It’s common for young people especially to consume large amounts of alcohol. Booze is part of socialization. Whether there’s a gathering, a party, or a special event, it’s likely alcohol will be served or at least available.
Although people are aware of its negative effects to the body, it somehow doesn’t deter them from drinking. Everyone enjoys a booze-infused night, but they don’t really think about the long term effects it can have.
The sad truth is that alcohol has both short and long term embittering impacts on your physical fitness levels. Let’s take a look at how it affects you:
It Can Lead to Weight Gain
Drinking more than five drinks at once can cause you to put on some pounds. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram and it has no nutritional value. It only adds empty calories that your body doesn’t need.
Excessive drinking of alcohol makes you tired and less active, which also leads to gaining unsightly weight. Alcohol has this invisible force that makes you crave for greasy, fatty foods which are the main culprits why drinkers gain weight easily.
It Can Lead to Dehydration
Dehydration is not just dangerous but also deadly because it affects some of your vital organs, particularly your brain and kidneys. Since alcohol is a diuretic or substance that causes you to urinate, it dehydrates your body. Although small amounts of alcohol doesn’t severely affect the way you get rid of fluids from your system, binge drinking is a different story.
It Can Interfere with Your Sleep
If you drink a lot of booze, it will affect your sleeping cycle. Your body becomes accustomed to living on alcohol and this doesn’t allow you to have normal sleep patterns.
In addition to this, drinking while already tired from the day’s activities will only increase the chances of you taking longer than usual to fall asleep.
It Affects Your Body’s Natural Processes
Alcohol consumption can be a huge deal breaker when it comes to keeping track of how many calories you consume and burn off. Drinking slows down the processes in your body, making it harder for your muscles to get rid of fat from your system. Alcohol also has a similar effect to insulin, which is to store carbohydrates instead of using them for energy.
Since drinking decreases your number of muscle cells, you’ll have less energy to work out and be physically active. It’s also known that alcohol inhibits protein production which leads to a decrease in muscle mass.
It Slows You Down
Alcohol affects your reaction time, which is why it’s not advised for people to drink and drive. Consuming alcohol can also decrease your hand-eye coordination and perception of time.
This will make you less physically active. You’ll feel sluggish the next day because your body has a hard time processing all that alcohol you drank the night before.
Fitness on Alcoholism
On the other hand, physical activity is good at combating excessive consumption of alcohol.
Fitness should be a regular part of sober living for women because, according to studies, people who workout are less likely to go on binge-drinking sessions. People who exercise often adopt a healthier attitude in different aspects of their lives, and that includes how they consume alcoholic beverages.
Moreover, exercise also increases the levels of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a chemical that triggers feelings of excitement and happiness. It’s considered as the body’s natural high which helps recovering addicts fight their cravings for alcohol by getting into physical activity.
Physical activity also boosts blood circulation which takes the toxins from alcohol away from the body. It also increases oxygen flow to your brain and muscles, allowing them to work more efficiently.
In short, being physically active will help you fight alcoholism effectively. However, if you’re a recovering alcoholic who’s just entered a fitness program, remember not to go overboard with it by over training yourself.
Your body needs time to adjust so take things slow. Don’t try to over-exert yourself right away because it can cause health problems that are more serious than just being overweight or obese. Consult with your doctor if you have concerns about it.
While alcohol consumption can have a negative impact on your physical fitness levels, engaging in physical activity can help you combat excessive drinking. Physical activity not only helps you stay healthy and fit, but it can also provide you with a sense of excitement and happiness that can help fight cravings for alcohol.
All in all, it’s clear that alcohol can have a negative impact on your physical fitness levels. If you’re someone who enjoys drinking now and then, don’t let this discourage you from still having fun with it! Just make sure that you always drink responsibly.