Alcohol Once A Week

[JBarron]

Ok, so being 22 living in a college town, I am pressured to go out nightly. I don't. I limit myself to drinking 1 night a week, yet the consumption of that 1 night is fairly high.

I don't even bother lifting the next day because I'm so hungover and I know at a certain amount of alcohol intake the body is catabolic for the next 24 hours, however that could be broscience.

Question is, does drinking heavily 1 night out of the week affect my gains?

(EDIT: I am not cycling, nor have I cycled)

[B1gDaddy]

Alcohol slows test production so yes it does effect your gains.

[JBarron]

To what extent, say I lift hard and heavy all week, i eat right, and get plenty of sleep, then on my two off days I drink on one night and have the next day off. Are all my lifts for that week waisted?

[mg1228]

i wouldnt think ur whole week would b wasted----u gotta live

just try to stay hydrated during that 1 night a week--1 water to 1 beer

obviously u would b better off if u didnt--but whatever

[JBarron]

Right I do drink alot of water in between drinking.

It's just tough being in the state of mind I am in, while all of my friends are in a completely different state of mind, they are all living to party and get wasted. I am trying to accomplish something here, they don't understand.

Social life has really declined, but it's alright I have my goals.

[covert025]

1 night a week is fine man. You gotta reward yourself, take the day off or whatever you want to call it.

I know how you feel, I am in the same boat as you. The way I look at it is, enjoy it now while you can. 1 night a week is not gonna make or break your routine, you'll still look better than 99% of other college kids who eat chips all day and drink beer every night.

[Damienm05]

obviously u would b better off if u didnt--but whatever

This.

Is it bad? Sure, it's poison. Does it prevent you from making progress in the gym and in the mirror? No. You're not prepping for a contest or a movie role - this is your only life, so live it.

Now if the question was 2-3 nights per week; that's another story - just for anyone reading this in that boat.

[Just2Big]

This.

Is it bad? Sure, it's poison. Does it prevent you from making progress in the gym and in the mirror? No. You're not prepping for a contest or a movie role - this is your only life, so live it.

Words from a poet

[jared530]

Im in the same position. These are the supposed to be the funnest, more memorable 5 years of your life and your supposed to meet people and make connections and have no regrets. Take that 1 night off and have fun. You dont want to look back while you working a 9-5 saying **** i wish i could have been out more socializing.

[npb]

1 night isin't going to ruin a weeks worth of dedication and effort. It's definitely a step in the wrong direction though, in terms of diet/macronutrient standpoint. That being said, drink hard alcohol only (no sugar mixers either, water/soda with lemon or lime/diet only) and chug a huge glass of water when you get home mixed with a full spoon of raw sugar and 800mg ibuprofen. Wake up with no hangover, ready to do cardio or whatever to start the week off right.

[Damienm05]

Also, I haven't had a drink in 5 months but I when I drink only premium vodka or gin with soda water and lime (belvedere, henricks, ketel 1, saphire) I never get hungover. Plus, these drinks are only 100-250 cals depending on how much the bartender likes you.

[tjax03]

On an interesting side note, I've found recently that when I drink 1-1.5 glasses of red wine each night I feel great the next day and look more defined in general. I was thinking about why this may be the case and read that red wine contains chemicals which act as aromatase inhibitors. Originally I had just thought that the alcohol had dehydrated me somewhat but even with compensatory water intake the effect remains, so I think there may be some anti estrogenic effect from the wine that is reducing a small amount of bloat. Aside from that effect I find that I have a great deal of energy during the day. I'm not going to attribute that to the wine, but just say that as long as your diet and macros are in check, a glass of wine each night may be more beneficial than harmful to the physique. I don't know if this would hold true for a competitor or someone on AAS, as I have never cycled though.

[mg1228]

On an interesting side note, I've found recently that when I drink 1-1.5 glasses of red wine each night I feel great the next day and look more defined in general. I was thinking about why this may be the case and read that red wine contains chemicals which act as aromatase inhibitors. Originally I had just thought that the alcohol had dehydrated me somewhat but even with compensatory water intake the effect remains, so I think there may be some anti estrogenic effect from the wine that is reducing a small amount of bloat. Aside from that effect I find that I have a great deal of energy during the day. I'm not going to attribute that to the wine, but just say that as long as your diet and macros are in check, a glass of wine each night may be more beneficial than harmful to the physique. I don't know if this would hold true for a competitor or someone on AAS, as I have never cycled though.

i was reading one of the sample diets in muscle and fitness the other day---and at dinner every night they had 5oz red wine listed---but they didnt really explain it----

they say if ur gonna drink it--make sure it is a dry red wine---the least carbs evidently

[JBarron]

Thanks for all the great replies. Yes I do actually drink vodka waters with a lime, but lol I drink them quick and a bit to many.

I've also read that 1 glass of red wine a night is beneficial in many ways.