Is Exercise Your Excuse to Get Drunk?

So while this study seems a little suspicious as far as the old battle between correlation and causation, our beer bellies are saying they may be right: If you workout, you drink more.
150 people, from a “Chug a PBR” 18-year-old to a “Tanqueray sipping” 89-year-old tracked their days of boozing and exercising for 63 days, broken into 21-day sessions. And no matter who it was — rich or poor, old or young, marathon runner or couch jockey — the more they worked out, the more they alcohol they drank. There are three theories:

1. treating yourself. You worked hard, you just sweat out all the toxins in your body, and it’s time to show what a good boy/girl you are by drinking your weight in Coors Light.

2. Getting exercise can be a communal activity, and the community seems to think we should share a cold one after we sweat together. If you get your heart pumping with a bunch of like-minded folks, and you’re all having a good time, one of you may suggest prolonging the fun at the nearest pub.

3. Exercise makes us tired at the end of the day, and we may have less energy to resist the prompts to drink from others.

Adding to your booze consumption on exercise days is not a great idea. Seriously, what are you doing? Treat yourself to a banana smoothie, not a beer. When we knock back a few after workouts suddenly the greasy chicken wings and the big order of nachos starts calling our name. Hanging out around a couple pitchers is fun, but it’s tough to just have one beer. Try staying sober and order an interesting non-alcoholic beverage.

We’ve been going with grapefruit, mango and lemonade during some of our bar outings. Not all the time. And finally, if you’re tired, just go home. You’re going to feel so much better laying in your easy chair sober than sitting on a wooden stool choking down wings.