Drugs and the stronglifts lifestyle.

[chris9]

i'm super-sensitive to alcohol. used to be able to drink a decent amount but now even one beer or a glass or red wine will keep me awake at night (or more often have me wide awake after only 3-4 hours sleep) so i rarely drink.

herb is still very friendly in my body. sometimes i smoke, sometimes i don't but if i'm going to drink i'd better chase it with a spliff if i want a good night's sleep.

powders and pills are nasty. hallucinogens are like dungeons and dragons: great fun if you can commit three full days to it, which i just don't have the time for any more.

Plenty of mushrooms where I live, but I've seen some friends get pretty weird on those things.

isn't that the point?

[natew]

Used to get quite drunk once a week for a few years. Also, used to smoke weed a lot, 1-2 dubes per day, etc. Not sure exactly if it was weed or my life situation (relationship ended/very sad), but I started getting very depressed every time i smoked, so I stopped, naturally. In the past year I barely drink and lately not at all. I don't really enjoy having the odd beer, it makes me tired. I'll have a few drinks at a party or something and get a bit of a buzz, but I haven't been going out much lately anyway. Lately when I think about going out and drinking, I think about how well my training is going and I really don't even feel like it.

[chris9]

Lately when I think about going out and drinking, I think about how well my training is going and I really don't even feel like it.

Definitely. I think the best defense against substance abuse is cultivating that super-positive high that only comes from training hard and being fit.

[blackdog]

As far as drugs are concered, we've all pretty much concluded that weed is ok in small amounts as is beer etc. However, one thing that bothers me is the attitude towards anabolics. Here in Canada, it's sort of unspoken that weed is ok in your own home. People smoke-up in public all over the place. It hasn't been decriminilized, but I wouldn't be suprised if it was in the next 20 years. However, steroids are all 'bad'.

It's not 'cheating' for most people who don't compete and for those who do, as long as its a non-tested league, then you can garuntee almost everyone else will be using. Besides, it's been proven that all side effects of steroids can be reversed over a short period of time. Just don't be stupid with your dosages and cycles, get blood work and monitor your health with a doctor and use clean syringes and rotate injection sites. Also, learn to inject properly from a nurse's handbook.

Like anything, steroids are a personal choice and shouldn't be demonized. I don't use them and wouldn't advocate them for someone who hasn't laid down a solid foundation by themselves, but for someone like Mariusz Pudzianowski, I could see why he uses them.

[Rugger]

As far as drugs are concered, we've all pretty much concluded that weed is ok in small amounts as is beer etc. However, one thing that bothers me is the attitude towards anabolics. Here in Canada, it's sort of unspoken that weed is ok in your own home. People smoke-up in public all over the place. It hasn't been decriminilized, but I wouldn't be suprised if it was in the next 20 years. However, steroids are all 'bad'.

It's not 'cheating' for most people who don't compete and for those who do, as long as its a non-tested league, then you can garuntee almost everyone else will be using. Besides, it's been proven that all side effects of steroids can be reversed over a short period of time. Just don't be stupid with your dosages and cycles, get blood work and monitor your health with a doctor and use clean syringes and rotate injection sites. Also, learn to inject properly from a nurse's handbook.

Like anything, steroids are a personal choice and shouldn't be demonized. I don't use them and wouldn't advocate them for someone who hasn't laid down a solid foundation by themselves, but for someone like Mariusz Pudzianowski, I could see why he uses them.

I agree completely, I have no desire to use steroids, but have nothing against those who do.

[stallion87]

I live in scotland, going to Holland in March for a Scotland game. Amsterdam to be precise. I'm joining the police right now, will find out when my medical is in Mid march. How long does Weed stay in your system for a drugs test. Bare in mind it would be my first smoke and last before I'm in the police!

[Love_Deadlifts]

It stays in your hair a lot longer than it stays in your urine. I know that much.

[baatzt]

I don't like the drugs, but the drugs like me...

[khrushchev]

OK, I'm really late with this, but Stallion, if you value your future career, don't smoke any pot when you're in Amsterdam.

There were a couple of police officers here dismissed from the force when they returned from an holiday in Holland and failed a drugs test. They told all their friends where they were going, and one of them must have snitched.

[arehb]

I had a pretty average alcohol consumption until 2008, when I decided to not drink for a year. I'm really satisfied with not drinking and plan on sticking to it. I've tried cannabis a little bit but concluded that alcohol worked better for me.

I am serious about training because I want to be all I can be. I want to fulfill my potential as a person.

Taking drugs to artificially manipulate my emotions or sense of reality -- doesn't give meaning since it wouldn't be the real me anymore. Plus the dangers, and costs.

[Sylvor]

@ Stallion

I think it can stay in your system for months. For some reason 8 months rings a bell to me.

Booze:
I normally would drink fairly hard on a Friday night the past two years. By hard I would estimate about 8 - 16 drinks ( beer / rye and ginger pretty much anything) Previously to this I would drink more often as that would have been during undergrad.

The past month I have pretty much stopped drinking right now. I have had 4 pints in the past 4 weeks. I have also lost about 8 pounds and an inch off of my waist in the past month. The main reason for this is getting back to the gym and stopping the drinking. Drinking is enough calories in itself, then the hang over day was even worse cause i'm always too lazy to cook.

I had also dropped to my lowest weight in a long time about 4 years ago in third year when I was taking acutane for my acne. You cannot drink booze while taking it and I got down to 185 pounds at the time. Currently sitting at 239, hopefully saying no to the booze gets me back there.

Pot:
I was a pot head for a couple spurts. In second year of university second semester I smoked daily for about two months. My grades went to crap, my weight spiked to about 255 - 260. During our spring break i got my head back on straight, started eating well and buckled down. I saved my semester and kept my grades above 80% (deans list), and started to go to the gym (not SL 5x5) and whipped myself into shape getting down to that 185 at the end of third year.

Mushrooms: I did them once, we just stayed home and listened to music. Wasn't anything special.

Coke/XTC ect I have never touched.

Cigarettes: I have maybe smoked a half pack to a pack in my life. I have only ever done it when really drunk. I don't enjoy it at all.

[marmaduke81]

stallion for the time that weed stays in your system is about a month tops. And in your case maybe 2 weeks as long as you're in half way decent shape and not a lard ass. Which is likley(being in shape) considering the forum you're on. But i think i'd have to agree with khrushchev if you've never done it and you're going to become a cop leave it be. You don't want to try it love it and screw up your career cause you want to cont smoking pot. I'm talking from experience by the way. Just a little somethingto think about

[nburge]

Never been a fan of weed, not really gone down that road. Too many people I knew on it didn't seem to have the energy to do anything. Never touched ciggies either - just hated the smell.

Booze on the other hand I have been very fond of, and still am. I still drink with friends to excess most friday and saturday nights, I like to. When I started this programme I cut down my midweek boozing, but now I'm committed to lifting I find I still have the motivation to get up and hit the weights with a hangover. Best cure you can imagine. It's bad for motivation, energy and focus and it probably would help for me to cut back. It hasn't stopped me piling on muscle though (well, perhaps I would have piled on more without the grog) and I don't wish to give up because I find fun in it. I have had jobs I hated where I've been drinking every night to excess (>10 pints per night) and afternoons too. It doesn't help - makes any situation worse, but it can be your friend for a bit. Fortunately I can choose whether I get trashed or not (I have strong willpower) these days, and I usually only drink on weekdays if I'm meeting old friends that I've not seen for a while/want to celebrate/commisorate something.

Steroids I don't see the point of - I want to achieve my muscle gains and strength increases on my own, that said it's a personal choice and as long as they're informed of the dangers, risks and benefits then I have no problem with it.

[mauijosh]

i smoke weed every day, multiple times a day. it motivates me to lift, gives me a great appetite, and i consistenly make gains in Stronglifts

[Gringo]

@nburge: Doesn't trying to do lifts while hangover raise the propensity to getting injuries?