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After a long day at work and a great workout, a glass of wine might sound absolutely divine--but before you pop open a bottle, you might want to know the side effects of alcohol consumption after your workout.
1. Muscle cramping. “Alcohol acts as a diuretic,” explains Sara Haas, R.D.N. L.D.N, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. If you're making too many trips to the ladies room throughout the day, it can lead to dehydration which causes painful muscle cramps--all of which can lower your performance at the gym.
2. Empty calories mean unnecessary weight gain. Of course a glass of wine or two here and there are completely fine in any diet, there is something that needs to be said for nightly glasses after a long day at work and a grueling workout. "At the end of the day, alcohol translates into unnecessary, un-nutritious calories," says Haas. "Add in the junk-food munchies you may down after a night of drinking, and you've got a surefire recipe for adding pounds."
3. Your body is left hungry. “When consumed excessively, alcohol can have detrimental effects on how your body uses, stores, and excretes nutrients,” says Haas. "It can also interfere with the absorption of nutrients," she says, "including B vitamins (which play a huge role in metabolism), vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant that helps the body recover from exercise), and vitamin C (which assists with bone growth and vision)."
4. Your sleep quality suffers. "A few glasses of wine before bed may help you drift off faster—but the zzz’s you log won’t be deeper," says Haas. “Alcohol can prevent restorative deep REM sleep, which is needed to feel rested.” And if you aren't sleeping well, your muscles have difficulty repairing themselves, which can lead to more workout injuries.
What do you think about these side effects? How often do you sit down with a glass of wine after a workout? Let us know in the comments!
