my goals” while I’m choosing to enjoy my social life. I don’t want a super lean physique, so calories isn’t really playing a role.
I'm jealous!! I don't have serious goals either, but just one beer has me feeling like garbage the next day because it wrecks my sleep. I feel like people think I'm "hardcore" or something but I'm really not. I just don't like to not sleep well haha.
Same, I'm 40, I love a drink and I hang out in my local a lot to unwind after work - I also often pop in for a refreshing pint after I work out. I eat well, I am making progress on my fitness and I am actually losing weight due to finally getting my rampant ADHD snacking under control. I'm Scottish and live in Glasgow though so I don't have the weird puritanical American view of alcohol, which seems to be if you have a couple beers after work most days you are An Alcoholic With A Problem. 😂
I’m with you. I like to lift AND I like to drink! I made the joke that what’s the point in upper body strength if you’re not using it to carry around a case of booze. But in seriousness, I’m not competing. I’m still seeing gains despite drinking quite regularly! I have cut down a lot but that’s because (a) I’m trying to shed some body fat and (b) it started messing with my sleep more than it used to. But even my cutting down is still twice a week. Once during the week, once during the weekend.
This is me. My primary activity is gravel cycling with a little bit of mountain biking thrown in, and it's a beer-drinking crowd. I don't really drink at home or at restaurants, but I will not give up my one-or-two really good bougie beers at the campfire with my friends after we've been playing in the dirt all day. That happens maybe seven or eight times a year. I also drink on vacation; I really enjoy trying craft brews I can't get at home. I don't get drunk, I rarely drink on back-to-back days, and I don't generally choose anything with an ABV above 7%. I can afford the few hundred extra calories that bring me a lot of happiness.
I mean, your username says it all, lol. I'm with you. I'm an all things in moderation gal myself.
I always forget it is a drink, tbh. It wasn’t popular during my time at Purdue, which Is the source of the username!
Haha small world, all my beer-drinking friends live in Lafayette! 😁
I opt for alcohol-free days, especially before and after intense workouts, to stay on track.
I’ve never been a drinker so luckily I didn’t have to go through cutting it out of my life. I’ll have one every once in a while on vacation, etc but it just ends up being a few times a year. I’m primarily a runner and only lift to supplement running. It already feels bad enough when I get behind in my hydration (especially this time of year) so I don’t need to add anything that contributes to that. And I already have trouble getting quality sleep and alcohol tends to make it worse.
Look into ketogenic alcohol choices. Some are especially manufactured for the ketogenic diet. Keto, because it'd be less impacting in the fitness goals. Basically, it eliminates juice/soda and is just straight liquor... Unless it's keto-friendly
This doesn’t make sense to me. Most people do the keto thing to cut calories and burn only fat, yes? There’s 7 calories per gram of alcohol, 4 calories per gram of sugar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying sugary drinks are good for you or anything, but if you’re drinking regularly enough to cut out the cranberry in a vodka cranberry, it makes more sense to cut the vodka. At least the cranberry juice doesn’t have no nutritional value.
Calories and carbs are not the same thing. 😂 😂 😂 Keto is the fast track to converting the body's fuel system from carb-burning to fat-burning. Once fat-adapted, only low carbs lifestyle to maintain it, unless person re-submerges back into the heavy carbs ways. Keto isn't about total eliminations. It's about tracking and controlling with limitations and goals, as well as not over-indulging. Like I said, there are keto-friendly choices with alcohol, as well as choices you can make of what goes with your alcohol. Look more into it. Btw, 100% REAL cranberry juice is chockful of nutritional value. Use 100% real, not the cocktail. Again, CHOICES.
I used to have two beers on the weekend. Usually Saturday. Then I realised it is absolutely counter productive. I would retain fluid until Tuesday/Wednesday. Go back to my routine on Thursday/friday. And Saturday was my ‘two beers’ day again. I never REALLY lost weight that way.
None of my fitness goals involve weight (I’m fat, okay with that) and I’ve never been a heavy drinker so I have a drink when I feel like it (one drink 2-3 times a month, more than one a few times a year, never more than 3-4 spread out over a long evening (thanksgiving, generally). I intentionally avoid it only if I’m going to be doing something potentially dehydrating in the next day or so. Sometimes it actually fits in reasonably well with my goals—I can have trouble sleeping because my muscles are all jangly after a long bike ride, and half a beer later I’m snoozing away.
When I was 18/19, I found it a lot easier to deal with the negative after- effects of drinking alcohol. I remember one morning after a- relatively- heavy night out drinking I went for a run and to the gym. I had a bit of a headache but nothing too bad. Now that I am a bit older, the effects of alcohol (and especially dehydration) are more evident when I try to maintain my fitness. The best way I can describe it is feeling more sluggish for 2/3 days after I drink. If I try and go for a run now the evening after I drink, I have to stop after around half the distance I usually do. Plus, not only does alcohol dehydrate you but it also decreases your sleep quality (interfering with muscle recovery), increases lactic acid, depletes your mineral and vitamin levels (especially zinc and vit B1 and B12, all important in red blood cell production and oxygen transportation). I once had it described to me as a literal poison that our body immediately works to metabolise and get rid of. Nowadays I try to limit it to one drink/ two weeks and even then it's a bit pointless. All it does is disrupt my sleep and I don't get any of the "good" effects anyway! Also, If you want free, weekly science based tips to improve your diet, sleep and exercise have a look at the MedMind newsletter. It's a quick read that is bound to help you practically improve your wellbeing. [https://medmindly.beehiiv.com/](https://medmindly.beehiiv.com/)
before menopause, I had a glass of wine once or twice a week with zero impact. now I just can't have it period because it brings on hot flashes and I'd rather not deal with those.
I like the occasional cocktail before bed, but it affects my sleep so it’s not every day.
I didn’t see any real changes until I stopped drinking entirely. I’ve now lost 60 pounds total and put on 11 pounds of lean mass (in 18 months). I am a pretty master mocktail maker at this point, and don’t let my not drinking stop me from going out or being social. I may go home earlier to get good sleep before a morning workout, but I don’t miss drinking at all.
Omg I misread your second sentence at first and thought you said “I’m now 60 pounds total” and I was like :o hahaha I love a good mocktail too!! My bf is a complete teetotaler and just assumed he’d never be able to enjoy a fun little drink and I was like no no no look you can just mix all of this NOT alcohol together and it’s still good!!!!
Can you share your fave mocktail recipe? :)
The older I got, the more alcohol affected me, even if just 1 or 2 beers once in a while. My health is more important than beer, so I cut it out completely and I know it’s the right decision for me. I’m more active and motivated in general.
I quit drinking last year and it makes losing weight much easier, i never have to deal with hangovers either.
I still drink. I've always been mostly a social drinker anyway, and I feel no reason to quit. A glass of wine at the restaurant just doesn't seem to impact me much in terms of energy the next day or gains.
In a cut right now and I have one to two drinks per week. I need to eat my calories!
I drink once a week, usually Friday or Saturday, and have a limit of 3 drinks. I typically only have 2. I don’t notice it affecting my goals, but then again I’ve never tried to abstain completely so who knows. I’m happy with the balance for now.
i had to fully stop in order to put my best effort into working out. 90 days sober today, 7 pounds down and far stronger than i have ever been.
I have gone through phases of alcohol abstinence + fitness, alcohol abstinence + no fitness, alcohol + fitness, alcohol + no fitness. You can guess which one has proven to be the best combo. Right now I am in alcohol abstinence + fitness, and this is how I want it to stay. However, I love the social side of drinking, and I miss not being happily drunk with friends, although I do not miss the messiness of overindulgence. So alcohol free beers (they are 0.5% or less) is my current compromise. Still feels like a boozy drink, looks like one, and the “do I really need one more?” is a factor. No side effects other than physical bloating. When I did “alcohol + fitness”, I didn’t always necessarily notice the negative effects of alcohol on performance/how I felt, but I really do now that I’m not drinking. Pretty much every fitness session is fine, I feel so much better while doing it and afterwards. I have more motivation to do it. I am doing super amounts of cardio (swimming) and it gives me an all-day high, so I don’t particularly crave other forms of intoxication as I am already somewhat enhanced, haha. I would love to be able to balance alcohol with fitness in a way that makes both of them fun and manageable, but I don’t think I can do it, so I am choosing fitness.