Fall signals the beginning of the season of celebrations. There’s football, holidays, and many other reasons to become festive. During this time of year, many wonder about the effects of alcohol consumption on their fitness goals. Research, suggests, beyond the obvious lowering of inhibitions and the enhancement of jovial moods, alcohol does many things to the body that can only be considered “un-toast-worthy.”
First, alcohol inhibits your ability to metabolize fat cells. Once the average person drinks more than two drinks (approximately), their liver gets saturated with alcohol. When that happens, all other liver functions are minimized until it can rid itself of what is sees as poison. This process takes about 48 hours. During this period, the body virtually loses its ability to burn fat. In essence, two drinks can cost you two days of fat storage.Secondly, alcohol affects your sleep. One of the biggest components of being fit is obtaining adequate rest. During sleep, the body rebuilds every thing that was broken down during exercise. Alcohol consumption interferes with the body’s ability to achieve REM sleep, which is vital to recovery. In short, regular drinking restricts the body’s ability to battle fatigue and recover from exercise.Third, alcohol can cause dehydration. Alcohol impacts the kidneys so dramatically regular drinkers can be living in a constant state of dehydration. Kidneys functions are typically impaired for up to 48 hours after the last drink is consumed. The implications of dehydration can range from water retention to hypertension. Proper kidney function is vital to a healthy life.
By removing completely removing alcohol your gym results can improve pretty dramatically, and you can see weight loss and increased strength and stamina during exercise. Most importantly, you can see increased productivity.