How often do you drink - On or Off cycle?

[Maverick_J8]

On cycle is stupid. Dedication and commitment needs to be there from the start.

Off cycle? How much do you drink - Method of approach?

I've found as long as I ingest some protein before, during and after (not missing any meals), i'm fine, and weight pretty much stays the same.

[Dukkit]

every night. helps me sleep. lol just playing. i dont drink at all. on or off.

[redz]

I just quit drinking 2 weeks ago as I started my cycle yesterday and I dont want to impede the results of my first cycle. I think this is something I will continue after the cycle too with the exception of vacations and holidays.

[KJSolid]

I think that drinking seems to really dehydrates me with the amount of protein that I am intaking. I do drink a ton a water also but drinking seems to kill me in the morning no matter how much water I consume. It then leads to me not being hungry the next morning and very unmotivated to lift.

[jAcKeD!!!!]

drinking decreases your test

[legobricks]

Alcohol also decreases your IGF1 levels significantly. Not only decreases test but increases your estrogen. Alcohol will supress your testosterone at the leydig cells. While drinking, your body produces more LH or Leutinizing Hormone to try to increase your testosterone levels. Leutinizing Hormone is as much responsible for arousel as testosterone is so therefore that is why you get "horny" while drinking. But since it is decreases at the leydig cell this increase in LH does NOT bring up your testosterone levels.

[crawdaddy]

i'm kinda biased being that i don't drink at all, but as stated above, alcohol has NO positive effects on/off a cycle. But if you must drink(which i did for far too long) keep it to a minimum.

[jojo2002]

i had trainer once tell my father that if he must drink to drink clear alcohol such as vodka and tequilla less sugar i suppose..

[legobricks]

i'm kinda biased being that i don't drink at all, but as stated above, alcohol has NO positive effects on/off a cycle. But if you must drink(which i did for far too long) keep it to a minimum.

Correct, Alcohol to Bodybuilding is like Water to Fire. Granted the levels measured in research that I have done with some articles were measured at the most intoxicated state (Drunk). I really have to find one article that explains alcohol and bodybuilding, a very interesting read for all newbies and even some vets for the bodybuilding world.

[IntenseAthlete]

I will consume a small glass(or 2)of red wine at nite with my meal.I have done this all the way through profesional sporting events.I found it hard to relax a nite because of the anticipation of the next days events.I won many of these events, but never more than 2 glasses.Except special ocastions which I try to plan off cycle.

[legobricks]

i had trainer once tell my father that if he must drink to drink clear alcohol such as vodka and tequilla less sugar i suppose..

False to a certain extent. Vodka has about 65 calories per shot and roughly 100calories per mix drink. Not to mention if you mix it with soda pop and the like (unless its diet but still) Ive found that the only alcohol ill drink OFF CYCLE is bacardi and diet coke. Even then i only have a couple and thats it. I really hate waking up and feeling drained, not pumped, no energy, muscles ache, etc.... Like stated in another thread my last cycle i had awesome gains, got bigger, etc... and right when i started PCT I was getting ready to move out of state and just said screw it imma drink. I ended up getting drunk for bout 5 days straight (getting drunk each night) and lost close to all my gains. Was it stupid, yes! Will i do it again, NEVER! Waste of money, time, dedication in the gym and overall lowered my self esteem. I kind of heard mixed reviews on alcohol and how it effects your gains well i can tell you first hand that it kills your gains. It took 4-5 weeks to gain back what i lost (muscle, strength). I advise against it highly (this is coming from my own personnal experience.)

[Renesis]

I drank a ton last year and it didn't hurt my gains much because I was really only starting out. Now that I am trying to gain more and more weight and push myself to other levels I find that drinking destroys any goal I try to get to. I have kept it to a minimum of once twice a month max. I can't work out the next day, focus is way off, and hunger just not there. All my lifts drop about 20lbs respectively for the next day or two as well.

[MeanMachine2000]

Leutinizing Hormone is as much responsible for arousel as testosterone is so therefore that is why you get "horny" while drinking. .

Wow....that explains alot. I just figured it was my lack of beter judgement when I was drunk that made me sleep with those ugly bitches. It just turns out I was real f*ckin horny

[Renesis]

Now we have any excuse Dude why did you sleep with that ugly chick!!! Alcohol makes you horny really it's science.

[legobricks]

Wow....that explains alot. I just figured it was my lack of beter judgement when I was drunk that made me sleep with those ugly bitches. It just turns out I was real f*ckin horny

LOL! I honestly think Test goggles are WAY worse then beer goggles IMHO!

[Dizz28]

Alcohol is a type of sugar.

One drink per day is recommended and has been shown to decrease total cholesterol, increase HDL to LDL ratio and reduce the risk of heart attack. It has other benifits as well.

On that note, I would never drink any amount while on any oral steroid. Also very limited during any type of cycle.

One drink isn't gonna have any harmful effects on you while off. These studies where it's shown to lower test levels/increase estrogen are showing the effects of heavy alcohol use, not single drinks at a time

[legobricks]

Alcohol is a type of sugar.

One drink per day is recommended and has been shown to decrease total cholesterol, increase HDL to LDL ratio and reduce the risk of heart attack. It has other benifits as well.

On that note, I would never drink any amount while on any oral steroid. Also very limited during any type of cycle.

One drink isn't gonna have any harmful effects on you while off. These studies where it's shown to lower test levels/increase estrogen are showing the effects of heavy alcohol use, not single drinks at a time

Bingo! As was stated earlier in my posts You are very right tho but most people do not have self control and thats why drinking during cycle or anytime for that fact is discouraged. One leads to 2 leads to 3 and so on. Those who have self control then more power to you, keep it up!

[Lexed]

maybe once a week but never on a cycle

[Ashop]

On cycle is stupid. Dedication and commitment needs to be there from the start.

Off cycle? How much do you drink - Method of approach?

I've found as long as I ingest some protein before, during and after (not missing any meals), i'm fine, and weight pretty much stays the same.

Usually never on cycle,,,and rarely on travel and vacation.

[Dukkit]

one word for ya... pedialyte. has cured/prevented more then a few hangovers.

[reppedout1]

only around christmas time and new years!other than that pretty much no drinkin all gym!!......repped

[gooer]

i hate drinking, i feel guilty and like i'm getting smaller whenever i do it.

however, i've done lots of research on the topic and the best explanation I found was in Franco Columbo's book: The Bodybuilder's Guide to Nutrition. he says you can have up to 2 drinks a day and as long as you supplement it with an equal amount of water in addition to the water you consume on an average day this will not hinder your progress at all. he did this every day and won Mr. Olympia 3 times and also has his PHD in nutrition. so i think it's a good rule for us amateur bodybuilders to follow.

keeping this in mind
on first date and etc i don't like to seem like a crazy work out freak (even though I am) so i'll have a glass or two to be sociable. EXCEPT during PCT - then drinking eats your muscle.

[Dizz28]

If I drink heavily, I lose about 5 - 6lbs of water weight and it takes me about 2 days to fully hydrate back up. That's why I try not to as much as possible... But I still do

[celticd]

i like to have a drink on a sat nite,on or off cycle
im not training for competion or anything like that so once its in moderation i find it ok
its gotta be done sensibly either way,it aint cheap to run a cycle so if u wana hit the bar everynite,whats the point..
at the end of the day its a pretty lonely sport cause u gotta be commited if u wana get results in the gym,so thats why i let me hair down on a satnite and enjoy myself a little

[north41degrees]

Alcohol is like a cash advance on your credit card. The calories you get from booze are the most difficult to burn. Also every alcohol (except tequila) is a depresent. We are already playing w/powerful hormones so be careful.

[texasmk4]

thank god i don't drink peroid!

[Dizz28]

Alcohol is like a cash advance on your credit card. The calories you get from booze are the most difficult to burn. Also every alcohol (except tequila) is a depresent. We are already playing w/powerful hormones so be careful.

Nice analogy, made me laugh

But... i think it's the opposite. Alcohol is one of the easiest to burn calories, to an extent. I've heard of distance runners drinking a beer while running to provide an extra boost of energy

This is a very interesting article about how Heavy drinkers "waste" the 7 calories per gram alcohol gives.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...51c0a964958260

excerpt:

He explained that the body has no way to store alcohol and that very little of it can pass through and be excreted. Thus, nearly all the alcohol a person consumes must be metabolized, a job relegated to the liver. This organ has two main ways to process alcohol, one that generates chemical energy and one that does not.

In moderate drinkers (up to one drink a day for women, two for men), the primary route results in the synthesis of an energy-conserving compound known as ATP, adenosine triphosphate. ATP can then generate useful energy to fuel any number of cellular processes.

But in heavy drinkers, Dr. Lieber and his colleagues showed, the liver disposes of alcohol in a second, energy-wasting way. This mechanism, called the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system, in effect converts alcohol into heat. If the heat is not needed to maintain the person's body temperature, it is wasted.



By the way... In no way am I suggesting it's alright to drink heavily. I'm just providing an interesting article to read that I didn't expect to be true, but it is.

[millionairemurph]

i drink before i lift, i'm Irish. Im drinking right now. When i wake up in the middle of the night, i drink wiskey.

[IamtheChitt]

i drink before i lift, i'm Irish. Im drinking right now. When i wake up in the middle of the night, i drink wiskey.

I'm with you bro. Haha. I don't drink nearly as much as I did in college or high school for that matter. I try to limit my drinking to one night a week, if at all. I occasionally drink wine with dinner. I just don't have the time anymore. When I go on vacation it tends to be a "cheat week" and anything goes. (Of course, no drinking on cycles)

[Amorphic]

I hate alcohol and what it does to people. I never touch a drop ever, and probably wont for the rest of my life.

Makes normal people act like idiots, causes tons of car accidents and has no positive contribution to mind, body, or society. it makes me sick.

nothing but an investment without a return

(not hating on you casual responsible guys, just the idiots)

[Jeff1]

LOL! I honestly think Test goggles are WAY worse then beer goggles IMHO!

LOL hell yeah =)

[Crest]

thank god i don't drink peroid!

that shit would make me sick!

[BigMatt]

I heard drinking Red Wine is not bad... Hope thats its not , as i tend to drink alot of it.

[green22]

I might drink 6 beers per year.

[Maverick_J8]

Wow at all the replies. Nice work guys.