Does Alcohol Slow Your Weight Loss?

I wish the answer was "No" as I have a great love of fine wines. Even some not so fine. It relaxes me, makes my back yard in the summer warmer, changes the flavor of my steak, and Chardonnay is a dream with seafood.

But unfortunately the answer is "Yes". Alcohol has all sorts of side effects which can inhibit your weight loss and workout goals.

Alcohol damages muscle cells, causing your recovery to last longer, including long lasting soreness. Your body produces lactic acid as a result of tension on the muscles. This is the main cause for muscle soreness. Alcohol does not allow ones body to evenly distribute large amounts of lactic acid. Once the lactic acid has time to flow though your system, soreness slows. If alcohol inhibits this, then soreness hangs out for a while longer. Which I do not think is something that is desired by anyone.

Alcohol also reduces strength. Did you know alcohol consumption will reduce your muscle growth by 70%. Yup. I said it. 70%. So next time your pumping iron in a P90x workout and doing the 6-8 rep with high weights, only 30% of those count when following up your evening with a glass of wine. Scary!

Alcohol is a dehydrator as it causes your body to flush fluids. Maybe this explains why when the good buzz is on, so is the run to the restroom. You must be hydrated to get good workout results and for your muscles to repair. Total dehydration is also a main cause of a hangover. When you are on a mission to drink a gallon of water a day, alcohol has a negative reaction and again throws away your hard work.

Have you heard of a thing called the "munchies"? Consuming too much alcohol takes over your common sense and Doritos's look that much better. Not only are you consuming numerous empty calories (which means your body gets nothing in return), but now your consuming food you would not have otherwise. Eating high carbs late at night destroys Human Growth Hormone levels. The HGH restores your body and rejuvenates you for the next day. But if HGH is having a hard time working because those cheesy fries are using up the energy instead, you won't feel refreshed in the morning. Now the next day you toss aside your workout. Alcohol consumption just ruined two workout days.

Another interesting point is the body's loss of heat. Poor circulation causes stress on your now cooling muscles and not allowing them to heal from your workout properly. Heat quickly penetrates out of ones body. This can be seen in flush cheeks, the removing of layers of clothing/hoodies at a party, or friends heading out in the snowy yard to "cool off". Your body is now releasing too much heat, too quickly, due only to the fabulous Riesling in your hand.

Have I given you enough reasons to back of the alcohol yet? If you are going to consume alcohol, do it very infrequently and save it for special occasions. Enjoy hard liquor on the rocks. Less calories and one does the trick!