When I started boot camp last August, I vowed "no alcohol" for the first month. I would not consider myself a heavy drinker by any means, but I was so tired from simply resetting my internal alarm clock each morning that even one drink at dinner would have put me to sleep at the table. I decided if I survived the first month, I would reconsider.
I made it though and celebrated month one over cocktails with friends. September arrived and I got back on the wagon for the first two weeks to prepare for what was to come. On September 18th, I flew to Italy and spent the second have of the month imbibing on local wine, limoncello, plates of fresh pasta and scoops of gelato. Describing the trip as indulgent would be an understatement, but I vowed to embrace la dolce vita. I came back to boot camp in early October and felt like I had lost all the ground I had gained in my first six weeks. I vividly remember yelling during bear crawls, "I'm never going to Italy again!" The trip was worth every moment, but returning home was a tough transition back to reality.
At this point seven months later, I'm finding a much healthier balance and normally only have alcohol on Saturday nights, if at all. On the rare occasion I do have a drink or two during the week, I can feel the difference the next day at camp. I'm not as strong, my legs fatigue more quickly on sprints and overall, I just don't feel 100%. So for me, feeling bad the next day simply isn't worth it most nights.
What's right for you? Here are some facts to consider:
1. Alcohol has a diuretic affect. Alcohol blocks the release of a hormone called ADH that is needed for water reabsorption. Without this hormone, the kidneys don't reabsorb water and instead excrete it as urine. One drink will likely not have much affect, but a few drinks can easily lead to dehydration.
2. Alcohol provides empty calories. If one of your goals is weight loss, calories from alcohol can slow down your progress. If you don't want to cut out alcohol completely, consider cutting your weekly quantity by half. One drink (roughly 100 calories) is defined as:
- 12-ounces of regular beer or wine cooler.
- 8-ounces of malt liquor.
- 5-ounces of wine.
- 1.5-ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
3. Alcohol interferes with sleep. Drinking is often associated with late nights, but alcohol also effects the quality of sleep that you do get.
4. Alcohol increases your risk of injury. Drinking may not cause an injury at boot camp, but your risk of injury increases while you are drinking. A twisted ankle or broken wrist from a fall under the influence might be bad enough to take you out of boot camp for some time!
For discussion: How does alcohol affect your performance?
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