Jump to content

Want to improve your slalom this summer? Take a break from booze.


jhughes
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Baller

This.

 

I have had 5 beers since December versus my usual 5-10 per week. Like you, as much as I love a good craft beer especially in summer, I made the decision to quit drinking to improve my overall health and well-being. Hoping for better skiing was a big motivator as well.

 

I’ve been exercising regularly too, getting a lot of cardio in, and eating clean. Down 20 pounds from November and I feel wayyy better.

 

I got halfway thru a can of Coors Light last weekend, felt gross, and dumped the rest out. Really no interest in drinking anything anymore, which is nice. Makes it easy.

 

I would encourage others to give it a try. It’s well worth the effort and self control it requires. Heaven forbid I drink 100% water, so a bottle or two of Kombucha (fermented tea) and a few shots of apple cider vinegar every week provide a good alternative.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller
I appreciate your piece. Summer, being on the boat, and skiing are tied with enjoying craft beer afterwards for me. I did dry January and lost a lot of weight, slept better, was far more productive, and less anxious. I'm not sure I want to completely give up drinking beer, but I think my skiing and wellbeing would benefit from taking more nights off (my usual is 1-2 beers, pretty regularly.) I too came to enjoy the NA craft beers and they definitely met that craving at the end of the day. I better run to the store and grab some NA IPA's!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

Athletic Brewing Company. Google it. Last summer I was on a 12 week antibiotic protocol for a bone infection. Doc said no booze will help antibiotic work better. Not skiing was hard enough, no beer was a nightmare. This is a non alcohol beer, but you’d never no it. They have several flavors. Some better than others. Upside Dawn is my personal favorite.

I am not involved with the company, just sharing info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller
@mfjaegersr I'm assuming you're joking about the ACV. While it may not taste good straight up, a shot in a glass of water with lemon helps and it does have several health benefits. But Coors light is just horrible.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller_

The buckets of frozen Pina Colada are killers. One summer my wife kept coming home with a bucket of Pina Colada mix where you stir in 16 oz. of rum and keep it in the freezer. Every day after work we were into the bucket, and then I skied. It was fun and my skiing wasn't great but not terrible.

 

Does that qualify as skiing under adverse conditions ? Fortunately I skied every morning too so it all worked out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller
100% the easiest/hardest way to improve your general health and vitality. Alcohol is poison the sooner you realize this the better. N/A beer is also very hard on your body with inflammation, gluten, high calories and with craft types usually high in sugar as well...still better than the booze but if your trying to improve, I'd just cut beer out completely.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller_

I feel sorry for people that don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s the best they are going to feel all day.

 

And remember, you can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.

Lpskier

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller
There's only one thing that prevents me from being a better water skier, and it's definitely not booze. It's having to work full time due to staffing issues. I'd be much better at water/cross country skiing, hunting, fishing, hiking, shooting, cycling, lifting, rowing, chilling out, and yes... drinking if I could get back to my 0.6 FTE. Working as much as we do, for as little as we get paid, is one of the greatest hoodwinks of all time. And no thanks on the light or non-alcoholic beers. I need taste, and I'll admit it, I want the buzz. Everything in moderation folks (especially work and alcohol).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller
tjs1295: WELL SAID!!! C’mon, a few beers to relax? Let’s face it, no one on this forum is going out on tour. Chill out and enjoy life. Maybe some people skate through without any serious difficulties but not most. Cheers!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller_
The serious comments on this thread have precipitous relevancy with age. If you ever speculate about your athletic and cognitive horizons, your hopeful expectations should be adjusted considerably if you are drinking enough to enjoy it. As one of the few BOS subscribers who was skiing in tournaments 60 years ago, I am speaking from experience.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

Quick follow-up on this: I stuck to this all summer and kept going. Over 6 months of cutting out alcohol completely and it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm not preaching this, you do what you want with your life.

Ski results have been great: Last year I ran enough 32's that I could count them, this year I ran more than I can count or keep track of, it became a regular thing AND most importantly I ran the pass in two tournament rounds, getting my first scores ever into 12M. Weight is down to the low 170's, BP is down significantly, cholesterol is down significantly. Sleep is amazing, digestion is perfect. I'm doing more meaningful work than ever with all the extra time. I get constant compliments on how I look from people that have not seen me in a while. So, I'm sticking with it. YMMV, for me it's a very basic cost/benefit equation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

During the pandemic, working from home I got myself into a one-very-nice-IPA-per-evening habit. I even have three buddies with whom we started a beer text thread sending each other pics of our ever-changing line up with lots of thumbs-ups and discussion. Then, after that beer, sometimes a glass of wine with dinner. Not that you have to live here to get good wine and beer, but in Northern California I am seriously surrounded by really, really good stuff.

I'm 64 and realize that that's pretty dang stupid if, like I do, you want to remain as active and athletic as possible for as long as possible. It was, however, very nice mentally after the day's work, ski rides, workouts, whatever to sit outside with my dog (literally the best part) and have a nice craft IPA, DIPA, TIPA and relax a bit and chat with my bros. But...it was starting to take a toll. So, ditch the beer and wine, but lose that nice mental break.

Last week I had a catheter ablation procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. Not a full-on surgery, but a big, invasive deal nonetheless that I'm just now recovering from. A-fib was starting to get a little too often and too prolonged and getting in the way of activities. Alcohol certainly could have very well been a factor. Didn't have a beer for a long time after the procedure - like 3 or 4 days! It's time to look in the mirror and get my S squared away. A non-alcoholic beer sounds like a good idea. nj4gxpfd2tps.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

@jimbrake oh I should mention- my heart palpitations went away completely. No joke. I had them to a point where I wore a monitor for a full day or two to figure out what was going on. Harmless in my case but very annoying and disturbing for sure. General anxiety way down as well due to the chemicals your brain has to constantly spin up and spin down to counter the ethanol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

@6balls From everything I have read...mortality is still at 100%.

I was getting fat in between snowboard and waterski season as I normally do. I gave up beer for a month as I am just not as active. It helped me drop some lbs before water ski season, and I started off much better.

The trouble with living near Tree House, Proclamation, Trillium, and now having easy access to Fiddlehead on tap is it is very easy to consume a metric ton of empty calories.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller_

There are so many great non alcoholic beer alternatives. Clausthaler, St. Pauli, Bud Zero, Busch (yes, Busch), Old Milwaukee (again, yes Old Makemewalkfunny), Athletica, and others. My current favorite is Omission. They make a great IPA and a really good golden.

Lpskier

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

One of my best slalom results in a comp was after i'd been on the lash to about 2AM , got to bed around 3.30AM then on the start dock at 8.30 . Chucked up after shortening. Ever tried having a ralf when youre floating in water? Not easy. I think i climbed on the swim deck. After the purge - all ok but boat judge not impressed. Only tricks and jump to go. Rock and Roll

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Baller

@rogerw - I think a lot of people that started their skiing young enough, and especially if they skied on a college team, has a story like that. I certainly do. If you skied tournaments in the '70s and '80s like I did, then there's a good chance you would have more than a few stories to tell and some that didn't even involve alcohol, but other mindbenders.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...