Does alcohol really slow my goals?

Post Title: Alcohol: how much is it actually hurting your goals?

Post Date: October 24, 2014

A common question is, “Does alcohol really slow my goals?”

Well, calories in alcohol are “empty,” meaning they have no nutritional value. Because of this, your body has no use for alcohol; it can’t store it, so it metabolizes it immediately. Getting rid of it becomes the sole focus of your metabolism. While this is going on, your body also loses its ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients from the foods you eat. Also, your body won’t metabolize fats and sugars. On top of that, alcohol slows your metabolism. So, even after you stop drinking, your body is still being affected, and the weight gain continues.

That’s just the metabolic breakdown of the effects of alcohol. We haven’t even talked about the plain-view breakdown of the calories you’re taking in with each drink. Let’s say you come home at the end of the day and have a few beers to relax. Three beers equates to right around 450 calories! That’s a significant portion of your workout, even if you are absolutely busting your ass! And that’s if you stopped at three beers… The brutal truth is that one night of heavy drinking can destroy an entire week of hard work.

Drinking is the ultimate plateau creator, and that’s if you’re lucky. If you’re a casual gym-goer, alcohol will put you backwards in a hurry. Nobody enjoys plateaus or regressions, but who is willing to cut out the main cause of that? It’s up to you. These are your priorities. Can you learn to have a good time sober? If you are looking to transform your body, then you are going to have to. There’s no way around it. You can’t do enough to counter drinking.

Post Title: Why it’s okay to love your body while working toward your goals

Post Date: October 20, 2014

It is so easy to want what you don’t have. Social media is full of other people’s best photos and top moments. Way too often, we compare ourselves with others, when we should be focusing on how amazing our own bodies are.

I know I have dreamed about having the body of some of the top fitness competitors I follow on Instagram, and there was a point during my prep that I had one of them set as my background for motivation. Now, nothing is wrong with a little motivation; however, I became obsessed with not having awesome abs like this person’s. It was impacting my life in an unhealthy way. When I realized this, I began to laugh. I had been so focused on this other person’s body that I was missing out on the transformation of my own. I was about three months into my competition prep and probably in the best shape of my life. Once I realized this, not only did I start to love my own body, but I felt proud of how far I had already come, which pushed me even further to work hard towards my own goals.

So, what can you do to stay motivated and love your body?

Write down your goals and keep that list visible. It forces you to be accountable.

Pick a favorite body part. If one doesn’t pop into your head immediately, think about something you like to do, like running. Most runners need your legs to perform; therefore, your legs should be high up on that list of yours!

Take a selfie! Take photos during your fitness journey to keep track of weight loss or muscle gain. You will be amazed when you compare those photos months down the road.

Eat healthy. Focus on incorporating more whole foods into your diet: lean meats, veggies, fruit, nuts, and seeds (while limiting processed foods) to feel your best.

Sweat daily. Even if it’s only 15 minutes of physical activity, 15 is better than zero. Go for a walk, jump on the treadmill, or lift some weights. Earn your shower!

Each night, look at yourself in the mirror and realize how lucky you are to have a functioning, powerful mind and body.

If you perform each of those steps daily, I promise that your focus will shift from feeling bad about your own body to absolutely loving it.

[Posts edited for length]

Title: SD Evolution | Address: sd-evolution.com

Author: Josh Scutnik | From: San Diego | Blogging since: October 2014