It is possible to enjoy a healthy night out, whether alone or with your drinking buddies – that is, if you are a certified healthy guy, one who eats healthy food and goes to the gym on a regular basis. If you’re sure you are in the best of health, it is safe to go out on weekends and have some rounds of drinks. You can even overdo it at times. Clearly, for an individual with a fit and healthy body, he can enjoy a healthy night out, and minimize the damage.
According the Dr. Jim White, a licenced nutritionist and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, men can enjoy the healthiest form of liquor or alcohol if it is served on its own, without any sugar-laden juice or soda. He also suggests that gin and vodka are the best liquor to take, as they cause minimal health damage, even with excessive consumption.
There are other ways that can help you enjoy a night out and remain healthy:
Eating well to avoid nutrient depletion
Do you now that those who tend to enjoy drinks during the weekends, or any day for that matter, are prone to malnutrition? And so, it is vital to maintain a healthy diet to ensure nutritional recovery.
It is a given that nutrition and alcoholism is directly connected, and if you’re aware of it, you will be more careful about engaging in frequent night outs. You will surely be avoiding too many of them, in the first place.
Heavy drinkers can become deficient in vital nutrients. If you love to party and drink, don’t forget to eat your healthy foods – such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts, and ones that are low in sugar and oil. Having nutrients in the body offset any negative effect that taking in alcohol can have to the body.
Drink plenty of water
Alcohol is a known diuretic. It causes drinkers to lose liquid more than you consume. This condition is the reason why you feel somewhat thirsty hours after an evening of drunkenness. It is a must not to allow your body to suffer dehydration. The simplest way of rehydrating yourself is by drinking lots of water. Other fluids, like fruit juice, can serve as alternative as they work the same function. Apart from rehydration, fluid replenishment reduces hangover.
Drink with a full stomach
Your stomach is lined with a membrane that’s extremely absorbent. As you take in alcohol, it is broken down and quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. The process occurs many times faster if your stomach happens to be empty.
So, if you haven’t eaten yet and you drink, the body has nothing to absorb but alcohol. There’s no food that will slow down the otherwise quick absorption process. You get drunk a lot faster than if you had eaten anything yet.
It is advisable to drink on a full stomach, particularly on certain foods such as fish like salmon, or whole grain pasta, or any carb foods with yogurt and fruit.
Remember to Drink Moderately
As an intelligent drinker, you must know that drinking alcohol should be done in moderation. Why so? You avoid repletion of nutrients and dehydration, and most importantly you avoid experiencing the dreadful hangover. You want to start the week with a clear and sober mind, don’t you?
Just be mindful about drinking in moderation to steer away from possible health problems. Here are benefits of moderate drinking:
- It reduces the risk of developing heart disease.
- You are less likely to suffer ischemic stroke.
- It lowers the risk of diabetes.
Drinking moderately does take away your mind from all these health worries, while allowing you to enjoy drinking with friends and maintain a good social life, in the process.
Drinking and exercise
It is suggested to avoid having a night out before a workout or game. If you need to drink, enjoy just one drink. And have some eats, too. Otherwise, it’s best not to drink altogether. Having a drink one day before going to the gym for a workout lessens your overall performance. You lose much needed strength and flexibility while your mind is not fully focused on the task at hand.
Similarly, drinking after exercise is not advisable. This is true if the workout is intense and you didn’t consume enough water or juice to replace the amount of lost fluid. After a workout or engagement in sport, it is a must to drink two to three glasses of water to ensure water replenishment. And avoid drinking immediately after. Wait two days after you go out and drink with your friends.
Schedule your drinking around your workout or sports plans. This is one advice both Mountainside Fitness and Title Boxing Club both agree in. For instance, if you want to go out on a Saturday night for some rounds of drinks, you must have already hit the gym Thursday before and plan to do your next workout Monday next week. This way, the effects of alcohol had worn out, and you enjoy full benefits from your workout.