Part 4/9:
Another eye-opening revelation during my journey was the concept of “empty calories” found in alcohol. A soldier in the battle against caloric intake, alcohol has 7 calories per gram—almost as calorie-dense as butter but devoid of any nutritional value. This realization led me to understand how consuming alcohol not only contributes to excess calorie intake, but also disrupts metabolism.
When drinking, our bodies prioritize breaking down alcohol over metabolizing fats or processing nutrients, causing unnecessary fat accumulation and indifference to caloric balance. By eliminating these empty calories, I found myself inadvertently cleaning up my diet, which translated into better riding performance and quicker recovery.