April is Alcohol Awareness month. We all may like to imbibe in an adult beverage every now and then… But how does alcohol consumption affect metabolism? Alcohol lowers metabolic rate due to testosterone being reduced. As a result, this means less muscle gain and a direct impact on the effectiveness of your strength training workout. When consuming alcohol, not only are hormones impacted, but sleep patterns become disrupted and recovery is then affected. The liquid calories can pack on fat along with reducing inhibitions. Intoxication can lead to reaching for that late night slice of greasy pepperoni pizza!

Although everyone loves a good party every now and then, we can also focus on balancing our behaviors by choosing healthy ways to boost metabolism. Exercise, eating healthy foods and consuming non-alcoholic drinks (ice-cold water)  are all wonderful ways to begin to revitalize metabolism. These lifestyle modifications can raise the basal metabolic rate and train your body to burn more calories. One of the largest calorie-burning components of metabolism is driven by building muscle. The more muscle you have compared to fat, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you burn. Along with strength training,  HIIT or interval training can increase post-exercise metabolism for up to 24 hours.  An ATC  personal trainer can help design a fitness program specifically for you that is sure to boost your metabolism!