A Bro’s Guide To Getting Smashed And Staying Shredded

Drinking and having abs aren’t mutually exclusive things. Contrary to what some of the most hardcore fitness bros tell you, it’s entirely possible to get drunk on the weekend and still have a shredded physique.

The younger you are, the easier it is to eat like shit and drink like a fish while still being able to wash your clothes on your stomach. It’s still possible as you get older, you just need to pay a bit more attention to what you’re doing outside of your drinking days.

Here’s your guide to getting smashed and staying shredded.

In order to know how to work alcohol into a program and stay lean, you need to know the ways that alcohol has a negative impact on your physique. There are 3 ways alcohol has the potential to fuck up your physique. Look at it as the trident of physique ruinage.

  • Alcohol is a source of empty calories.

Alcohol is 7 calories per gram and offers 0 nutritional benefit. When you drink, your body focuses on metabolizing the alcohol and nothing else. Generally drinks are also loaded with sugars, tacking on even more calories. On average a beer is going to be in the neighborhood of 100-150 calories, and a mixed drink will be even higher. This means it’s pretty damn easy to get in an extra 500-800- or even 1000 calories.

  • Alcohol lowers inhibitions, which leads to poor food choices and even worse women choices.

Alcohol removes all inhibitions, and makes that entire pizza at 3am sound like a damn good idea. Up until you wind up pissing out of your butt the next day. Not only does alcohol add in extra calories, but it makes it easier to consume more calories from terrible foods.

  • It’s tougher to get quality training sessions in the next day.

Maybe you’ve set some of your biggest pr’s when you’re hungover, but I doubt it. Being hungover, dehydrated, and exhausted from the night before doesn’t make for quality training sessions.

So how do you take these factors into account, and still drop fat? With some planning and forethought it’s not only possible, it’s pretty damn easy.

  • ALWAYS account for alcohol calories.

The number one rule is to account for the calories that you might drink and eat that night. If you go about your day eating normally, and then drink that night its’ easy to wind up 1000+ calories over maintenance.

Instead, plan for the night of drinking. Drop the calories way down during the day, and focus solely on getting in lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables. This means your carb and calorie intake will be much lower, leaving you more caloric room to fill with alcohol.

A good rule of thumb? Reduce your daily calorie intake by about 500-600.

  • Get a great training session in that day.

I love incorporating strength circuits and full body workouts in the day I know I’ll drink. This ensures that I keep my heart rate high during the session, I burn through stored glycogen, and I’ll burn even more calories afterwards thanks to EPOC. If I know I’m really going to go crazy that night, I might even add some steady state cardio to get even more of a calorie burn.

Creating an even bigger calorie deficit can do you a world of good when you’re going to drink that night. The easiest way to create a deficit is to eat less. The second easiest way is to get a kickass training session in.

  • Liquor is quicker.

I love beer, especially craft beer. But if I’m trying to get smashed, beer isn’t always the best choice. I have to drink more of it, and it’s usually going to be a source of more calories opposed to liquor. Luckily I happen to love bourbon and tequila.

Using liquor, either straight or with a low calorie mixer, ensures that I can still get smashed without blowing through hundreds of calories with only 3 beers.

One of my favorite options? An Old Fashioned.  Its low calorie, gets you drunk, and makes you look sophisticated as fuck. Winning x3.

Planning for your weekend nights out isn’t impossible bros. Go out this weekend and get smashed, make awful decisions, and wake up Monday morning still looking like you actually lift.

Tanner is a fitness professional and writer based in the metro Atlanta area. His training focus is helping normal people drop absurd amounts of fat, become strong like bull, and get in the best shape of their life.