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8.9Fitness Tip - Avoid Alcohol Before and After a Workout
8.9/10
94
votes
2/10/2009
How alcohol can actually be harmful to your body and your performance when taken right before or after exercising.
Alcohol and exercise do not mix! Even if you have a few drinks a full day before exercising it can still hinder your performance. If you do have a drink, make sure that you do not drink for 2 hours before and 2 hours after a workout. If you drink close to working out, it will hinder your performance, hurt your recovery and harm your body.

Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that is causes you to loose more fluids that it contains. It also decreases the production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). This is the hormone that regulates your fluid balance. As a result, you will be dehydrated but will not get thirsty. This is very bad for exercise. You need to be hydrated during exercise to provide your muscles with the minerals and electrolytes necessary to perform. When you are not hydrated, it will take you much longer to recover from a workout and it will actually starve your muscles. If you do have a drink, make sure to drink plenty of water afterward. Don’t follow up alcohol with a cup of coffee! Coffee is also a diuretic and you will make your dehydration worse.

Sometimes people have a beer (or two) right after working out. They think that it contains good calories and water to help your body recover. This is not true! Drinking alcohol does not supply your body with water! It will dehydrate you. It does contain a high number of calories. However, the majority of these calories are not converted to glycogen (that is needed by your muscles to recover). You brain will think that it is getting the calories it needs, but it is not! Alcohol also accentuates fatigue. It actually increases lactic acid production and diverts circulation away from your muscles into your skin. Avoid that beer after golfing or working in the yard!
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Here are some other related tips:
Workout for at Least 5 Minutes
Eat a Salad Before Every Meal
Do Not Eat After 7:00 pm or When You are Relaxing
Eat Protein with Every Meal to Control Your Appetite

Further Information
How Alcohol Affects Exercise
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1XrcLMOoUEbA
HHIS I sholud have thought of that!
Comment 1 On:Avoid Alcohol Before and After a Workout
Added By: VZQMYDzAUXWBwEXtJ
Added On: 4/25/2011 1:07:03 PM
2Drink Water After
PRobably drink 2 to 3 glasses of water for each alcoholic beverage.
Comment 2 On:Avoid Alcohol Before and After a Workout
Added On: 2/11/2009 6:39:32 PM
3Avoid Latte After Workout Also
Same thing as alcohol. It will dehydrate you.
Comment 3 On:Avoid Alcohol Before and After a Workout
Added On: 2/10/2009 11:29:05 AM
1