How do I stay in good health while partying like a rockstar?

June 8, 2006 10:26 AM

Partying like a rockstar lately! Will my body rot off and die? How do I stay in good health?

Coming off a fresh breakup, (this one hurt a lot), I have decided to forget about her by going out with buddies and painting the town red. So for the past few weeks, I have been going out 5-6 nights a week, drinking like crazy, bad eating habbits have been the norm, staying up late (like 6 hours of sleep a day). I know this kind of action is terrible for my health, but I have used this technique to get over girls in the past and it works. So my question is what can I do to make sure my liver and other body parts dont die out? Vitamins? Water? drinks? potions? Voodoo Curse? Help me stay in good health while going balls out (lol).

posted by boyinmiami to Health & Fitness (33 answers total)

Human bodies are fairly durable. Just ask Keith Richards.
posted by sharksandwich at 10:27 AM on June 8, 2006

You should at least be taking multivitamins and drinking lots of water.
posted by zonkout at 10:28 AM on June 8, 2006

Um, what does treating your body like crap have to do with getting over girls? I don't think one or two binges will ruin your liver but yeesh.

What about doing something healthy? Like going to the gym and working out. It's really a great feeling, and pushing yourself on an elliptical or something really knocks out your brain -- so you can't really dwell on anything.
posted by delmoi at 10:29 AM on June 8, 2006

If you stop doing this sometime soon you'll be fine. You might shave half an hour off your life, maybe.
posted by cellphone at 10:30 AM on June 8, 2006

You will get sick of your friends before your body wears out. Take couple of days off to go to the gym and drink OJ.
posted by CRM114 at 10:33 AM on June 8, 2006

Take a b complex prior to going all balls out. That helps your liver process the toxins. Preemptively helps the hangover too.
posted by delladlux at 10:33 AM on June 8, 2006

I do the multivitamins and drink SportWater in the recovery phase. It has the benefits of electrolytes without all the sugar and crap in Gatorade.
posted by sharksandwich at 10:33 AM on June 8, 2006

I learned a while ago from an acquaintance that you can get the gout in your 20s, not just at an old age. So, watch that diet, I guess.

Other than that, drink lots of water during the day, try to eat meals somewhat regularly and get the right levels of nutrition when you're not drinking -- anything you eat while drunk is probably not going to contribute positively to your health. You're basically staying busy and reducing mental capacity at the same time so that you don't think about whatever you're drinking off -- is there anything you can do a couple nights a week that involve exercise that are really engaging? It feels especially painful to exercise after you've been out drinking for a few days straight, but it'll help sweat out some of the evil you've been taking in.

But yeah, try to drink a little less or at least pace yourself by drinking water.
posted by mikeh at 10:34 AM on June 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

On the cosmetic front, it's important to moisturize, moisturize, moisturise. Employ a loofah regimen if necessary. Exfoliation will reduce the outward signs of hard partying while allowing your pores to breathe.
posted by horsewithnoname at 10:40 AM on June 8, 2006

As someone who's been in a touring band full-time for the last 2 years, I'd say the human body can take that kind of treatment for at least two years. Maybe even two and a half, I'll let you know.
posted by Ekim Neems at 10:44 AM on June 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

I second trying working out instead of partying like a rockstar. It can be a way to release aggression, as well as releasing endorphins that will help you feel generally good.

If you keep up the partying like a rockstar approach, just try not to carry on too long. It has to stop at some point. Try not to escalate your unhealthy behaviors. You didn't mention any harder drugs, so keep that up. And remember, alcohol really is a pretty hard and addictive drug itself, so again, make sure you remain in control of being able to cut back and eventually stop. If you don't smoke already, don't start smoking "but only when I'm drunk, so it's totally fine." The vitamins sound like a good idea also.

Some other ways that might help you get out some of your negative feelings are art. Writing, painting, whatever. Talking to someone, of course. Starting a new hobby or something may help take your mind off of it.
posted by gauchodaspampas at 10:51 AM on June 8, 2006

When I've been binging a lot I turn to Superfood. I am not suggesting this as a hangover cure but as a 'keep your body generally happy' type of thing.
posted by nadawi at 11:01 AM on June 8, 2006

Emergen-C is good. I partied pretty hard through my 20s and I am in perfect health. The one thing I always did, though, was sleep. Sounds like you should include napping in your regimen.

be very careful with your sexual health too-- make sure you have condoms on you!
posted by miss tea at 11:06 AM on June 8, 2006

The golden rule: no coke after 4AM.
posted by geoff. at 11:23 AM on June 8, 2006 [3 favorites]

From my past experience with these phases, I've learned the body is, indeed, very robust. But there's no way to make up for not getting enough sleep. Eventually, if you keep up the 6 hours or less per night, you'll notice your skin, your mental health, and other important components are starting to deteriorate. Take a look at your neighborhood methamphetamine addict to get an idea of the extreme long-term effects of this sort of lifestyle.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 11:29 AM on June 8, 2006

Hot water + juice of lemon in the morning, before you eat anything. Also, if you're going to drink a lot, make it as much vodka (or other clear liquour) and as little beer as possible.
posted by xanthippe at 11:38 AM on June 8, 2006

You just (nearly) described my life.

I've been living like this for over a year. Work 8 hours a day, drink 6 days a week, eat out for lunch, eat out for dinner, get about 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night.

I spend a ton of time at the gym and a ton of time playing soccer, though, and I feel stellar. So I guess my answer to your question is exercise. Temper your binge drinking with exercise, it's what I do. I feel like though I may sin at night, I repent during the day with hard work at my job and also in the weight room/track/field.
posted by dead_ at 11:59 AM on June 8, 2006

Oh, and I don't know what I'd do without coffee. It's a cureall.
posted by dead_ at 12:00 PM on June 8, 2006

Don't forget the fibre! I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm in my 20s and drink Metamucil every day. When people scoff and laugh, I remember my last amazing BM and smile quietly to myself.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 12:17 PM on June 8, 2006

Speaking as someone who has abused their body in the past with good results (lost 40 pounds in 2 months eating nothing but beer apples milk and OJ with the occasional pemmican bar) I would reccommend making sure you get apples, milk and OJ. The apples give you fiber so you dont totally mess up your digestive tract, the milk gives you calcium so you dont begin to lose bone mass and the OJ gives you enough vitamin C and other vitamins so you dont get scurvy. I would also reccommend pemmican bars from bear valley. They are essentially whole wheat bread with walnuts and raisins compressed into bar form, so tons of fiber and protein.

I would also reccommend drinking at least a couple of hearty beers a night. If you are drinking microbrews, especially the ones with yeast in them then you are getting a lot of vitamin b6 and b12 (vitamin B for beer yeast).

I know that in my past I drank too much (fifth of whiskey in 3 days) but now I am ironically in better health than my parents at my age due to the fact that I eat high protein figh fiber and low fat. I scaled back when I started to get the DT's but as long as you arent getting any major physical symptoms you should be OK. You will probably notice an off smell in your urine once you hit the stasis point from the acids and aldehydes present from your body removing the alcohol, but just make sure you drink a lot of water and you should be fine.
posted by koolkat at 12:48 PM on June 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

I'll second the "no coke after 4 am" rule - unless of course, you have a lot.
posted by jivadravya at 12:56 PM on June 8, 2006

Did anyone else read that as "eating hobbits?"
You just made my day.

I agree with everyone about drinking a lot of water.
posted by rmless at 1:06 PM on June 8, 2006

Drive up to Primanti Brothers in Lauderdale and have one sandwich each day. You will be happy.

(I did this for the Orange Bowl this year and felt great.)
posted by UncleHornHead at 1:49 PM on June 8, 2006

Get some daylight on your skin. Mmmmm, vitamin k.

Try to eat a balanced diet -- even bars serve a wide variety of foods these days, so some days go for the double cheeseburger, and then on some days, go with the soup, or the hummus plate, or the wings. Seriously, variety is good for you.

Drink lots of water.

You'll be fine. Your emotional scars will heal and you'll have some great stories to tell.
posted by zpousman at 1:50 PM on June 8, 2006

Throw down a salad every other day. Good luck.
posted by rinkjustice at 2:17 PM on June 8, 2006

stick with the top shelf liquor and once you start with one drink - stick with it all night. Some of my worst hangovers came from starting with beer, moving to wine and finishing with the hard stuff.
posted by any major dude at 2:26 PM on June 8, 2006

Rock on Dude. Then when the time comes - chill. that's what I am about to do - another period of enforced abstinence from the sauce.

When it comes to getting over a break up - you gotta do what you gotta do - and it's good that you seem at one with that. The worst thing you can do for your health (ok maybe not the worst!) is to beat yourself up over your prediliction for getting smashed.

Be the binge. Then be the abstinence.

Be the abstinence a little more than you be the binge :)
posted by Moose at 2:57 PM on June 8, 2006

I second the "Superfood" juice recommendation -- I would swear it staves off colds, flu, sinus infections, etc. -- so it will probably help with that post-rockstar feeling.

Definitely try to get some sleep.
posted by oldtimey at 3:18 PM on June 8, 2006

robocopisbleeding said: I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm in my 20s and drink Metamucil every day. When people scoff and laugh, I remember my last amazing BM and smile quietly to myself.

If the BM was so good, why are you bleeding? Sorry, I couldn't stop myself.
posted by brina at 4:15 PM on June 8, 2006

Are you having lots of cheap meaningless sex while you're at it? :P

I like the Vitamin Waters. They have a purple one called "Revive" that's kind of tasty.

Otherwise, consume lots of fluids, eat a multivitamin, get a decent lunch in the middle of the day, and then keep partying. I did the same thing you are, except that I kept it up for a full year. (I was in a touring rock band)
posted by drstein at 8:55 PM on June 8, 2006

(what an active thread! - sounds like alot of good advice from personal experinces...)
posted by growabrain at 10:15 PM on June 8, 2006

I second water and moisturization. Just always carry water on you. I'm not a huge water drinker, but I try to make the effort; it's key.

There's a pink Vitamin Water that has dragonfruit in it. It's called Power-C, has taurine and vitamin C.

Also, the old V-8 commericals used to promise that "V-8 straightens out your day," and I find that it does. Plus, it has all those veggies and goodness inside.

Lastly, I don't know if it's always the getting drunk or if it's more the late nights and the being "out" that's most important to you right now, but as a nightlife columnist, I'm often out, and I can manage to pace myself and not get overly intoxicated every time. I still hurt myself on lack of sleep and too many cigarettes, but I'm not usually as freakishly dehydrated (and otherwise uncomfortable) if I'm sober when I hit the sack.
posted by bozichsl at 10:08 AM on June 9, 2006

How do those of you working 8 hrs a day and partying most nights ever find the time to go to the gym? That's my problem, and it'd be great if someone could shed light on a possible solution.
posted by nihraguk at 1:48 AM on June 13, 2006