INFORMATION HANDOUT
THE TRAINING
BENEFITS OF CUTTING
BACK THE BOOZE
Drinking large quantities of alcohol negatively impacts fitness in more ways than simply adding ‘empty
calories’. Laura Bajurny looks at how alcohol could be counteracting your hard work at the gym.
A s we emerge from lockdown and
try to get back on track with our
fitness goals, there’s one
behaviour change that could
positively impact our results straightaway –
drinking less.
There are many benefits associated with
reduced alcohol intake, including getting
a better night’s sleep, saving money and
reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.
Perhaps a lesser-recognised benefit,
though, is how drinking less can mean
better results in the gym.
Despite implementing a dedicated
exercise routine and healthy eating plan,
many would agree we don’t always see our
efforts rewarded as fast as we’d like. For
those that drink alcohol, those Friday night
beers or weekend wines could be part of
the reason.
While the effects of alcohol on weight
varies significantly between individuals, the
Better Health Channel suggests alcohol
can affect weight gain because kilojoules
from alcohol are actually burnt first, which
may result in kilojoules from food being
stored as fat if a person has exceeded their
recommended daily intake.
Alcoholic drinks can also be can be
high in kilojoules and might lead you to
inadvertently exceed your recommended
daily intake despite proactively ‘eating
better’ at mealtimes and snacking more
healthily. Some people also find themselves
hungrier when drinking alcohol, or making
poorer food choices after drinking (stone
cold sober people are less likely to go on
2am kebab runs!)
What’s more, the effects of alcohol
consumption on an individual’s body can
often last until the next day, impacting
that next gym session. Research from
the National Strength and Conditioning
Association found hangover symptoms
produced by alcohol include electrolyte
imbalance, hypoglycemia, gastric irritation,
vasodilation and sleep disturbances, which
can make gym sessions feel a lot harder -
or be the reason you send that last-minute
cancellation text to your trainer or gym
buddy.
With the Australian National University
recently finding that 20% of those surveyed
had upped their alcohol consumption during
the pandemic, some of us may have noticed
the arrival of an extra ‘COVID kilo’ or two.
The Australian Millennial Report also
discovered weight loss and fitness is one
of the main health goals for around half of
young people aged 25-35 years old, yet only
10% said they wanted to reduce or stop their
alcohol intake.
With all of this in mind, it’s fair to suggest
that increased alcohol consumption could
be hindering your attempts to reach your
health and fitness goals. While you don’t
want to be told how to live your life or that
you need to abstain from drinking alcohol
altogether, if your current drinking habits
might struggle to be classified as ‘moderate’,
you could enhance your training outcomes,
and enjoy a number of other side effects
(hello more disposable income) by reducing
your alcohol intake.
In a bid to support people in achieving
their health goals, including better results in
the gym, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation
has some interesting information on the
many benefits that can come from reducing
alcohol intake. It’s #CelebrateYOU campaign
focuses on encouraging young adults,
particularly those that may have increased
their drinking during lockdown, to celebrate
the benefits of drinking less.
For more information, visit adf.org.au/
celebrateyou/
Laura Bajurny
An Information Officer
at the Alcohol and Drug
Foundation, Laura is keen for
fellow millennial women to
recognise and celebrate the
health and wellbeing benefits
of drinking less alcohol.
FITNESSNETWORK.COM.AU