The Other Kind of Six Pack

You’re locked into the program. You’ve changed your diet and have already dropped 10 pounds. You’re starting to feel your midsection firm up but for some reason you still don’t have a good “display” of your hard work. Hmm, maybe you can talk about it with your buddies over a few beers after work. A few beers you say?

To Beer or Not to Beer

Having a few drinks with friends is a relaxing and enjoyable thing to do. Remember though that one of the main paths to your six pack abs is to uncover them. You can do all of the cardio and strength work in the world but if you then proceed to keep your abs covered by a layer of fat, put there by beer or other forms of alcohol, then you will not see the results you are expecting.

There’s a lot of calories, otherwise known as energy, in alcohol. You don’t have to drink a lot to start putting on some weight. So if you’ve mastered the food part of your diet, are engaged in a solid fitness routine but are still not seeing what you expected to see, and can’t get over the “hump”, have you considered drinking a bit less of the alcohol you enjoy?

The other aspect of alcohol is that is slows down your metabolism. Let’s just say your calories will hang around longer. That’s something that is the opposite of your fitness goals.

Exercise speeds up your metabolism, alcohol slows it down.

Which one do you really want?

A short list of alcohol’s impact on your performance

• reduced strength
• reduced endurance
• diminished recovery
• reduced aerobic capacity
• reduced muscle growth
• reduced fat metabolization

Let’s be clear, we’re not saying you should lead a boring life and give up all drinking and fun with your friends. We are saying to raise your level of awareness about what you put into your body.

Having a drink once in a while will not stop your progress but having too many will certainly slow it down and perhaps bring you to the point of frustration and may be a factor in you wanting to give up your goals. After all, it is easier not to get in top shape.

It’s a challenge to create goals and to work at them, day after day. It’s an accomplishment to see them fulfilled. Enjoy your life and at the same time keep peeling away the obstacles to your goals. For some it may be that cheeseburger they enjoy, for others it may be a 6 pack of beer covering up their 6 pack abs.