Are you an employer?<\/strong> Hussle now offer flexible, discounted access to our fitness venues as an employee benefit. Elevate employee wellbeing.<\/em><\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \n <\/p>\n This is one that you might have guessed already. The sleep you get after a few drinks doesn\u2019t feel great. When you wake in the morning, you can tell that it\u2019s not been the most restorative night\u2019s you\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n According to recent research, drinking alcohol before bed increases alpha brain waves, usually occurring while you\u2019re awake. This disrupts your sleep. While excessive drinking can make you fall asleep more quickly and sleep deeper, it also messes up the quality of sleep later in the night.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why you end up feeling tired the day after drinking. Two weeks off alcohol will help you reset your sleep cycle, getting you into a regular and undisturbed pattern. You\u2019ll wake more refreshed and alert each day, helping to boost your concentration and performance at work and play.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gut health is all about the balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria. When this equilibrium gets even just a little bit out of whack, you\u2019ll start to know about it. So many of us suffer from some sort of stomach issues. About 20% of the UK population suffer from IBS, an umbrella term used to describe those who experience irritation in the stomach and bowel.<\/p>\n In some people, alcohol triggers irritation in the stomach, making it produce more acid than is needed. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to acid reflux and can also trigger IBS in many people. For that reason, it\u2019s often first on the list of things to exclude when you\u2019re suffering from IBS. Alcohol and bloating tend to go hand in hand.<\/p>\n Large amounts of alcohol increase the number of bad bacteria in the gut and allowing toxins to flow into the bloodstream. This can lead to nasty gastrointestinal issues if kept up over the long term.<\/p>\n However, moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to have a positive effect on gut health. Red wine, in particular, has been linked to a healthy microbiome. Because alcohol is void of nutrients, it\u2019s all about ensuring you get from elsewhere.<\/p>\n When you decide to give up alcohol, your stomach might thank you. But, if you don\u2019t currently experience any gut health issues, you might not notice a difference.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When you stop drinking, you might likely notice a glow as your skin becomes more hydrated. This is because alcohol is a diuretic, so it causes you to urinate more and reabsorb less water, which equals dry-looking skin.<\/p>\n However, remembering to stay hydrated and consuming plenty of water while having a drink can also combat the negative effects.<\/p>\n Alcohol also causes inflammation. That\u2019s the reason some people start looking a little flushed after they\u2019ve had a couple. Although this is usually a temporary effect, it can cause permanent damage over the years. Without regular weekly drinking, you might notice a reduction in how often you go red.<\/p>\n Finally, alcohol increases the size of your pores and makes them dilate. Bigger pores mean an increased chance of blackheads and whiteheads.<\/p>\n If you have troublesome or sensitive skin, you might notice the effects of alcohol on it more than others. This alone is enough or a reason for some to give up the strong stuff.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are a couple of ways alcohol can impact your fitness.<\/p>\n The most obvious is that the morning after heavy drinking, a workout is probably the last thing on your mind. You\u2019re dehydrated, and your body is fighting to rid itself of what you just put into it, taking an intense exercise session off the cards. If this keeps happening, you\u2019ll struggle to make the same fitness progress.<\/p>\n Also, there are claims that alcohol can negatively impact your fitness in the longer term by reducing muscle synthesis, impairing muscle growth<\/b><\/a>, and reducing metabolism. These studies looked into hefty levels of alcohol consumption, meaning there\u2019s still plenty of room for fitness gains<\/b><\/a> if you keep an eye on how much you\u2019re having.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alcohol is a double whammy. It\u2019s completely void of nutrients but contains a lot of calories. That means, to obtain all the proper nutrients you need to function healthily, you need to consume food and calories in addition to what you\u2019re drinking. The result of this is a caloric surplus that leads to weight gain if kept up over time.<\/p>\n A pint of beer contains about 180 calories. A large glass of wine contains about 200 calories. Cocktails are an even worse culprit. By removing a few of these from your calorie intake each week, you\u2019ll start to see a drop in body weight in no time.<\/p>\n Alternatively, it just helps to know what\u2019s in what you\u2019re drinking and keeping tabs on how much you\u2019re having. Opting for low sugar alcohols can help. So does drinking in moderation and not to excess.<\/p>\n Another thing to note is that heavy drinking can often lead to overeating in the hours or day following. We\u2019ve all experienced late-night snacking following a few too many drinks. And let\u2019s not even get into a hangover diet. Research has found that this might be because alcohol can increase our sensitivity to food smells. Who knew? When you stop drinking alcohol, the after-effects on your diet will stop too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This one doesn\u2019t need much explaining. Alcohol isn\u2019t a cheap drink. Especially if you\u2019re into your wine, or dare we say, champagne. Calculating the amount you\u2019d typically spend on bottles each week can be enough to motivate you to stop drinking alcohol.<\/p>\n Suddenly, going sober saves spends on other things you might think are worth it more. We\u2019ll leave that one up to you.<\/p>\n So, there are definitely benefits you might experience after giving up alcohol for two weeks. They might motivate you. They might not. Just two weeks is all it takes to test out the effects.<\/p>\n However, if your Friday night drink makes you happy, then there\u2019s no reason to go tee-total. Drinking in moderation is the advice everyone gives, and with good reason.<\/p>\n Ok. So, we eat salads. We pack in the protein. We drink plenty of water. We workout. We cut down on processed foods and rarely ever have takeaways. It\u2019s all going well. Monday to Thursday, it feels pretty easy to do all the things we think are healthy. But then the weekend […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":4593,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n Ok. So, we eat salads. We pack in the protein. We drink plenty of water. We workout. We cut down on processed foods and rarely ever have takeaways. It\u2019s all going well. Monday to Thursday, it feels pretty easy to do all the things we think are healthy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But then the weekend rolls around, and boy, do we deserve a drink. It\u2019s the one thing that gets in the way of us and elite athlete status. Whether it\u2019s a pint in the pub, the casual glasses of wine, or cocktails out with friends, it\u2019s often a big part of our social lives that we just don\u2019t want to give up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n But how exactly does alcohol impact fitness? Does it undo all the hard work done during the week, or can we make room for it and still claim a healthy lifestyle? Understanding the answer to this question comes in seeing what happens if we took a break from it. Giving up the booze can be challenging. But if you\u2019re looking to give it a go, here\u2019s what to expect after two weeks with no drink.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n \r\n This is one that you might have guessed already. The sleep you get after a few drinks doesn\u2019t feel great. When you wake in the morning, you can tell that it\u2019s not been the most restorative night\u2019s you\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\r\n\r\n According to recent research, drinking alcohol before bed increases alpha brain waves, usually occurring while you\u2019re awake. This disrupts your sleep. While excessive drinking can make you fall asleep more quickly and sleep deeper, it also messes up the quality of sleep later in the night.<\/p>\r\n\r\n That\u2019s why you end up feeling tired the day after drinking. Two weeks off alcohol will help you reset your sleep cycle, getting you into a regular and undisturbed pattern. You\u2019ll wake more refreshed and alert each day, helping to boost your concentration and performance at work and play.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n Gut health is all about the balance of good bacteria and bad bacteria. When this equilibrium gets even just a little bit out of whack, you\u2019ll start to know about it. So many of us suffer from some sort of stomach issues. About 20% of the UK population suffer from IBS, an umbrella term used to describe those who experience irritation in the stomach and bowel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n In some people, alcohol triggers irritation in the stomach, making it produce more acid than is needed. Unsurprisingly, this can lead to acid reflux and can also trigger IBS in many people. For that reason, it\u2019s often first on the list of things to exclude when you\u2019re suffering from IBS. Alcohol and bloating tend to go hand in hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Large amounts of alcohol increase the number of bad bacteria in the gut and allowing toxins to flow into the bloodstream. This can lead to nasty gastrointestinal issues if kept up over the long term.<\/p>\r\n\r\n However, moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to have a positive effect on gut health. Red wine, in particular, has been linked to a healthy microbiome. Because alcohol is void of nutrients, it\u2019s all about ensuring you get from elsewhere.<\/p>\r\n\r\n When you decide to give up alcohol, your stomach might thank you. But, if you don\u2019t currently experience any gut health issues, you might not notice a difference.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\n When you stop drinking, you might likely notice a glow as your skin becomes more hydrated. This is because alcohol is a diuretic, so it causes you to urinate more and reabsorb less water, which equals dry-looking skin.<\/p>\r\n\r\n However, remembering to stay hydrated and consuming plenty of water while having a drink can also combat the negative effects.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Alcohol also causes inflammation. That\u2019s the reason some people start looking a little flushed after they\u2019ve had a couple. Although this is usually a temporary effect, it can cause permanent damage over the years. Without regular weekly drinking, you might notice a reduction in how often you go red.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Finally, alcohol increases the size of your pores and makes them dilate. Bigger pores mean an increased chance of blackheads and whiteheads.<\/p>\r\n\r\n If you have troublesome or sensitive skin, you might notice the effects of alcohol on it more than others. This alone is enough or a reason for some to give up the strong stuff.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\n There are a couple of ways alcohol can impact your fitness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n The most obvious is that the morning after heavy drinking, a workout is probably the last thing on your mind. You\u2019re dehydrated, and your body is fighting to rid itself of what you just put into it, taking an intense exercise session off the cards. If this keeps happening, you\u2019ll struggle to make the same fitness progress.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Also, there are claims that alcohol can negatively impact your fitness in the longer term by reducing muscle synthesis, impairing muscle growth<\/b><\/a>, and reducing metabolism. These studies looked into hefty levels of alcohol consumption, meaning there\u2019s still plenty of room for fitness gains<\/b><\/a> if you keep an eye on how much you\u2019re having.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n\r\n Alcohol is a double whammy. It\u2019s completely void of nutrients but contains a lot of calories. That means, to obtain all the proper nutrients you need to function healthily, you need to consume food and calories in addition to what you\u2019re drinking. The result of this is a caloric surplus that leads to weight gain if kept up over time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n A pint of beer contains about 180 calories. A large glass of wine contains about 200 calories. Cocktails are an even worse culprit. By removing a few of these from your calorie intake each week, you\u2019ll start to see a drop in body weight in no time.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Alternatively, it just helps to know what\u2019s in what you\u2019re drinking and keeping tabs on how much you\u2019re having. Opting for low sugar alcohols can help. So does drinking in moderation and not to excess.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Another thing to note is that heavy drinking can often lead to overeating in the hours or day following. We\u2019ve all experienced late-night snacking following a few too many drinks. And let\u2019s not even get into a hangover diet. Research has found that this might be because alcohol can increase our sensitivity to food smells. Who knew? When you stop drinking alcohol, the after-effects on your diet will stop too.<\/p>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n \r\n This one doesn\u2019t need much explaining. Alcohol isn\u2019t a cheap drink. Especially if you\u2019re into your wine, or dare we say, champagne. Calculating the amount you\u2019d typically spend on bottles each week can be enough to motivate you to stop drinking alcohol.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Suddenly, going sober saves spends on other things you might think are worth it more. We\u2019ll leave that one up to you.<\/p>\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n \r\n So, there are definitely benefits you might experience after giving up alcohol for two weeks. They might motivate you. They might not. Just two weeks is all it takes to test out the effects.<\/p>\r\n\r\nThe first thing you\u2019ll notice: better sleep<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\nAfter a few days: Your gut health might improve (it also might not)<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\nIn about a week: Your skin could look a little clearer<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\nAfter about ten days: You might see some fitness progress<\/h4>\n
\n
\n <\/p>\nAs you approach two weeks: You might start to see some weight loss<\/a><\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\nBy week number two: you\u2019ll have saved a fair bit<\/h4>\n
\n <\/p>\n
\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hussle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Conversion-Banner-1024x318.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The first thing you\u2019ll notice: better sleep<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
After a few days: Your gut health might improve (it also might not)<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
In about a week: Your skin could look a little clearer<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
After about ten days: You might see some fitness progress<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
As you approach two weeks: You might start to see some weight loss<\/a><\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n
By week number two: you\u2019ll have saved a fair bit<\/h4>\r\n\u00a0\r\n\r\n