There are many people out there who are doing all the right things. They go to the gym, exercise, but for some reason aren’t achieving the results they are after. This may be because they are doing one or more of the habits that detrimentally affect exercise performance.
The main habit is drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. We are typically a binge-drinking nation and the calories from a night outs drinking quickly add up. Alcohol has the same amount of calories as fat so is very high in energy. The body’s metabolism changes after alcohol is consumed. Instead of storing carbohydrate, the alcohol’s energy is used by the body. When your body’s carbohydrate stores are low, you fatigue faster and the subsequent workouts lack quality.
The release of the hormone testosterone is reduced when alcohol is consumed. Testosterone is involved in stimulating muscle growth for strength and aggression. So you don’t feel like training, feel weaker and do not build as much muscle after the workout. Alcohol is also a diuretic and makes you dehydrated. Hydration is very important for performance. A 2% level of dehydration can result on a 20% reduction in performance. Remember to drink water while exercising as well. A rule to go by is to replace one and a half times the amount of fluid that you lose during training.
I have often talked about training in the morning being the optimum time to exercise due to heightened energy levels. The only problem is that many people do not eat anything before their early morning workout. During the night your carbohydrate stores are used to replenish the body. You need to eat some carbs so you have glucose in your blood and muscles. Without carbs the exercise is going to be of poor quality. The only excuse for not having breakfast before an early morning workout is if you’re doing cardio and trying to lose body fat. Bodybuilders do this, hoping to rely on fat stores for energy instead of carbohydrate stores. In which case you need to take some protein so your muscles aren’t being used as an energy source and break down. If doing a hard workout though, have something to eat like a banana or snack bar.
It’s important to get plenty of sleep to maintain energy levels during workouts and to replenish the body and help build muscle. When you are tired, the body’s stress levels increase. When you’re stressed, appetite may be stimulated which lead to overeating.
Smoking and drug use are detrimental to achieving your goals. Smoking reduces the ability to build muscle, reduces aerobic performances and marijuana can reduce levels of motivation and endurance. Tobacco also reduces the bodies’ immunity and produces deficiencies in B6 and magnesium, which affect the body’s metabolism. Becoming sick is always a huge setback to achieving goals. I can’t stress enough how important it is to stay healthy. Take multi-vitamins and have a balanced diet. It’s also important to eat something after your workout. Try to consume some carbs and protein as soon as you can after your workout. Carbohydrates increase the body’s immunity. Getting sick can quickly reverse the results you tried so hard to achieve.