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At what point would drinking ruin all your efforts of achieving your goals?
I work out 6 days a week and usually tend to stay around 1700-1800 calories with a 40:40:30 macro count. But on days I drink, the calories jump up to around 2200-2500. I usually have about 3-5 liquor drinks (1-2x a week) and then I get hungry/the munchies or hungover and need more carbs/fat than usual. I'm starting to think drinking is ruining my efforts of getting a 6 pack. I'm trying to figure out how much I should cut back so that I can still imbibe but not throw all my efforts down the toilet.
imo - drinking alcohol in higher amounts is one of the very worst things you can do if you're trying to add muscle and/or stay lean. A glass of wine or a beer or two here and there isn't going to hurt you (and can even be beneficial); however, beyond that you're simply adding empty calories, ruining your sleep/rest and dehydrating yourself and your muscles which can derail any gains made.
like almost everything else, in moderation won't hinder much.
True, but at the same time if OP knows that when she drinks she tends to snack immoderately, then cutting back on (or cutting out) the booze is pretty simple way to cut calories and stay on track.
1700-1800 calories a day on a 40:30:30 diet sounds pretty low... but then again we don't know height/weight.
what is your basal metabolic?
Alcohol does hinder protein synthesis but, like almost everything else, in moderation won't hinder much.
I'm 5'4 and weigh 129lbs. My BMR is 1385.35.
The problem with drinking is I have a problem with moderation. I don't drink beer or wine either, I like whiskey mainly. And I usually start with a double.
I'm having a hard time cutting it out cold turkey and drinking it in moderation when I do drink. I'm thinking of having a shot of whiskey on the rocks every few days so that I won't go overboard on one or two days and hopefully that will help me cut back on the snacking.
The problem with drinking is I have a problem with moderation. I don't drink beer or wine either, I like whiskey mainly. And I usually start with a double.
I'm having a hard time cutting it out cold turkey and drinking it in moderation when I do drink. I'm thinking of having a shot of whiskey on the rocks every few days so that I won't go overboard on one or two days and hopefully that will help me cut back on the snacking.
A lot of people have a problem with 'moderation', so youre not alone. If people have the willpower to adhere to moderation, they wouldn't be consuming something bad in the first place, imo. Its like telling a someone that crack cocaine is ok, if done in moderation (everything in moderation) Lol.
Anyways, OP. If you're having a difficult time with alcohol (which it seems you do) you might want to seek some professional help.
Btw: I haven't had a sip of alcohol since my late teens (stuff is poison)
At what point would drinking ruin all your efforts of achieving your goals?
I work out 6 days a week and usually tend to stay around 1700-1800 calories with a 40:40:30 macro count. But on days I drink, the calories jump up to around 2200-2500. I usually have about 3-5 liquor drinks (1-2x a week) and then I get hungry/the munchies or hungover and need more carbs/fat than usual. I'm starting to think drinking is ruining my efforts of getting a 6 pack. I'm trying to figure out how much I should cut back so that I can still imbibe but not throw all my efforts down the toilet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GKelly
I'm 5'4 and weigh 129lbs. My BMR is 1385.35.
The problem with drinking is I have a problem with moderation. I don't drink beer or wine either, I like whiskey mainly. And I usually start with a double.
I'm having a hard time cutting it out cold turkey and drinking it in moderation when I do drink. I'm thinking of having a shot of whiskey on the rocks every few days so that I won't go overboard on one or two days and hopefully that will help me cut back on the snacking.
It sound like you have cone to a realization that you have a drinking problem and you can't control it. So I think you're asking the wrong question, "At what point would drinking ruin all your efforts of achieving your goals?" Obviously the extra calories will make it difficult to get a 6 pack. The more important question is what the alcohol is doing to your life and what it is capable of doing in the future.
Are you really asking if you're wasting your time working out since you can't control your drinking? I think working out and alcohol consumption are two separate issues. Controlling alcohol consumption is very difficult for some people and it ends up controlling their lives and killing them. These type of people usually don't work out. I would never recommend stopping your workout program even if you continue to drink the way you describe. I do recommend you try to confront your drinking.
Last edited by villageidiot1; 02-28-2016 at 10:50 AM..
I work out 4-5 times a week and I'm a 5'6", 115 lb, 45 yo female. I drink about 4-5 drinks per week. When I relocated, I started spending a lot of time sitting outside on an almost daily basis on our lovely back porch overlooking the water and had 1-2 drinks per night, usually wine or Crown and seven. Prior to that, drinking was something I reserved only for the weekends.
I noticed I almost immediately put on 4-5 lbs despite having the same (or very similar) diet and exercise habits. I chalked up this difference up to the increased drinking and occasional snacking I was doing, and discontinued drinking during the week. Within 2 weeks, I was back down to what had been my normal weight for several years, and that's where I am now.
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