Drinking

[deegee]

Who drinks here (alcohol) how much how often and how does it affect your training. I try to not drink too often but like a lot of kiwis when I do go out it is a big one. Most of us are dedicated to the sport but you still have to live right? any thoughts?

[jono]

Who drinks here (alcohol) how much how often and how does it affect your training. I try to not drink too often but like a lot of kiwis when I do go out it is a big one. Most of us are dedicated to the sport but you still have to live right? any thoughts?

before i started bb i was drinking every weekend type thing.

i basically dont drink anymore. i dont know how much it affects me cos since ive been seriously training i just dont drink.

[Growth]

Im basically the same as jono, used to drink, started bbing, dont drink anymore. I think it depends on how you drink, i would never drink now with the intention of getting totally wasted, im trying to keep my liver in top nick because of previous cycles and hopefully a few more in the future. I think binge drinking has a pretty bad negative effect on your body, and bbing is a high priority for me so drinking will always take a back seat.

I think bbing puts you in a mindset that you want to look after your body, binge drinking doesnt appeal to me.

Be interesting to hear what others say.

[tallulahangie]

I cannot afford the calories so I don't drink!

There are other substances that one can use to have a good time...

[carma]

Well, i have been known to have the odd drink here and there.

I havent been out drinking in a while (due to being unwell) and i dont plan on doing it for a while.

It is really hard though because every weekend i find myself having to turn my friends down and trying to get them to understand why i choose not to drink. Friends are always saying " one night wont hurt you".

I must say, generally my friends are pretty good about it though.

I will confess that when i do go out drinking i usually dont stop at a couple.

[bleat]

I drink more than I should be considering my goals, but I figure while I'm young I'll make the most of my social life while it's this easy to maintain- being at uni it's really just part of the culture. Not to say you need to drink excessivly or at all to have a good time, but it helps and often puts an amusing spin on the evenings activities :pfft:

I don't really put a limit on the amount I drink- my bank balance does that for me (:oops:) but I always try to leave early and get some enough sleep that training/eating the next day won't be effected. I think that's a good notion anyway; to have wanted more than to have regrets that you did too much. There is nothing worse than waking up and knowing you're going to be a state for the next day or so, where you just basically through away last weeks efforts at the gym and in the kitchen.

[Pseudonym]

Never been a big drinker myself anyway... Binge drinking's always seemed like an expensive way to have an evening you later can't remember, and a morning-after you wished you could forget...

But I'll have a few drinks every now and then - the only effect bodybuilding's had is to make me avoid those sickly-sweet mixed drinks... yuck!

[Marcus]

I probably drink more regularly now than what I did in the past 3 years. I guess the reason being I got sick of the bodybuilding lifestyle. I've also had a lot of other commitments which didn't help the situation.

However I'm now on the hunt for a decent training partner & hope to kick on again very soon.

Depending on how serious you are & what your goals are, a few beers shouldn't affect you too much. As long as they don't affect Monday's workout.

[Simo]

Yeh im pretty much an alcoholic, but yeh part of the uni life, and really you have to imbrace it while you can, but yeh it can go a bit overboard, seems to be worse around this time of immense stress (exams) so drinking becomes the outlet, but yeh il prolly have to cut back when the bf catches up on me. psyd sweet-lollie drinks are for girls.

[Brad]

Used to drink heaps - now only have 1 or 2 a weekend

[foxybrown]

I used to be a heavy drinker of wine!!! Used to drink at least 3 to 4 bottles of Sav a week. I would easily sink back two or three in the weekend and at least one or two during the week. Since I've started taking my training seriously, I'm now having just one or two in the weekend. I've found that I really don't miss drinking that much now which is a good thing! I've got my eye on my first comp in Sept and I'm determined to get my BF down as much as possible

[foxybrown]

Whoops - when I mentioned "one or two in the weekend" - that is "one or two GLASSES a weekend" NOT a bottle!! Just in case anyone read that the wrong way

[Mossley]

I used to drink a lot more before I started Bodybuilding, never heaps but now I find it is such a waste of a weekend and it affects my training for the whole week.

I agree that when you get into the gym as more than just a hobby, your mindset changes. I don't want to try and work off the extra calories, it's hard enough from the food alone!

[Cornfed]

I've been known to enjoy the odd snifter of port at Christmas time.

Honestly I don't think alcohol makes much difference to training. I've made good gains and lost fat when I've been drinking and have lost condition when I haven't been drinking (and vice versa). If anything, after doing a heavy leg workout, getting drunk seems to help with recovery. I actually think that it is partly because of drinking that, at times when I'm quite trim, I look younger that I am. I used to think I was selectively interpreting the facts to humour myself, but it seems that a lot of other people have come to the same conclusion.

[jono]

I've been known to enjoy the odd snifter of port at Christmas time.

Honestly I don't think alcohol makes much difference to training. I've made good gains and lost fat when I've been drinking and have lost condition when I haven't been drinking (and vice versa). If anything, after doing a heavy leg workout, getting drunk seems to help with recovery. I actually think that it is partly because of drinking that, at times when I'm quite trim, I look younger that I am. I used to think I was selectively interpreting the facts to humour myself, but it seems that a lot of other people have come to the same conclusion.

lol. alcohol is dehydrates you, making you drop water thus looking leaner. it also lower test levels. i wouldnt reccomend any drinking after a heavy leg day

[deegee]

seems to be a rane of replies, though with most tending towards abstinance, I think a few now and then is not going to make any difference to anything unless you are in pre contest training. I am going to give it a break for a while and monitor progress.