Why alcohol is ruining your progress and the best way to balance it!

There’s no denying it—drinking alcohol, even occasionally, can make it significantly harder to build muscle and burn fat.

Here’s why:

1. Alcohol disrupts muscle protein synthesis
Studies show that muscle protein synthesis drops by 37% after working out if you consume alcohol. That’s a massive hit to your gains.

2. It impacts performance and motor skills
Alcohol slows your reaction time, coordination, and motor control—raising your risk of injury, especially during heavy lifts.

3. It wrecks your sleep and hormonal recovery
While alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, it severely reduces deep and REM sleep—two crucial phases for recovery. Poor sleep means lower testosterone and growth hormone production.

4. It alters body composition and metabolism
Excessive drinking increases the risk of muscle loss and accelerates fat gain as you age, especially when not managed.

5. It stalls fat loss
This might be the most important point: your body treats alcohol as a toxin and prioritizes clearing it out. That means the food you eat while drinking is more likely to be stored as fat since your metabolism is focused on processing the alcohol.

Bottom line:
Alcohol is a toxin. It disrupts your sleep, recovery, hormones, and fat loss—and keeps you stuck in a cycle of stalled progress.

Now, I’m all about balance. An occasional drink is fine. If you do indulge, the best options are tequila soda or straight spirits without added sugars. Studies suggest tequila may be the "healthiest" option—it's been my go-to.

Avoid beer at all costs—it’s the worst for your body composition.

To your health,
Wendell