As the great Hollywood intellectual of our generation (and the previous one too, and the one before that), Sylvester Stallone, aka John J. and Rocky Balboa, once put it:
“Success is usually the culmination of controlling failure.”
Yep, thanks for that, Sly. On the money, as usual. But jest as we may, he has a point. By controlling failure (what’s going wrong and what’s not working), we usually hit the point of success (or what works). As a recovering addict (9 years of being very clean and very sober) and a successful entrepreneur (running a highly-regarded boutique digital marketing company in Medellín, Colombia), I know a thing or two about winning and losing. More specifically, I know about losing, and then winning. “Controlling failure”? I guess that’s what sobriety and success are all about.
One of the biggest changes to my life that I was actively encouraged to make once sober (you really don’t want to know about rehab, do you?) was introducing, and sticking to, an exercise regime. Yes, getting fit and staying there. The daily routine of looking after myself physically would become a cornerstone of my recovery, and now, even in my mid-thirties, I am fitter, healthier, quicker and stronger than I’ve ever been. Fact.
So, I started wondering “Why?” Why am I like this now? I played so much sport as a college kid, especially basketball, constantly owning and defending every court that me and my friends walked out onto, that I should have been as physically healthy as I finally am now. What stopped it happening? It’s all clear for me now, crystal clear. I’ll give you a clue. I was 9 years old the first time I got drunk.
The idea behind this article is to clarify a few things (and dismiss a few myths) about fitness and alcohol, and how much the second one affects the first. In other words, how losing the boozing is going to have one big positive effect on your fitness levels. Control the failure (alcohol) and the success (real fitness) will come. Ok, no more Sly, I promise. So here’s George.
The Immediate Effect of Alcohol when Exercising
George Best, arguably the most naturally-talented footballer of his generation and a chronic alcoholic to boot (excuse the pun), once said,
“I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered.”
Yep, pick that one out of the back of the net, Sly. However, as talented as George was, his alcoholism prematurely ended his career, and, ultimately, his life. Going out on the town (and getting very, very drunk) the night before an important game was part and parcel of his celebrity status, and somehow his talent got him through the following day. However, we are not all as naturally-gifted as him, the guy who was nicknamed “The Fifth Beatle.” For us mortals, alcohol has a direct effect on our physical abilities.
So just how does alcohol affect your sports performance? It’s a double-edged, and immediately felt sword:
- Alcohol is a diuretic. Your kidneys, on consuming alcohol, produce more urine, and you dehydrate. Throw in exercise, and you sweat too, making you dehydrate even more, and that leads to a reduced performance.
- Alcohol, when it’s being broken down by the liver, means that the organ can’t produce enough glucose, leaving you with low blood sugar levels. Exercise needs sugar for energy. Not much sugar? Poor performance.
Personally, I exercise best in the morning, be it the gym, a run, or hitting the local basketball court.
Exercising with a Hangover
The dreaded hangover. Attempting to exercise the day after the night before (yes, I had to think about that one too…), apart from your dehydration, your headache, your nausea, and your sensitivity to light and sound, is not going to be very productive. Another fact. You can ease this pain if you’re going to consume alcohol the night before exercising by just sticking to one type of drink with food.
So what about alcohol after exercise? Well, that ain’t going to do you much good either, my friend. Drinking alcohol with already low fluid levels will make you yearn for high-calorie foods, and that, if you’re serious about your fitness regime, is no “winner, winner, chicken dinner” outcome.
And The Long-term Effects?
Talking of calories, alcohol is full of them. 7 per gram, with my professor hat on, making it very nearly as calorific as pure fat. Really? Yes, really. Alcohol also limits a number of calories that you actually burn when exercising, so, if weight management is one of your aims, you’ve got a problem.
It doesn’t stop there. Long-term alcohol consumption will affect your body’s ability to gain muscle. It can upset your sleep pattern, and it’s only in deep sleep that growth hormones are effectively released. And, wait for it, it can lower the testosterone levels in your blood, vital also for muscle growth.
As an aside, if you’re concerned that your consumption of alcohol is at dangerous levels, you’d do well to remember that it’s not just its physical effect. Problem drinking can bring a lot more than just that, and I’m not even talking about the constant blackouts you may experience. Trust me, I know.
Alcohol and Your Heart when Exercising
This may come as a shock, but alcohol can create irregular heart rhythms. During exercise, the effect of alcohol will stress your heart muscles, and possibly lead to the organ not performing in the way that it should.
Alcohol and Your Ability to Recover from Injury
I once took a hefty crash out on the basketball court and damaged some tendons in my attempt to avoid hitting the concrete. Doh! Gravity, Andy, gravity… Suffice to say, I was sidelined for a couple of months. So, what’s a young alcoholic to do but devote more time to his addiction? However, I didn’t know then how much the alcohol was slowing down my recovery from the injury, due to more open blood vessels making the swelling much worse.
Given the Choice…
So, there you have them – 5 important facts about fitness and alcohol – alcohol’s immediate effect when exercising, exercising with a hangover, the long-term effects, your heart, and your ability to recover from injury. All of these (because I never really took the professor’s hat off) when taken together is proof that if you are serious about exercise, getting fit and staying there, and living a successful, healthy life, you really need to look at the potential damage that alcohol may be doing to what you’re trying to achieve. Losing the boozing will definitely improve your ability to reach those goals.
How do you balance your exercise regime with your alcohol intake? What sports work best to maintain your fitness? Please let us know with a comment. Gratefully, accepted, as always.
Lastly, one more quote from good ol’ George;
“If you’d given me the choice of going out and beating four men and smashing a goal in from thirty yards against Liverpool or going to bed with Miss World, it would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both.”
Guest Blogger
Andy Macia, aspiringfreelancewriter@gmail.com
