ShareI’m sure this post today will ruffle a few feathers…
You may have heard this popular saying being thrown around:
“You can’t out train a bad diet…”
Well, I reckon that’s BS. You can out train a bad diet. And the only reason I know this, is because I’ve done it.
It’s called doing months of traditional marathon running training.
Running 30-60 miles a week, plus 2-3 strength training sessions burns through a ton of calories. Duh…
You can eat whatever you like, and still be losing weight, because your body is an energy guzzling machine. Boom!
Back in 2011 while training for the NYC marathon, I had a monster appetite and could eat anything I wanted, while I continued to lose weight every week. (Weight loss wasn’t my goal by the way…)
Bagels, pizza, bread, ice cream. It was ON and I couldn’t get enough. I remember seeing the numbers drop and thinking to myself…
“awesome… could this really be happening?”
But here’s the #1 problem with this approach…
When you stop marathon training, you’re in trouble. Big trouble. Breaking your monster appetite and addiction to carbs is brutal. More on that in just a moment.
So instead, I think this popular saying should be re-worded to:
“You can’t out train your overconsumption of alcoholic beverages.” – KV
Call me a party pooper but there’s no way to sugar coat the truth. These liquid calories do more than just add to your daily calorie intake… And the more you binge drink, the more trouble you’ll run into.
Here’s why you can’t out train the booze effect:
1. Dehydration
Alcohol is a powerful diuretic and can cause severe dehydration. This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal on the surface, but if you’re training hard, this is a major problem.
You’re at a greater risk for musculoskeletal injuries including cramps, muscle pulls, and muscle strains. Even just a slight tear or strain can be enough to sideline you.
Dehydration can also lead to muscle mass loss, which results in a decrease in strength and performance.
If you’re in a dehydrated state before you even start a long run in the middle of a hot and humid NYC summer, good luck getting out the other side injury free. 
2. Alcohol shuts down fat-burning 
Think chemistry, not math. Sure the calories do add up (even if you skip meals and just drink) but it’s the chemical reaction happening in your body that’s the problem.
If you don’t care for the science geeky details, feel free to skip the next paragraph.
Alcohol is converted to acetate by the liver, and the oxidation of acetate takes precedence over other nutrients (like carbs, fats and protein). So your body’s first priority is to burn off the booze. This makes alcohol a potent inhibitor of lipolysis (aka the breakdown of fats and other lipids by hydrolysis to release fatty acids).
While alcohol alone cannot cause fat gain – anything you eat in conjunction with alcohol intake will cause fat gain.
The Bottom Line:
- Cut out the booze. Get serious with your training and make your hard work count. And watch out for this new saying coming to a newsstand near you…
“You can’t out train your overconsumption of alcoholic beverages.” – KV
- Unless you have a goal of running a marathon… Don’t try to out train your diet with hour long sessions. SAVE YOUR ENERGY. Trust me, it’s much easier to get shredded this way. You can still enjoy your favorite treats, just be strategic with your eating.
Have you tried to out train your diet?
Have a great day!
KV
PS. Do this workout program instead of marathon training – you’ll triple your fat burning in half the time and it’s WAY more fun.
