Robert C Wells

I'm just curious as to how many of you drink beer after riding, how often do you do so, and how many do you drink?

The reason for my question is I was always under the impression that beer, rather alcoholic beverages in general, tend to cause muscle breakdown, and therefore wouldn't be something an "athlete" or any person trying to maintain a "healthy" lifestyle would want to consume on a regular basis, not to mention the additional calories consumed IF one was trying to lose weight or maintain a desirable weight or body fat percentage. Yet, it seems that there are quite a few of you guys that mention beer as an after-ride treat with friends. I personally enjoy a nice cold beer whether after a ride or otherwise, but lately, now that I can see some results from riding consistently and behaving myself in regards to caloric consumption, I find myself feeling reluctant to drink. Am I crazy or should I just enjoy a beer at will?

Thoughts?

road racer

as soon as I get home from my rides I have a nice cold beer & often a smoke to chase away all that LT burn

GuitarWizard

I drink Endurox R4 after a long and/or hard ride.

Central_Rider

I usually have a sports drink while I cool down, then go for beer during and after a shower. In the summer I have Pacifico or some kind of IPA in the fridge. Cooler weather is Guiness. Never less than a sixer, then dinner and bed.

scot

How does beer cause muscle loss? I think muscle loss is a fear perpetuated by internet rumor about a great number of things. Empty calories yes, but then again you probably need calories at that point.

That being said, I am.. not able to deal with the more mind altering affects after riding. One beer post-ride is the equiv of 4-5 shots on a normal day. Not refreshing or fun.

schnabler1

If I want to get the most out of my workout the next day, alcohol is a no-no the night before, but mainly because my legs will feel like lead the next day. Maybe one serving only with food tops.

If I have two servings I notice a huge decline in in my workout the next day and heat really gets to me.

blanqui

I drink at least one beer or glass of wine per day. Your liver can happily deal with two drinks a day before it pickles a la George Best. Worried about calories? I'm 6'3" and weigh 170 lbs before my morning constitutional. I eat (healthy) all day. If a beer is going to throw your body fat % off you need to examine the rest of your diet as well as your training regime. I do try to stay away from whiskey, however, because it makes me mean.

bdcheung

I don't do beer, but I do wine. With my post-ride pasta.

schnabler1

Yeah, this is how it works with me too. Then again my tolerance has gone down since I started cycling WAY more and drinking WAY less.

schnabler1

So, after your constitutional, do you weigh 165?

Crazy, we're the same height and weight - are you my evil twin?

blanqui

168. To paraphrase the Beastie Boys: "How can we be so skinny and live sooo fat?"

linux_author

- hey, there's beer and there's Guinness™!

(Guinness is the Fifth Food Group!)

:-)

p.s. Watch the bubbles go *down* instead of up!

Robert C Wells

Excerpted from an article by Dr. Alfredo Franco-Obregón, research scientist and author of Creatine: A Practial Guide:
"alcohol use inhibits muscular protein synthesis. In fact, this inhibitory effect of alcohol is most pronounced in fast muscle fibers, especially after prolonged alcohol use. The scenario would be detrimental for any athlete trying to gain muscle mass and strength through training. After all, isn't the goal of training to increase muscle protein synthesis?"

Google it, you can find many more articles that correlate alcohol use with detrimental effects on muscle. My point is, even in Bicycling Magazine, there are many riders that mention drinking beer (it seems especially) after riding and I personally like to drink beer. Again, I find myself lately sort of at odds with myself over it though, and wanted to see maybe how many here do so and if so, how it affects them.

eippo1

I will be brewing beer to enjoy post rides. I find that my body tells me what's up though. If I've just had a tough ride and beer isn't the best choice, my body will tell me that by craving a sports drink or water and not beer. So I just go by listening to the natural cues of my body - it's very un-American, but it works.

Flak

After my wednesday shop ride we often head up to the pub for a beer and a feed.

exogenous

Mean enough to spit?

I love me a beer after a ride. In fact I just opened one because I just got back from a ride in the nice cool rain. It was an unlabeled home brew which, after opening, I realized was an old barleywine at 11% alcohol. Oops!

NealH

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a beer after a ride, the night before a ride, or even for breakfast for that matter. Just because it's not the healthiest thing to drink doesn't necessariy mean its detrimental for you to drink. Like anything else, do it in moderation. If you look hard enough, I bet you can find some article on the internet that will tell you breathing is unhealthy.

oboeguy

Don't drink beer at all. Nasty stuff!

KeatonR

Beer after a ride, and every other night for that matter. We have good micros out here in CO. Tend to be calorie rich, but also rich in taste and alcohol content -- so maybe you drink fewer of 'em.

vpiuva

I'll have one after some rides, or maybe even two if with a full meal. But approaching 50, I'm not trying to become a world beater, either. Next day, can't tell the difference between the beer and non-beer finishers.

Astroluc

ooh yeah... but only if my ride is late in the day. I enjoy my beer only after the sun is real low in the sky. I have more of a tendancy to indulge in the Winter, though

FIVE ONE SIX

i usually throw 2 scoops of Recoverite in my shaker, along with 8oz. of Yuengling, and that's about the extent of my recovery...

onkey

for sure.

as long as its at night time

Stallionforce

Red wine for me, unless it's very hot out. I don't have it right after a ride though. I usually have it in the evening.

Wino Ryder

I love drinkin beer after a ride. I also like it before a ride, but it does tend to make me lazy, where all I want to do is lay around and suck suds.

But its all good.