PH Transformation Summer Thread 2013 - Chat

[Ordinary_Chap]

One of the things my coach has said is that I don't do some of the basics very well.

I don't sleep enough, I drink too much alcohol on a less than perfect diet and training can be better. On reflection he's complete right, you can go crazy in the gym but if you don't create the right conditions for recovery then you're sabotaging yourself.

[Sway]

It's great, the only supp I take all week (working in Zurich the last thing I want to do is pack a bottle full of 'powder', so I don't take any additional protein during the week - this means I struggle to hit my targets as meat is so expensive here).

Dealing with multiple time zone shifts, long hours, longer nights after going out for dinner every night, then kids at the weekend has never been easier.

Don't know whether it's psychosomatic but I'm sparko within 5 minutes of taking them too.

[theshrew]

Ordinary_Chap said:

One of the things my coach has said is that I don't do some of the basics very well.

I don't sleep enough, I drink too much alcohol on a less than perfect diet and training can be better. On reflection he's complete right, you can go crazy in the gym but if you don't create the right conditions for recovery then you're sabotaging yourself.

Im the same as you mate sleep not to great although its been a lot better than it was before i started working out etc.

Plus i love drinking to much. Its one thing im not prepared to cut out. Ive cut down loads but weekend = relax and a little slurp :-) which might have been extended to a Thursday night this week to lol

[MrWhale]

My supps for good sleep are;

Magnesium
Holy Basil
Melatonin

lovely

[Juanco20]

An hour or so on the xbox just before bed usually knocks me out for a good 8 hours. I do take a calcium supplement just before bed which has Zinc and Magnesium in so that probably helps too

[smiffy180]

theshrew said:

Ordinary_Chap said:

One of the things my coach has said is that I don't do some of the basics very well.

I don't sleep enough, I drink too much alcohol on a less than perfect diet and training can be better. On reflection he's complete right, you can go crazy in the gym but if you don't create the right conditions for recovery then you're sabotaging yourself.

Im the same as you mate sleep not to great although its been a lot better than it was before i started working out etc.

Plus i love drinking to much. Its one thing im not prepared to cut out. Ive cut down loads but weekend = relax and a little slurp :-) which might have been extended to a Thursday night this week to lol

I've had 2 nights out this year. I'm staying dedicated

[pilchardthecat]

The negative impact of alcohol is massively overstated, it's the crap you eat when you're drunk that's the bigger problem.

[LordGrover]

pilchardthecat said:

The negative impact of alcohol is massively overstated, it's the crap you eat when you're drunk that's the bigger problem.

bks. Alcohol is a poison. especially in the volume it's considered the norm these days.
Other stuff may compound it, but it's wrong to think alcohol is not harmful.

[pilchardthecat]

LordGrover said:

pilchardthecat said:

The negative impact of alcohol is massively overstated, it's the crap you eat when you're drunk that's the bigger problem.

bks. Alcohol is a poison. especially in the volume it's considered the norm these days.
Other stuff may compound it, but it's wrong to think alcohol is not harmful.

Didnt say it wasnt harmful, just that it's negative impact on training/results is hugely overstated.

[theshrew]

pilchardthecat said:

Didnt say it wasnt harmful, just that it's negative impact on training/results is hugely overstated.

Probably the fact its full of empty calories + you cant workout the same the next day. TBF its bad for you anyway.

Having said that a while ago i had some Guinness a while ago and went for a run the next morning and felt like i could run forever for some reason. Maybe the iron in it ?

[pilchardthecat]

theshrew said:

pilchardthecat said:

Didnt say it wasnt harmful, just that it's negative impact on training/results is hugely overstated.

Probably the fact its full of empty calories + you cant workout the same the next day. TBF its bad for you anyway.

Having said that a while ago i had some Guinness a while ago and went for a run the next morning and felt like i could run forever for some reason. Maybe the iron in it ?

If you are on a low-ish carb diet the carbs in certain alcoholic drinks (beer, stout etc) can replenish glycogen, hence that effect

I drink in moderation 2-4 days a week, and heavily once, maybe twice a week. I haven't been over 9% body fat for at least 6 months. There arnt that many calories in a couple of glasses of Rioja, it's equivalent to a slice or two of toast, and probably no more harmful than the grain, fructose etc in your breakfast.

Apart from heavy squats which can get a bit clammy after a heavy session, i dont find that moderate drinking interferes at all with my training (i was T-total - complete abstention - for 6 years straight so i have some experience with both sides of the equation)

[LordGrover]

I don't think anyone can reasonably deny that's how you and most others feel..
Similarly, we all know a 70 or 80 year old who's smoked 20 a day their whole life and it's 'done them no harm'.

[pilchardthecat]

LordGrover said:

I don't think anyone can reasonably deny that's how you and most others feel..
Similarly, we all know a 70 or 80 year old who's smoked 20 a day their whole life and it's 'done them no harm'.

Moderate drinking is in no way "similar" so a lifetime of smoking, as you very well know.

[LordGrover]

I know no such thing. That may be your opinion.
I happen to believe it's very similar and most of us are sleep-walking into poor health thanks to excessive alcohol consumption believing a 'glass or two won't hurt'.

[pilchardthecat]

LordGrover said:

I know no such thing. That may be your opinion.
I happen to believe it's very similar and most of us are sleep-walking into poor health thanks to excessive alcohol consumption believing a 'glass or two won't hurt'.

I am an avid reader of scientific white papers, journals, studies, etc. I have read enough science on the subject to satisfy myself to the contrary, beyond a causal "belief"
Long term excessive consumption of course is extremely harmful.

[Juanco20]

pilchardthecat said:

I am an avid reader of scientific white papers, journals, studies, etc. I have read enough science on the subject to satisfy myself to the contrary, beyond a causal "belief"
Long term excessive consumption of course is extremely harmful.

Who determines what is excessive?

Why did you stop drinking and what made you start again?

I've never been one for alcohol, a pint or two every 3 months or so. Saying that, I think it was 2012 when I last had alcohol

[pilchardthecat]

Juanco20 said:

pilchardthecat said:

I am an avid reader of scientific white papers, journals, studies, etc. I have read enough science on the subject to satisfy myself to the contrary, beyond a causal "belief"
Long term excessive consumption of course is extremely harmful.

Who determines what is excessive?

Why did you stop drinking and what made you start again?

I've never been one for alcohol, a pint or two every 3 months or so. Saying that, I think it was 2012 when I last had alcohol

There are a tonne of studies out there demonstrating positive health effects from one glass of red wine a day. Some of these appear in the mainstream media frim time to time. There are many other studies thst dont make the news
Alcohol is chemically almost identical to fructose, and it is processed by the liver in exactly the same way - the only difference physiologically is that alcohol is also metabolized by the brain /hence being "drunk"

Personally I have never had an alcohol addiction, and up until I was in my mid thirties i didnt really enjoy the feeling - I amused myself with a variety of other substances in my youth :-P these days I appreciate a decent wine, bourbon, whatever

[BenM77]

I agree with LordGrover.

The problem is that it is a very unpopular opinion. I haven't had a drink in over ten years but still get asked by people at work about it as if I am some kind of freak

As L.G has stated. Alcohol is a poison and while your liver is processing it then it cannot deal with its other duties.


Each to their own and all that, but lets not kid ourselves that any amount of alcohol is good for you. It isn't.

[pilchardthecat]

BenM77 said:

I agree with LordGrover

Its an unpopular opinion.....

Each to their own and all that, but lets not kid ourselves that any amount of alcohol is good for you. It isn't.

Its an unpopular opinion not least because the science disagrees with it.
As a scientist I prefer to base my opinions on the evidence, and there is a great deal of it. You are of course entirely free to make a different lifestyle choice

[LordGrover]

As a scientist, do you have any peer reviewed double blind studies to prove alcohol does no harm?
Not the 'studies' the papers like to selectively quote about a glass of red wine is good for you - which it isn't.

Just asking like.