It is generally accepted that avoiding alcohol is a good thing when it comes to your health, particularly if you’re into a healthy lifestyle and you're taking moderate exercise. While the odd tipple is considered okay, below are some insights into how alcohol can affect your workout.
Dehydration
Because alcohol is a diuretic, it drains moisture from the body. Water is key for keeping our bodies in healthy working order, and it also helps to regulate its temperature, which can make exercise tricky, if you are dehydrated.
Drinking alcohol means the heart rate will increase faster than usual and your body’s temperature will significantly rise also, making exercise uncomfortable. You’ll also sweat more, which will dehydrate the body further. If you are drinking, try and alternate your alcoholic drink with a glass of water, which won’t stop dehydration, but it will help to ease it.
Muscle fatigue
Lactic acid, which causes cramps, can build up when you drink alcohol, which means that you're far more likely to experience painful periods, during your workouts with alcohol in your system.
Sugar spikes
Alcohol is full of sugar. When food contains such a high glycemic load, it quickly turns into glucose once fully digested. This sudden spike means inflammation, which can lead to water retention, that creates bloating and fatigue as it drops again, which can greatly affect your workout.
Unhealthy cravings
The day after a few drinks often comes with cravings for fatty foods, hence our national appreciation for the fried breakfast because alcohol encourages a chemical in the brain called galanin that acts as a surge, the knock-on effect causes us to crave foods that are rich in fats. That feeling of sluggishness, alcohol and a diet devoid of nutrients, means our bodies aren’t fuelled in the right way, and as a result exercise will be harder. (Source: https://www.vogue.co.uk)
Conclusion
Everything we indulge in should be done in moderation. The more effort we put into moderating what we do, the healthier our lives can be. So, while alcohol can affect exercise, it can also affect other areas of your life too, particularly if it's not taken in moderation.
