It is the American way to work hard, play hard. Throw hot weather, pool parties, barbecues, and the nostalgia of your childhood summer vacations into the mix and you will be undoubtedly be drinking more than usual.
After all, summer is a mindset.
Good news is that we are all for it, bros. You need balance in your life, health, and training. Cutting yourself off from the social scene would just be a stressor and could actually lead to loss of your precious gains that you worked all winter for. Plus it’s time to rip off the sleeves and unveil your weapons of mass destruction.
BUT when you ball so hard, you better be recovering even harder.
We have the strategies so that you can handle your next hangover like a BOSS. Consider this the Bro’s Definitive Guide to Dominating the Drinking Game.
First, let us explain why alcohol is actually bad for you in the first place.
Beyond causing you bringing home that “8” who was actually a “3” or drunk texting your ex for the fourth time this week, alcohol simply dehydrates you. Nothing new or earth-shattering here. That can actually work in your favor to make you look more lean and vascular.
[Disclaimer: By all means, we are not condoning drinking. Alcohol will not get you leaner or improve body composition. This is just smoke and mirrors.]
More importantly, alcohol consumption screws with your digestive system and accelerates the aging process.
Before we break out our strategies, we are not going to tell you what to drink. We are not your daddy’s. We’re your bros. Drink whatever allows you to hang for the night and not end up head deep in the porcelain thrown.
Got it? Cool.
BEFORE THE BOOZE.
Like my old, spitting Pop Warner football coach always said, “Prepare to win. Expect to win”. That same mentality applies here.
- Never drink on an empty stomach. Number one, you will get shit-faced much more quickly. Second. Without a meal before hand, you will irritate the tiny hair-like structures in your small intestine, which are responsible for nutrient absorption. Down the drunken road, this could potentially lead to “leaky gut syndrome”. Something you definitely do not want.
The fix is easy. Just eat a meal that is dominantly protein and fat. Think BACON, a medium rare ribeye (you eat it this way, right?), add guacamole to your Chipotle double chicken salad, or even a cheese and charcuterie board will do the trick. Of course, always take your macros into consideration.
- Since dehydration is the first issue associated with alcohol, we obviously will want to increase water intake. Aim for about HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT more than you typically drink. So if you are 200 pound frolic dude, aim to drink about 100 ounces (normal target) PLUS another 50 ounces.
- From the moment you open the flood gates, electrolytes will be flushed out of the body with your urine. So to retain the excess water you are consuming along with replacing these electrolytes, add a pinch of SEA SALT to your food and beverages. Hell, even get that margarita with a salted rim. We personally recommend Celtic Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt.
Just this time and this time only…BE SALTY my friends.
GET A BOOST.
The damage has been done. Time to act like you’ve been here before and the professional you are.
- Continuing where we left off in the last strategy, we are going to need to replace some water-soluble vitamins in addition to those electrolytes. Specifically, a little cocktail of B Complex, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Magnesium. Have these antioxidant supplements handy the next day.
- Even though you may feel like it, your liver was the one who just went 12 rounds with Mike Tyson. Since your body perceives alcohol as a toxin and the liver’s central role is to detoxify the body, you should give it some reinforcements. Here are a few different boosts to help you detox:
- TAKE 2 to 3 activated charcoal pills. This will bind to any toxins floating around your blood stream then flush them out.
- DRINK dandelion root tea to detoxify your liver. Just make sure to drink even more water after because this will dehydrate you more. Try this combination of equal parts WATER, COCONUT WATER, and ORANGE JUICE. Even some warm water with lemon will help.
- ADD milk thistle seeds to your protein shake. A tablespoon or two of these will have positive effects on your liver from it’s active compound, silymarin.
- To continue on with the detox discussion, you should probably get a good sweat in. Now you shouldn’t aim to set any PRs in the gym and definitely back off on the intensity. Either throw on a weighted vest and do an incline treadmill walk or go totally bro with a pump session and some easy isolation based exercises.
Avoid the sauna until you have fully rehydrated yourself. If possible, find an infrared sauna in your area. This type will be at a lower temperature and is designed to heat you from the inside out. So basically, it will be the best way to detox after your big night out.