To this, I have a very specific answer:
“YES… BUT.” What follows is the exact protocol I use with both myself and my clients.
Basically, this plan ensures that you don’t gain fat while you drink. You're still not going to really LOSE fat while on it, but at least you won't get fatter on the 1-2 days a week that you booze.
And do try to limit drinking to one or two days per week. If you can't, then you're never going to get ripped.
On drinking days:
1. Eat all of your prescribed protein that you would normally. This is usually somewhere around two pounds of lean meat, plus green veggies.
2. Cut out all extra carbs and fat intake for your meals that lead into the evening of partying.
3. Remember that drinking on an empty stomach helps you get drunk faster (ask any girl trying to limit her calorie intake).
4. Stick to liquors over beer since they have more alcohol content per calorie (so you get more drunkenness per caloric bang).
5. Don’t drink sugary mixers. Duh.
6. I like to combine booze with calorie-free/caffeine drinks so you get a little boost.
a. Think Jack & Diet Coke (my beverage of choice)
b. OR a Long Island with no sour mix and Diet Coke (it tastes a little nasty, but it definitely gets the job done).
7. Don’t eat after you drink. You’ve already hit your calorie goals. So no late-night Domino’s. Sorry.
This plan works because alcohol alone doesn’t make you fat. Calories make you fat. The problem is that alcohol is so fucking calorie-dense (7 calories/g), second only to fat (9 calories/g), with carbs and protein weighing in at 4 calories/g each.
So, visually, think of each shot you take as being something as calorie-dense as butter. You see how easy it is to drink upwards of 1000-1500 calories in a regular night of college drinking?
When drinking, you must cut out as many carbs and fat as you can, because you'll likely hit your caloric needs for the day from all the alcohol you will consume for the evening.
You must get your protein needs in earlier in the day, beacause that will attenuate the muscle loss by giving you a steady flow of amino acids in your bloodstream. Your body, then, won't break down the muscle you have for its other amino needs. And when alcohol is in your bloodstream, all lipolysis (fat breakdown) stops, because your body is dealing with a toxin—meaning all ingested calories will be preferentially stored because your body isn’t going to use them. This is why drinking and eating is such a bad combo.
So, give it a shot. I drank all throughout college and was able to maintain a still-visible six pack while definitely drinking my fill. I hope it serves you well.
Stay cut,
Alex
Alex Hormozi is the owner of BodyForge LLC, an online custom training and nutrition company specializing in badass transformation.
Message him on Facebook if you have any questions.
And check out some great transformations on his Instagram: alexhormozi
“