Beer

[Guest guest]

I finished my first week with Body for Life and feel about the same.

When I started I was already eating really healthy, 5 times a day and

working out 6 days a week. The major change is the heavy lifting,

eating more calories, and not being able to drink beer. I guess my

main question is, my cheat day is tomorrow, the only thing I want to

cheat on is going out to the bars and drinking some light beers with

my friends. Is this a killer for this diet? I don't think I can stop

drinking beer for 3 months. I could never eat sugar again easily, but

beer I cannot give up. Do you think if I drink beer on my cheat day

for the 12 weeks it will hinder my diet goals? (My goal is to loose

fat) I have 20 lbs to loose.

One more thing, I am doing all of my work outs in the mornings before

work. Do I need to eat before I do my lifting routine? I didn't this

week but I would drink a Myoplex shake within 30 min of lifting. I

would wait and hour to eat after my cardio.

Thanks!

[Guest guest]

,

Wow! A toughie! However, a free day is a free day. You are free to eat or

drink whatever you so choose to have.

Now, this is advice coming from a guy that received a keg-cooler from his better

half for his birthday, but, that is the way I understand the rules.

Do make note, however, that alchohol has the effect of slowing the metabolism

while your body purges the alchohol from your body. This is kind of a double

whammy, as, not only are you consuming the calories, but, you are short

circuting the ability to efficiently burn them.

Your concern of being able to live a normal life without beer for 3 months is

valid and that's the whole idea of free days Take advantage of it for times as

you describe. Though, even when you do, you will notice that you will not eat

or drink like you once did. ...At least not after the first free day that you

tried to pig out. Your body has likely already begun it's metamorphosis and you

will have a difficult time injesting the same quantity.

I am sure the beer slowed my progress, but I also had one or two almost every

night, with the intent of cycling a little more on cardio day. It did work for

quite some time, but, this backfired when I found myself unable to spend the

time to perform the extra exercises. It was one of those patterns of actions

that I wished I was able to change.

When I was BFL behaving and when I wanted to socialize, I found myself having a

mix of an ultra low carb beer and a diet orange soda. I mick-named this a

Bishop (after my Spiritual director, Bishop Danylak, introduced me to it). Try

it, I think you'll like it. ...and you WILL drink less alchohol calories.

In summary... Enjoy your free day, but try not to over do it. And remember...

Progress, not perfection!