Drink More, Exercise More. Because That Makes Sense

"Whew! Thank God I took those 5 shots last night."

In the words of Betsy from ABC Family’s Greek, “I don’t go to the gym five days a week for my health!” Could it be the drinking, Betsy?

According to a recently published study in the September/October issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, those who are more likely to drink are also more likely to drag themselves to the gym (hungover or otherwise). Lead author Michael French, Ph. D says that “Alcohol users not only exercised more than abstainers, but the differential actually increased with more drinking.”

I knew drinking was good for my health! Take that, mom!

And it only gets better. The study showed that the more that women drank, the more time they spent exercising each week, on average. Light drinkers apparently exercised for 5.7 more minutes per week, moderate drinkers 10.1 minutes, and heavy drinkers (college students?) 19.9 minutes more per week. Yup, the study showed that women who drink were 10.1% more likely to engage in vigorous exercise (both in and out of the bedroom. Heyoooo).

But the study’s author was quick to say loud and clear that the heath risks associated with heavy drinking outweigh the benefits of more exercise. Boo(ze)!

As college women it makes a little more sense that we would have the time and motivation to exercise hard and party hard. But the study still begs the WTF about why the relationship between heavy drinking and regular exercise exists for women. Are we compensating for extra calories? Doing it out of guilt? Or are girls who choose to socialize in situations with alcohol more likely to enjoy exercise or the gym due to the social aspect of it? Do girls who like to stay in shape respond more to social pressures telling them to have a tight body and to drink heavily? Does this mean that non-drinkers are that much less likely to exercise? And who is healthier in the long-run, the active drunks or the sober slugs?

Either way, I’m not giving up my Friday runs: that 3-miler in the morning, or the one of the vodka variety later that night.

Journal reference:

1. French MT, Popovici I, Maclean JC. Do alcohol consumers exercise more? Findings from a national survey. American Journal of Health Promotion, 24(1), 2009