So I will be turning 21 in less than 2 weeks. I’m excited because it’s a huge age to celebrate but I’m not big on alcohol. So here’s my post on alcohol 

Background

I have only had a few sips of people’s drinks when I attend social gatherings and haven’t really found anything that I like. I have been judged many of times because I don’t drink alcohol and people feel that because I don’t drink that I think I am better than them. This is absolutely wrong. I don’t drink because I have no reason to drink underage. I don’t need alcohol to enjoy myself (although some parties I’ve attended are really lame, so I tend to leave) but I don’t think I have to drink in order to be liked. It does suck to be judged and not invited to things because of something ridiculous like whether or not I drink. 

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Why I Don’t Drink

I have not found anything I like the taste to. I cannot drink things with a “sparkly” taste or carbonated taste to it. 

I’ m not 21 and I don’t have a reason to drink. 

Running. That is a HUGE part of my life and as a dietetics major I have learned about the effects alcohol does have with training and recovery. 

I don’t ever want to be “wasted” or lose control of myself and my body. That is scary and to think that is fun makes me sometimes wonder what your definition of fun is. (It is scary to hear people on campus talk about their stories and how they don’t remember if they had sex the night before, if they were protected, who they were with and how they got home.) 

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The Effects of Alcohol and Athletics 

"Binge drinking may aggravate 
soft tissue injury. Blood flow 
needs to be reduced at the sight 
of injury in order to contain the 
injury. Alcohol consumption has 
the opposite effect; increasing 
blood flow to the area and can 
therefore increase recovery time." - source

"Alcohol can cause increased swelling after 
a game if an injury is sustained 
because alcohol causes the blood vessels 
to dilate. Alcohol can also mask pain. 
For those who are familiar with injuries, 
the more swelling in an injured area, 
the longer it could take to recover and 
get back to optimal playing form." - source

“Alcohol however can decrease the secretion of HGH by as much as 70%.

When alcohol is in your body, it triggers the production of a substance in your liver that is directly toxic to testosterone. Testosterone is essential for the development and recovery of your muscles. As alcohol is absorbed through your stomach and small intestine and into your cells, it can disrupt the water balance in muscle cells, altering their ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is your muscles’ source of energy. ATP provides the fuel necessary for your muscles to contract.” – source

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The Nutrition of Alcohol

"Alcohol contributes almost twice as 
many calories as equal amounts of 
carbohydrate and protein. Alcohols 
provide 7 calories per gram whereas 
carbohydrate and protein equal 4 
calories per gram. Needless to say, 
calories in beer are easily fattening." - source

"The carbohydrates found in alcoholic beverages are 
not converted into glucose and are used 
to make fatty acids that are stored as 
fat mainly in the liver. Alcohol has also 
been shown to increase fat composition." - source

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Thoughts on Alcohol

Alcohol is not bad in moderation. There are just times where it’s okay and others where I would rather not drink. 

Example: I would not drink alcohol after or before a competition. Why? The effects it has on recovery. Same goes within season. A drink every once in awhile, perfectly fine. But drinking excessively, not okay for me. 

In fact I don’t know if I would ever have more than one drink at a time. 

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Am I going to judge you or think less of you if you drink and drink a lot? No. Unless you give me a reason to. But like I have stated, I don’t think I am better. Everyone has a different lifestyle and different tastes. I won’t judge you for yours and you shouldn’t judge me for mine. 

My 21st Birthday

This will be an exception to the one drink. My 21st celebration will be a time to try things. Since I don’t really know what I would like, it will be a tasting festivity haha. I’ve already talked to my brother to start planning. I’m sure however, that it will be me tasting and if I don’t like it, I know someone out there will want the rest!

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Special Notes 

*If you are underage and are reading this, don’t ever feel pressured to drink. You have control over your body and make the choices for yourself. Don’t let others make them for you or pressure you into something you don’t want to do. If they don’t accept you for not drinking, then they have a really shallow personality. I know I have been harassed to drink or do other things I didn’t want to do many of times in my life but honestly, I can say that standing ground and holding true to myself is my biggest strength and I love that peer pressure never broke me down and that I can stand up for myself. I think that is truly the biggest and greatest quality one can have. 

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*I did not write this post to bring up controversy or say drinking is bad or good. I wrote about my thoughts and my experiences. I will enjoy drinking for my birthday and experiencing different types but I won’t turn it into a lifestyle. I’m not better than anyone, nor do I think I am because of my alcohol choices. 

*As a dietetics major, I live by the quote “everything is good in moderation.” As long as you know the effects and are aware of your consumption then go for it. 

*Also, I did not just go and copy and paste this information. I have studied it in class and yes, even that wonderful chart up there, I am aware of. The material I got from the internet is the information that I have felt is most effective in the understanding of alcohol from my experience. 

Q: What are your views on alcohol?

Q: What are your favorite drinks?

Q: What do you think I would enjoy drinking?