Summer has arrived, and what better way to celebrate than popping a top and relaxing. Whether you’re at the lake, the pool, or even a wedding, there is usually one common theme—alcohol. I found it fitting to bring up this topic and offer a fitness perspective to it. To some, this article will be the missing link in their pursuit to a better body.

Alcohol and food are very similar; they are both filled with calories. We’ve all heard the phrase “empty” calories, but what does that even mean? To put it simply, the calories we obtain from drinking alcohol are not filled with nutrient dense components and virtually do nothing but poison the body. There are 7 calories per gram of alcohol, just two calories shy of the amount in a gram of fat! Knowing this, avoiding sugary drink mixes and high carbohydrate beers would be a great path to take when following a diet or solid nutritional plan. These drinks will drastically sidetrack you from your goals due to the unnecessary amount of calories from sugar alone. The sugar raises your insulin response, as a result, leaving an open door for fat storage. Knowing that summer has arrived, that might be applicable next time you’re considering that mouthwatering margarita. Instead, opt for the “skinny girl” version that is sugar free and just as tasty! The “this vs that” rule of thumb is what I recommend so that people can still achieve their goals without getting entirely off the bandwagon.

So that’s it? All you have to do is avoid high calorie-driven beverages? Wrong. Calories alone are the least of your worries.

The metabolism (our ability to burn calories) is a major component of a successful diet. Following alcohol consumption, however, our metabolism takes a backseat as the body works to remove the ethanol. This survival mechanism demands high priority, for alcohol is nothing but a poison to our efficiency. This process could take hours to recover from depending on what type of alcohol was consumed as well as how much. A great analogy would be as if you were heading to work at a great pace until someone spilled oil on the highway, causing everything to slow down. Alcohol’s relationship with the metabolism is no different. So when you hear that alcohol makes you fat, know that it’s not just excess calories, but also a halted metabolism. Too add, while ridding the body of alcohol, your blood sugars crash, causing you to be hungry and eat immediately. It’s at this point where most people get sidetracked. Gorging high carbohydrate and greasy foods will only make it worse, so shoot for something lighter.

Drink too much beer and you'll end up looking like this guy

We’ve touched on what affects your physique, so what about performance? Aside from the obvious facts like a high blood pressure, liver disorders, heart disease and depression, alcohol has a severe effect to your daily functions even when you’re sober. The body must have solid REM stage sleep in order to fully rest and recover. This deep sleep has been proven to release higher growth hormone response which aids in muscular tissue development. To add, protein synthesis is greatly reduced, preventing any gains you were hoping to have while training. Yes, this means even one night of week of “letting loose” can ruin your week’s progress.

In short, alcohol and the body have a tumultuous relationship. Depending on the volume and frequency, however, you may get away with having a little fun. For those looking to trim up the excess baggage keeping them from their goals however, making better choices when drinking might be the ticket they need to succeed.

Here are some helpful hints to go by the next time you’re consuming alcohol:
• Have plenty of water before and after drinking. This hydrates your body, reducing a chance of a hangover.
• Stick to low percentage of alcohol (liquor) without high caloric additives (mixes). Beer is probably the worst, even if it claims to be “low carb.”
• Be careful with wine; if it tastes sweet, it is. Calorically, white is the best choice.
• Don’t splurge from your diet. Alcohol causes impaired thinking, so put down the slice of pizza and stick to your diet.
• Remember the metabolism is on standby, so whatever you eat is probably not going to be burned as fast (cheat meals not acceptable when drinking for this reason alone).
• Eat whole foods followed by multivitamins to boost the body back to speed.