drinking alcohol and muscle tone

[ricksitterly]

Okay, I'm sure this is WAAAAY off, and awful for my health, but I simply have to mention it. Whenever I get into one of my drinking binges I notice that my muscles look noticably bigger. Like say, if I get going to the bar three or four times a week ( hey, I'm young ) and stay out all night drinking. I still go to the gym like a few times a week and keep up with my training while I'm on this little drinking binge, but if I stop drinking completely I always decrease in size and lose about 8 pounds, yet it seems i do not lose any strength (as I can lift the same amount of weight in the gym). Obviously it's only a virtual mass gain, through water retention or something, but I definetly look and feel stronger when I'm like that. Anyone got any info on this?

[DuLayLoMo]

It just might be just the carbs in the drinks which gives the insulin level a boost which pushes water into cells. It is a test, after you wake up. Start flexing in the mirror. Contract your pecs or arms, not your ding dongs. Like most people our muscles are flat in the morning or doesn't have that fullest to them, drink a glass of wine, then 30 min later flex. You see that your muscles feels fuller and harder. I do not think drinking alone makes you feel brigger, after a steak and baked potato I feel my muscles feeling bigger too.

[Oso]

nope, the alcohol is just making you delusional.

That's why people get into fights in bars, they drink, they think
they are a bada ss with big muscles and viola` Instant Assh ole
just add Alchohol.

[sapphire tygre]

Yeah, probably the carbs. Maybe the alcohol affects the way the carbs are absorbed? Beer is yummy though, watch out for that beer gut though. Women dont like that, unless they're "chubby chasers"
I was waiting for the first post about beer.

[Losttrak]

All i know is... they feed beer to cows to "marble" layers of fat into the meat.

[sapphire tygre]

Are you serious? So my decision to cut down on the beer was a good one. That... explains... alot... but a couple a week is supposed to be good for you.

[IronFist]

I've always heard the carbs in beer were responsible for that. I've noticed it too, before.

Alcohol tends to dehydrate you. The next day you might look extra defined (if your bodyfat is low enough to notice a small change), but you will probably look flat, too. Although usually the next day you feel like crap so you don't care how you look

IronFist

[Oso]

sapphire, this in not even close to the first post about beer.
The 3rd that I can think of since the first of the year.

Beer and martial arts go together like, well...beer & martial arts.

btw, there is not enough alcohol content in beer to benefit your
cholesteral levels.

you must drink wine or liquor and the results from studies
done on the beneficial effects are so varied it's hard to tell
just from the literature what level is good for you.
1-3 is the range.

Of course, AA says that if you drink 2 drinks a day on a regular
basis then you are an alky !!


HI my name it Matt.

<chorus> Hi Matt.

and I'm an alchoholic.

[45degree fist]

You must be looking at your muscles through beer goggles (lol)


but seriously I down a 5th of Cognac every weekend and do notice a difference too.

[ricksitterly]

hmm... maybe i get bigger muscles from having to handle those "bigger" girls in bed that i wake up next to the next morning