Lifestyle, Alcohol and Gains

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

[quote]Fulmen wrote:
Now guys, there’s a big fuckin difference in beer and hard alchohol. Beer, unlike hard liquor, has enzymes that would AID in digesting protein and related nutrients.

That, in essence, could help you to gain if you were to moderate your intake (i.e 1-2 beers a night or so). I’m guessing on what moderate intake is, but that sounds like a good number.

So if you’re gonna drink, drink beer.[/quote]

Do you think it would actually help my training if I drink, like a single beer every other day? Or would it be best to don’t? :slight_smile:

22

[quote]Misterhamper wrote:
Fulmen wrote:
Now guys, there’s a big fuckin difference in beer and hard alchohol. Beer, unlike hard liquor, has enzymes that would AID in digesting protein and related nutrients.

That, in essence, could help you to gain if you were to moderate your intake (i.e 1-2 beers a night or so). I’m guessing on what moderate intake is, but that sounds like a good number.

So if you’re gonna drink, drink beer.

Do you think it would actually help my training if I drink, like a single beer every other day? Or would it be best to don’t? :)[/quote]

First, allow me to go into detail. Any alcohol takes WATER to transport it throughout the water, so if I’d have to choose, I’d drink water over anything. Back to alcohol. Hard liquor is high in calories since it has large amounts of alcohol, and those calories convert to sugar.

Generally speaking, one shot gives you about 25 carbs and 100 calories. Also, it takes 8 ounces of water taken with a shot to help compensate for muscle dehydration. Beer and wine are far better choices. Beer is low in alcohol content, so you don’t have to worry about a surge of sugar going through your body (and bodybuilders don’t need that). The alcohol content of wine is about 18 percent for sweet and 12% for dry choices. You’ll get around 70 calories from four ounces of wine (40 calories for dry wine).

Wine is great for digesting proteins and other nutrients because it contains well over 300 enzymes. Drier wines have higher enzyme contents. Beer, on the other hand, contains only a few enzymes (which is gets from brewer’s yeast and malt barley).

About two glasses (4 ounces each) of wine per day would be great in aiding your digestion, thus helping with your physique. I’d stick to a can or two of beer per day or every other day (preferably the latter since you have to drink more beer than wine) if you choose beer.

23

Don’t make assumptions. I do drink. Beyond that, because I ask a question about something does not preclude that I require justification for my actions.

Your post smacks of a particular judgmental mentality I find too common these days. I am asking questions, why do you think I posted this in the first place?

[quote]rmccart1 wrote:
To the original poster, it sounds like you drink and started this thread because you wanted people to tell you that it’s OK. Maybe you need to ask yourself why drinking is so important to you, and whether it’s more important than progress in the gym.[/quote]

24

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
A-Dizz wrote:
if and when you drink, you shouldn’t eat anything, because while the alcohol is still in your bloodstream your body has a hard time converting any food into energy. Even lean proteins and veggies will most likely get stored as fat.

This makes no sense to me at all. Can you explain it further?[/quote]

I have read that, because alcohol is a toxin, once consumed, your body shifts priorities from the proper metabolization of food to elimination of the alcohol. Because of this, much of the energy from food you eat while drinking is converted to fat. I read it in Muscle Media years ago.

Personally I am not so much concerned with fat loss as muscle gain.

25

[quote]shawninjapan wrote:
Don’t make assumptions. I do drink. Beyond that, because I ask a question about something does not preclude that I require justification for my actions.

Your post smacks of a particular judgmental mentality I find too common these days. I am asking questions, why do you think I posted this in the first place?

rmccart1 wrote:
To the original poster, it sounds like you drink and started this thread because you wanted people to tell you that it’s OK. Maybe you need to ask yourself why drinking is so important to you, and whether it’s more important than progress in the gym.

[/quote]

I know why you posted it. You wanted people to tell you that the research is wrong and that they gained muscle just fine while drinking. If you weren’t seeking justification, then what’s the point? Study after study has shown that drinking is detrimental to muscle gains. What more do you want?

You know that anything other than very light alcohol consumption has a deleterious effect on body composition and athletic performance, so justification is the only possible thing you could be looking for. Either quit drinking to optimize progress, or accept a slight setback to continue to enjoy an occasional drink. It’s not that hard, and neither requires a thread.

26

[quote]rmccart1 wrote:
shawninjapan wrote:
Don’t make assumptions. I do drink. Beyond that, because I ask a question about something does not preclude that I require justification for my actions.

Your post smacks of a particular judgmental mentality I find too common these days. I am asking questions, why do you think I posted this in the first place?

rmccart1 wrote:
To the original poster, it sounds like you drink and started this thread because you wanted people to tell you that it’s OK. Maybe you need to ask yourself why drinking is so important to you, and whether it’s more important than progress in the gym.

I know why you posted it. You wanted people to tell you that the research is wrong and that they gained muscle just fine while drinking. If you weren’t seeking justification, then what’s the point? Study after study has shown that drinking is detrimental to muscle gains. What more do you want?

You know that anything other than very light alcohol consumption has a deleterious effect on body composition and athletic performance, so justification is the only possible thing you could be looking for. Either quit drinking to optimize progress, or accept a slight setback to continue to enjoy an occasional drink. It’s not that hard, and neither requires a thread.
[/quote]

Yeah. The interweb may run out of space.

27

[quote]rmccart1 wrote:

You know that anything other than very light alcohol consumption has a deleterious effect on body composition and athletic performance…[/quote]

Agreed.

28

Because I will assume that your reading comprehension skills are not the problem, and that you just choose to ignore what it was I said, I will post it again:

“I was wondering, however, if any of the really advanced guys have made serious progress while drinking every once in a while. Every once in a while would be around twice a week.”

[quote]rmccart1 wrote:

I know why you posted it. You wanted people to tell you that the research is wrong and that they gained muscle just fine while drinking. If you weren’t seeking justification, then what’s the point? Study after study has shown that drinking is detrimental to muscle gains. What more do you want?

[/quote]

I know that you are just responding in your condescending manner in order to score internet “cred” points, too, but why don’t we instead stick to the question which I asked, not the words you want to put in my mouth.

29

Are you seriously wondering if champion boxers, olympians and Mr Olympias get smashed twice a week?

30

There’s a fucking difference between drinking, and getting smashed.

Well, at least to me, since I’m not into getting “plastered”, “smashed”, etc.

31

This is an interesting question all together. I am forunate enough to wrestle with a lot of canadas top athletes. We’re talking national calibar, national champs, university champs, etc.

High level stuff but one thing I’ve noticed is that for whatever reason a lot of these wrestlers drink a ton…in fact almost every wrestler i know drinks like mad and yet they are all cut as hell and physical machines.

My thinking behind it was always that they just have the elite genetics to get away with it because hell wrestling seems to attract a lot of freaks.

32

Shawn, I didn’t ignore the question, and I’m not trying to make you feel bad/inferior/guilty whatever.

All I’m saying is the answer to your questions is obvious. All I want you to do is own up to why you’re asking them. Of course you can add muscle, a lot even, while drinking. It slows most people down a little, but you may not care. It’s your decision.