{"id":1325,"date":"2018-03-15T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2018-03-15T10:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/ie\/the-core-ie\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2023-02-07T16:30:20","modified_gmt":"2023-02-07T16:30:20","slug":"guide-to-alcohol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/ie\/the-core-ie\/guide-to-alcohol\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide To Alcohol"},"content":{"rendered":"

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BULK POWDERS\u00ae GUIDE TO ALCOHOL<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019re not advocating drinking, in fact, many of us here at BULK POWDERS\u00ae are teetotal \u2013 but it can be hard to say no to a festive tipple or two (or three\u2026or four\u2026). We all know it\u2019s not the smartest of ideas, but there won\u2019t be many people who completely abstain from alcohol for any festive period.<\/p>\n

So if you are going to drink, what\u2019s the deal with alcohol? The bad news is it\u2019s not going to help you in the long run. Drinking week in, week out is something you won\u2019t catch anyone serious about building muscle taking part in. But for a one off most people will indulge. So we\u2019ve put together a survival guide, answering some of the most common questions, that might help you when deciding whether to indulge or not.<\/p>\n

CAN I WORK OUT AFTER DRINKING?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We\u2019re not talking about staggering into the gym at 3am after having had a skinful\u2026 We mean the kind of scenario where you head out to the pub at lunchtime, sink a pint or two and then head straight to the gym after you finish your day at work. More common than at any other time, is it safe for you to hit the gym after a sociable drink?<\/p>\n

The smart answer is no. Although you might feel fine after a couple of drinks, alcohol affects your nervous system, even after a couple of mouthfuls, slowing you down and and impairing balance and hand-eye coordination. Plus even a drop of alcohol reduces your strength, endurance and aerobic capacity. This makes a gym visit after some bevvies more risky, and more effort with less to be gained.<\/p>\n

Exercising with alcohol in your system (which includes the morning after) will certainly make you feel the burn the next day \u2013 it slows down the rate at which you recover and is a sure-fire way to get DOMS. Plus alcohol is also a diuretic, which means you are prone to becoming dehydrated more easily than usual. But after a long afternoon (post pub-lunch), surely the alcohol will have worn off? The effects of your drink are at their strongest 40 to 90 minutes after drinking \u2013 meaning that hopefully the worst is over by the time you reach the gym. But the alcohol will stay in your bloodstream until your liver can process it, and everyone metabolizes alcohol at a different rate. The leaner you are, the quicker your rate will be \u2013 so if you are bulking for the winter then watch out!<\/p>\n

The NHS advises that, roughly, it takes about an hour for your body to break down just one unit of alcohol \u2013 dependent on your weight, age, sex, metabolism, how much you\u2019ve eaten that day and what is was that you drank. So if you had two pints (or a large glass of wine) at 1pm, it\u2019s estimated that by 7pm your bloodstream will be alcohol free. So should you feel the gym call you, make sure you drink plenty of water and exercise with care.<\/p>\n

WHICH DRINK IS THE BEST FOR ME TO CHOOSE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There is no \u2018best drink\u2019. Only some choices for you to make about which drinks will harm your macros less than others. And seeing as we\u2019re all trying hard to either make some gains or lose some pounds, even we like to make sure we don\u2019t throw months of hard work down the drain. Drinking in moderation is certainly better than an all-out binge \u2013 but it’s not usually about moderation! If you can, try and stick to no more than three drinks. If you can\u2019t, then be aware of your calorie intake \u2013 which is set to explode. Your body will prioritise metabolising the alcohol ahead of burning fat \u2013 so that late night kebab after several pints is never a good idea\u2026<\/p>\n

CALORIES IN BEER<\/h3>\n

Beer can vary in calories: if you\u2019re the designated driver then you\u2019re only going to be knocking back roughly 40 calories per time with a non alcoholic beer, however a pint of something stronger can set you back more. Stella is 256 calories, Grolsch is 244, Heineken is 227, Becks Bier is 204, Fosters is 193, and Carling comes in as \u2018the best\u2019 with only 187 calories (all per pint).<\/p>\n

CALORIES IN WINE<\/h3>\n

Wine also varies: in a 175ml glass, there are 133 calories in an average Champagne, 119 in an average red wine, 124 in an average rose wine, 116 in an average dry white wine and 130 in an average medium white wine.<\/p>\n

CALORIES IN SPIRITS<\/h3>\n

Spirits are a much more calorie friendly bet, especially when paired with a diet mixer. A single Bacardi and coke or Jack Daniels and coke is 129 calories, but making a swap to diet coke takes it down to just 65 calories. An even more diet friendly option is Southern Comfort \u2013 with regular lemonade a single comes in at 73 calories but with diet lemonade a single will set you back just 48 calories.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a lover of cocktails or alcopops then your macros are going to need some serious manipulation to factor in the amount of sugar these drinks can contain! A bottled alcopop like Bacardi Breezer contains around 160 \u2013 180 calories on average, but a WKD is one of the worst, setting you back around 230 calories.<\/p>\n

I\u2019VE WORKED HARD, NOW I WANT PLAY HARD! HAVING A BEER WHILST SHOWING OFF MY POST WORKOUT PUMP IS OKAY, RIGHT?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yes\u2026 but not if you crack open a beer as soon as you place the weights back in the rack. After a workout your glycogen store will be depleted and topping them up with alcohol isn\u2019t the smartest idea. Giving your recovering muscles a drink will displace the carbs in your system that work to repair the muscles. This can affect you up to eight hours later, leaving your glycogen stores 50% lower than normal and setting you back a day of making progress.<\/p>\n

If you must drink immediately after a workout, make sure your body is fully prepared for the recovery process by consuming some muscle repairing\u00a0Complete Recovery\u2122<\/a>\u00a0and a high protein\/high carb snack (try\u00a0Active Foods\u2122 Peanut Butter<\/a>\u00a0on wholemeal toast) first.<\/p>\n

ARE THERE ANY OTHER SUPPLEMENTS I CAN TAKE TO LESSEN THE EFFECT ALCOHOL HAS ON MY RECOVERY?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As mentioned above, protein is key to ensuring that protein synthesis (the process of building new stronger proteins for stronger muscle tissue \u2013 essential for building muscle) doesn\u2019t decrease. In an experiment in America athletes were tested to see whether their protein synthesis reduced when drinking after a workout. They drunk a lot of booze in three hours, and their protein synthesis decreased by 37%. The same subjects repeated the experiment, this time supplementing with a whey protein recovery drink \u2013 this time their protein synthesis only decreased by 24%. Drinking every so often, or not drinking a lot doesn\u2019t necessarily have to equal a loss in gains, but you must get straight on your post workout nutrition and supplements to lessen the effects.<\/p>\n

Aside from\u00a0Complete Recovery\u2122<\/a>, you can also help out your body with any whey protein product, such as\u00a0Pure Whey Protein\u2122<\/a>\u00a0and a\u00a0post workout supplement<\/a>\u00a0such as\u00a0Complete All in One\u2122\u00a0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WHAT ABOUT MY HANGOVER? WILL A WORKOUT MAKE IT DISAPPEAR?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Although there is no magical cure (unfortunately), there is some science behind \u2018sweating out\u2019 a hangover. Producing sweat helps to eliminate all the toxins from your body, and can help you feel back to normal a lot quicker. But you must take a few precautions before you hit the gym in a \u2018delicate\u2019 state.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s no secret that alcohol makes you pee, and at around 10oz of urine out for every two beers in (and no other fluids), the morning after the night before can see you seriously dehydrated. Being as little as 2% percent dehydrated can hurt your performance, so try\u00a0Complete Hydration Drink\u2122<\/a>\u00a0to rehydrate.<\/p>\n

Be as well rested as you can before working out. Drinking can decrease sleep duration and increase wakefulness, especially in women, who get on average 30 minutes less sleep when they have been drinking. A disrupted nights sleep can reduce the amount of human growth hormone you produce by anything up to 70%, which can make for a fruitless gym session.<\/p>\n

Pre-work nutrition has never been so important \u2013 skip the fryup and instead choose a carb filled breakfast, such as\u00a0Complete Protein Porridge\u2122<\/a>, an hour before you train to give you the energy to get through your session.<\/p>\n

Gearing up for a high intensity workout might be a mistake, as doing so much movement without rest when your body can\u2019t recover quickly might be a step too far. Instead stick to an easy stretch on the treadmill or lifting \u2013 going easy on the reps to avoid exhaustion and overexertion.<\/p>\n

WHAT ABOUT REDUCING MY HANGOVER? ANY TOP TIPS?<\/strong><\/h3>\n