The Kinobody Guide to Alcohol, Burning Fat and Building Muscle

It’s OK to delay gratification a bit when you are trying to hit goals.

But you don’t want to completely stop living.

Going out and socializing does NOT have to be put on hold until you reach your goal.

This logic will only end up biting you in the ass.

You will put too much mental energy into fitness and diet.

This leads to burnout.

Getting in fantastic shape is awesome, but it’s not everything.

You don’t have to choose between going out and getting in shape or eating dessert and having abs.

It doesn’t have to be a trade-off.

In this post, you’ll learn my strategy for enjoying alcohol, and food, while staying lean and making gains.

You certainly don’t have to drink.

But if you do enjoy 2-3 drinks while vacationing, attending a wedding reception, hanging out with friends, enjoying dinner, etc.

It is possible to do this while staying lean.

Before I talk about my specific strategy I wanted to cover a few facts about alcohol.

The Facts About Alcohol

I’ll give you all the facts.

But I have to share my favorite cocktail with you first.

I’m a big fan of Grand Marnier because it makes margaritas so much better.

I like my margaritas simple and not too sweet.

Let’s get to the facts…

Fact #1 – The only way to gain fat while drinking alcohol is to be in a calorie surplus

That is how the body works, and fifty years of research supports this.

So long that you consume fewer calories than you burn, you can drink to your heart’s content with absolutely no fat gain.

Of course, this is easier said than done.

If you’re planning on slamming back eight beers over the course of the night, that’s 1200 calories that you need to make room for.

Fact #2 – A moderate intake of alcohol may increase testosterone in men 

We’ve all been told that drinking will destroy testosterone levels and kill our manhood.

Well, interestingly enough, a low dose of alcohol (approximately 3-4 drinks for the average male) actually leads to a small increase in testosterone. 

So much for alcohol killing your testosterone.

Now obviously, if you’re planning on getting hammered drunk, you will negatively affect your T levels. That said, as I will be addressing later, getting hammered drunk is a win-lose strategy (not a win-win).

*1991 Absolut Vodka magazine ad.

Fact #3 – Alcohol calories are not as fattening as one would think

There is some debate on whether or not alcohol calories even count. This is because drinking calories from alcohol doesn’t result in the expected weight gain.

Moreover, some research shows that moderate alcohol intake may protect against obesity, particularly in women.

***It’s important to understand that there is absolutely no way to store ethanol (alcohol calories) as fat.***

That said, drinking alcohol will impair fat burning until the alcohol has been metabolized.

So if you’re in a calorie surplus, your body will store any food that hasn’t been burned as fat, but the alcohol will not be stored as fat.

Now interestingly enough, some research shows that alcohol leads to a decreased appetite for food. This, in itself, can help support fat loss.

Fact #4 – Moderate drinking is not unhealthy 

Research shows that moderate to light drinkers outlive non-drinkers. As well, moderate alcohol consumption improves insulin sensitivity, allowing you to better handle carbs.

And light to moderate alcohol consumption seems to protect agains type 2 diabetes, Alzeihmers disease and depression. No need to feel guilty the next time you enjoy a whiskey soda.

*1992 Absolut Vodka magazine ad.

Fact #5 – Moderate drinking does not impair muscle gains 

While yes, excessive drinking is in no way productive for your goals of building strength and a great physique, moderate drinking seems to be fine. The research is clear on this.

In fact, it’s been shown that moderate alcohol consumption does not impair overload-induced muscle hypterophy and protein synthesis. 

Fact #6 – After 4 drinks, alcohol gives you nothing 

Roughly four drinks in and you have all the positive effects of alcohol with little impairment. You feel mild euphoria, a sense of well being, relaxation, joyousness and talkativeness.

What’s more, alcohol in moderation is effective at reducing stress and tension, depression, and feelings of self-consciousness. As well, low dose alcohol has been found to improve certain types of cognitive performance – including problem solving and short term memory. 

Exercise self-control and alcohol will give you more than it takes from you. It’s only when you abuse alcohol that it turns into something negative.

*2003 Bacardi Rum magazine ad.

Being able to drink alcohol moderately is really the key. And something we will be exploring in this article.

Fact #7 – Alcohol Can Lead to Increased Activity

One thing that can happen with alcohol is you wind up moving more especially when you are out with friends. Let’s say you go out to a couple spots one night, you have a drink or two here a drink or two there.

You’re moving around. You are getting in NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis). This can add up to burning a lot of calories.

The trick is to hit that sweet spot (3-4 drinks). If you drink too much it will add more calories than you are probably burning. Also, if get hungover, you will move less the next day.

How To Drink Moderately And Reap The Benefits

If you want to get the most from alcohol, you must learn to drink moderately. Moderate drinkers experience some amazing benefits, it’s only when you take things to the excess, that alcohol becomes something unhealthy and takes more from you than it gives you.

Moreover, by drinking moderately, you limit your calorie intake, and you’re able to wake up feeling like a million bucks the next day. Now, no question about it, some days you’re going to want to test your limits.

*1979 Crown Royal Canadian Whisky magazine ad.

But on the whole, the idea is to learn how to nail down this whole moderate drinking thing. Which, of course, requires us to address why we’re even drinking in the first place.

Why Do You Even Want To Drink?

Most people drink because they want to socialize or party. They’re hitting the bars with friends, they’re going to be talking to people, and frankly, sobriety just ain’t going to cut it.

Maybe you’ve had a long day and your brain is stuck in work mode, sometimes having a few drinks can break you out of that – making you a more loose and fun person to be around.

Not too bad, now is it?

Well, the problem comes when you put too much weight on alcohol. When you rely on alcohol to give you confidence and to throw away your inhibitions.

*2002 Skyy Vodka magazine ad.

Essentially, you’re walking through life stifled, hiding behind the real you, and using alcohol as a crutch to express yourself.

This is not cool. And something every grown human being needs to get past. The question you need to ask yourself is “how can I truly express myself without having to dumb myself down with excessive drinking?”

The Answer Is To Be In The Moment

What is stopping you from letting go and having fun? Your mind. When you’re able to ground yourself in the present moment, dissolving the past and the future, there is no fear, no anxiety.

You simply can let go. This isn’t easy and is often best accomplished by taking small steps. But the key, is to take action. To push outside of your comfort zone.

*1988 Tanqueray Gin magazine ad.

Enjoy a few drinks, but don’t rely on the drinks to give you confidence. Just make a few drinks part of the experience. And enjoy yourself, have fun, and let go.

How To Develop This Ability To Be Present

Having the ability to just have a few drinks and be completely un-stifled is insanely awesome! You’ll save tons of money on alcohol. You’ll get in way better shape and you’ll develop natural confidence, not a false sense of confidence that’s dependent on alcohol.

On top of that, you’ll be much more composed and witty when you’re not in a drunken stupor. Your social acuity and ability to read situations will be much higher.

Now developing this presence is unfortunately not as simple as reading this passage and then deciding that you’re going to go out and not care what people think and not be stuck in your head.

You Need To Realize That Socializing Is A Skill Set

Think of it as a skill and you have to develop it. It will be awkward at first, you’ll have to push through that and eventually your ego will let go.

*1979 Myers’s Rum magazine ad.

You’ll reach this incredible state where you’re totally at ease, nothings holding you back and you feel incredibly confident and totally present.

If possible, I’d recommend listening to it every morning for 20 minutes for two weeks straight. You will be blown away at how much more present, relaxed and comfortable you become.

This is something I discuss more thoroughly in my youtube video on Tolle.

This was filmed over 8 years ago, I look so young here.

Do You Have Other Motives To Drinking?

Some people want to drink to escape their problems and to cope with the daily stresses of life. Or maybe they just want to get out of their head and feel alive and express themselves. And the answer is still, to be present. What problem do you have at this moment?

There aren’t any problems in the moment. There are things you either have to accept or work towards making a desired change. But why turn something into a problem?

Now without further ado, let’s discuss some drinking strategies to let loose, have fun while still progressing toward your fitness goals.

The Kinobody Guide to Drinking

Here are the tips for being able to drink alcohol while staying lean.

1. You Need To Stick To Lower Calorie Drinks

If you’re just going to have 1-2 drinks and you really want a beer, some wine or a cocktail, then go for it! That will only be 250-300 calories. That said, if you want to drink 3-4 drinks, I recommend the lowest calorie option.

That would be your favorite liquor of choice (vodka, whiskey, gin) and some sparkling water! The advantage of sparkling water is that it will help fill up your stomach with no calories, while also hydrating you.

A great tip, if you’re fasting, is to have 1-2 glasses of sparkling water if you start to get hungry. I learned this from one of my clients and have been using it since.

An ounce and a half of liquor is around 90-100 calories. That said, alcohol calories don’t result in the expected weight gain. So if you make room for the alcohol calories, you’ll likely be in a greater calorie deficit than you’d expect.

2. You Need To Drink in Moderation

I’m going to keep stressing this because it’s that important. If you want to lead a win win win life, you need to become a master of moderation. This means being able to only have 2-5 drinks during a social outing.

Do that and you will get all the positive effects of alcohol with little drawbacks. Overdo it, and alcohol will take from you.

*1974 Jim Beam Bourbon magazine ad.

3. You Need To Make Room For The Alcohol Calories

There’s no need to completely cut out carbs or fats, doing so is just unenjoyable. I mean, who wants to eat nothing but chicken breast and broccoli to enjoy some drinks?

Not me! Not to mention, a low carb and low fat diet suppresses testosterone and sex drive. Not ideal if there’s the possibility of sex later. The easiest way to make room for alcohol calories is to intermittent fast.

Skip breakfast and eat two meals per day. A solid lunch and dinner. Enjoy meals composed of lean meat, veggies and potatoes for maximum fullness.

Remember, as long as you are consuming fewer calories than you’re burning, there’s simply no way of storing fat. Most likely, you’ll wake up leaner than before.

4. You Need To Avoid Eating Late At Night

The biggest issue with drinkers is what happens after all the alcohol. Late-night IHOP, Pizza, or here in Toronto, it’s all about that Poutine. Well, of course, if after slamming 8 drinks, you decide to ingest 800 calories, you’re going to gain weight.

I know it is hard to go to sleep on an empty stomach, so it’s better to have a few lower-calorie food options at home.

In the past, I’ve done a bag of pop chips, 2-3 cheese quesadillas, 1-2 Quest bars, etc. The key is to eat something that is maybe close to 400, possibly 500 calories instead of 800-1000+.

*1977 Roger Moore as 007 in “The Spy Who Loved Me”.

Alcohol and Your Sex Life

I wanted to put this in a separate section.

Alcohol is an incredible vasodilator if you stick to just 1-3 drinks.

For instance, if I have 2 glasses of red wine when on vacation, my veins just pop out, and I look insanely vascular.

Male and female bodybuilders often have 1-2 drinks to look extra vascular and shredded on stage (almost a last-minute shrink wrap as well).

But too much alcohol is a vasoconstrictor.

Less blood flow which means poor bedroom performance.

So you want to hit that sweet spot of 2-3 drinks.

This improves blood flow and leads to awesome sex.

Here’s the setup to crush it in the bedroom.

• 1-3 Kino Warrior Margs made with Casamigos Blanco Tequila
• 3 Capsules of Kino Mojo
• 2 Capsules of Kino Nitro

I’m telling you.

The sex is incredible with this combo.

Women can sense higher testosterone levels (they can even smell it).

So with Mojo, you are going to turn your woman on.

You will be more dominant.

You will have a steel rod.

Nitro not only amplifies the steel rod, it gives you the ability to go for several rounds.

Women can sense it if a guy has an insatiable desire for them and they want to be desired.

You are going to wear her out…

And she will LOVE it.

I don’t have my own tequila brand (yet) but…

You can get both Mojo and Nitro as a bundle in this stack.

The Mojo Stack (Memorial Day Sale)

*It’s 50% OFF off the first order if you subscribe before the sale ends this Monday.*

Conclusion

You can definitely drink alcohol in moderation and gain muscle, stay lean, etc.

I love going to a fancy steakhouse and drinking an old-fashioned with my dinner or making carne asada tacos and sipping on a margarita.

It’s very relaxing and enjoyable for me.

I’m able to stay as lean as I want by simply cutting back on calories a little earlier in the day.

Follow these tips and you will be good.

And if you don’t like alcohol, that’s awesome as well.

Talk Soon,

Greg O’Gallagher