Drinking wine with friends outdoors or in summer cafes is a pleasant tradition and a proven way to improve mood and relaxation, especially after a long winter. But this is clearly not the best doping before sports training. Alcohol prevents our body from exercising at full strength, reducing the effectiveness of the exercise itself. In addition, there is a risk of injury. Why you shouldn't drink alcohol before training and how it can affect your athletic performance, AnySports says.
Why can't alcohol and sports be combined? Should I drink wine just before class and how much can I drink the day before? Since alcohol qualitatively affects the performance of our body during exercise, you need to know when to stop.
The main side effects of alcohol:
Alcohol dehydrates the body. Alcoholic drinks are diuretics, your kidneys start working at full strength. And since during sports you actively sweat and lose fluid, you should never drink alcohol before training. Your body becomes severely dehydrated, which negatively affects physical performance. During exercise, you should drink enough water to ensure good blood flow and the delivery of all nutrients to the muscles.
Alcohol interferes with energy production. All alcoholic beverages are broken down in the liver, blocking other functions such as glucose production. And it is necessary for the body to obtain energy. Having drunk alcohol before training, you will get tired faster, as your body will try, first of all, to remove all alcohol from the blood, and only then start producing glucose.
Alcohol dulls the reaction. Everyone is familiar with the effect of alcohol: after drinking a glass of something strong or a glass of red, we feel relaxed - alcohol affects our nervous system, dulling the body's response to external stimuli. And if relaxation in a calm environment is good, then the deterioration in coordination during training is fraught with consequences. alcohol and exercise
If you allowed yourself alcohol in the evening, and were about to go to workout in the morning, your plans may fail due to poor health. Is it okay to go to workout with a hangover? When you have a headache and thirst, it's hard to even get up and make yourself breakfast, let alone perform well in the gym.
After drinking alcohol, the likelihood of seizures increases: during sports, the muscles actively break down glucose, which leads to the release of lactic acid. After drinking alcohol, the liver, which must convert acid into glucose, will be busy cleaning the body of toxins, so it will not be able to reduce the level of lactic acid in a timely manner. An increased concentration of lactic acid will lead to cramps, lethargy and fatigue during exercise.
Planning an exercise routine the day after a party isn't a good idea. If you can't skip a workout, we advise you to think about the consequences even during the feast. Limit the amount of alcoholic drinks, eat well. Drinking strong drinks or even wine after training is also not worth it - after physical exertion, the body restores water balance, and alcohol does not contribute to this.
What else can be fraught with alcohol abuse:
Weight gain. Alcoholic drinks are very high in calories, and after a couple of glasses, the temptation to eat too much increases. If you go in for sports to get in shape, but you cannot track your eating behavior and do not mind drinking a glass or two, do not expect impressive results in weight loss.
Reducing the intensity of muscle growth. Alcohol can provoke sleep disturbances, and at night, among other things, hormones are activated that are responsible for muscle growth in the body. If you are trying to gain muscle mass, keep this property of alcohol in mind.
Increased heart rate. During sports, the heart is already working at full capacity - alcohol increases the heart rate, contributing to overload. This effect can last up to two days after drinking alcohol. Consider whether to overextend your heart? alcohol and exercise
How can you combine sports with alcohol?
- If you drink very little and not before training;
- Eat before and during a feast with alcohol. You will feel full faster, which means you will want to drink less. Also, food, especially rich in carbohydrates, helps to maintain muscle tone, and this is useful for you in training;
- Do not quench your thirst with alcohol - drink water first, and only then think about whether you want to order alcohol;
- Savor your drink - you will get more pleasure and drink less;
- Do not abuse strong alcoholic beverages if you are not confident in your abilities. Remember that the degree can always be lowered by mixing alcohol with water or juice;
- Come to the party by car - you will have an excuse not to drink.
- Do not pour yourself until your glass is empty, otherwise you can drink too much;
- Be active - dance, communicate. This way you will probably drink less;
- Drink water before bed. You will replenish the body's water balance and reduce the likelihood of a hangover the next day.
- Thoughtful approach and a sense of proportion - these are the main secrets of proper drinking.
- You can afford alcohol after sports or before training, but taking into account the fact that your body must have time to recover before and after exercise.
