Admit it. You would never dream of being in the prime of your life, sporting trendy clothes, a nice hairdo or hairstyle, the latest fashion accessories, and just one buzzkill. You are also sporting an unwanted beer belly. What a total turn-off, right?
Beer Belly
Beer belly is a term used to denote a protruding full stomach that shows, especially after a hearty meal or a session of drinking. However, the phrase is used to symbolize a full belly after several drinking sessions. It has transformed since then into a word denoting any belly protruding and formed after drinking, eating, and others.
To be fair, it is not just the beers themselves alone that cause such a distortion to your figure but the calories that they pack in them. On average, 12 ounces of regular beer would be around 150 calories, and the light beers would be packed in a range between 50-100 calories.
A healthy young woman would need at least 2,000 calories a day, and 2,200 to 2,400 calories for a healthy young man. Imagine if one were to drink 5 bottles of regular beer, that would be 150 calories multiplied by 5; you would have a total of 750 calories already.
Taking into consideration the average calorie intake is nearly half of the recommended calorie for a day. If you’re thinking that’s alright, you can burn those calories anyway. Well, it’s sad to say that there are calories that don’t go away that easily, and it all depends on your own body’s metabolic capacity; hence, they accumulate in the stomach and other areas, creating the infamous ‘beer belly’.
That is why it is erroneous to assume that the only cause for having such a protruding tummy is due to the drinking of beer; after all, it’s only around 60% caused by it.
Tips on Getting Rid of a Beer Belly
If having a large, bulging, and protruding tummy bothers you so much and is hazardous to your health and well-being already, it might be best to start thinking of ways to get rid of that ‘beer belly.’ Here are some helpful tips that might be of great use to you.
Don’t binge-drink or get wasted.
It is self-explanatory actually: binge drinking and getting wasted are, of course, the number one ways to acquire a ‘beer belly.’ Even if beer is not to be blamed completely, it is still the number one perpetrator, so if you want to get rid of your ‘beer belly’ the answer is simple.
Stop drinking too much beer. Some studies indicate the effects of drinking a bottle of beer a day versus drinking more than one to three bottles in one drinking session. The outcome of the studies shows that those who drink one bottle a day did not get much fat or a bulging ‘beer belly’ compared to those who do not drink often but, when they do, drink three bottles or more than what is recommended.
The theory behind it could be that drinking at least one bottle a day will not only help quench the shirts for beer, but it also helps the body by giving it enough time to expel the beer from the body and not accumulate and become an unwanted ‘beer belly,’ of course, the opposite could be said when one drinks too much beer in one go.
Have a balanced diet.
Eating what your body needs is the best diet plan, considering each individual’s special needs based on their lifestyle. Gone were the days when diets were a ‘one size fits all’ thing. Nowadays, a healthy diet is catered to each individual, with their lifestyles and nutritional needs being the primary concern. Some diets remove the intake of carbohydrates and exchange them for something filling like soluble fibers that both aid in digestion and yet are not so heavy in your body.
Some diets also involve a high intake of protein, which promotes more fullness like carbohydrates by releasing a hormone peptide YY that, in turn, decreases one’s appetite. Some diets consider banning the consumption of any kind of food that has trans fat, like processed and packaged foods.
Exercise
It’s no secret if you want to be trim, toned, and healthy. You should move a little more than you usually do. This involves cardio workouts and simple exercises like walking or running, which will get your heart pumping and keep your body more agile and fit. It also helps to move more, especially when you are in your 40s, 50s, and 60s, to help your metabolism get going as one age, his or her metabolic rate also diminishes.
The elasticity of one’s skin also goes down, so the more your skin stretches when you have that unwanted ‘beer belly’ during your younger years it might not go back to its normal flat shape that easily. A little daily exercise will keep that bulging ‘beer belly’ at bay for sure. You could try running or walking in the morning to breathe in that fresh air and keep your heart pumping as well.
You could also go on bicycle rides around your neighborhood alone or with your family and friends. Some exercises target the abdomen, like bicycle crunches, high knees, Russian twists, and Mountain climbers that you can do even at home.
Consider a More Proactive Approach
You know your own body more than anyone out there, so you are the best person to know what works for you well in terms of diets and exercises. But half the solution is in knowing where the problem lies. If you know you have a very slow metabolism, then you might consider cutting down on the amount of beer you chug down on a normal drinking session.
If you are the type to quickly get bloated after a meal, you might want to cross out beer because experiencing bloatedness can be a symptom of something more serious than just ‘beer belly’ or fats.
‘Beer belly’ is not just caused by drinking beer alone. Contrary to the myth, it is rather a combination of bad diets, unhealthy lifestyles, and poor to non-existent exercise routines. So assess your situation more and then make the necessary changes for your own good.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
