Beer belly can result from having fun, good food and delicious suds. However, it could also make moving about or fitting into your clothes more difficult. Additionally, excess weight can drain your energy and put extra strain on your heart and joints.
A combination of exercise and diet is required to get rid of your beer belly. It takes longer to lose weight than to acquire it.
Please continue reading to find out what causes beer belly formation and how to get rid of it.
What causes beer belly formation?
Alcohol consumption, especially among men, is linked to Trusted Source to develop a beer belly or what’s clinically called “abdominal obese.”
According to Epidemiology and Health Trusted Source, high alcohol intake is associated with high waist circumference. This is not surprising considering alcohol’s calories.
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Trusted Source shows that beer consumption can increase your waistline, but not your belly.
Beer is believed to be a high-calorie beverage that goes straight to the stomach. However, the evidence suggests that it causes weight gain throughout the body. For example, many women find more weight below their belts than above.
Your growing waistline may be indirectly linked to beer. You might be surprised at the things you eat with beer. Pizza, nachos and other high-fat, high-calorie foods are often paired with a chilled mug lager or IPA. Light beer might not be as bad as the food you are enjoying it with.
Drinking beer can also affect your body’s ability efficiently to burn fat. Before accessing any stored fat, the body will first break down alcohol to make energy.
A reduced level of testosterone is also linked to excessive alcohol consumptionTrusted Source. This, in turn, is associated with excess weight in the abdomen.
How to Get Rid of Beer Belly
Although a targeted fat loss, particularly around the midsection, may sound appealing in theory, it may not be realistic.
Crunches and other exercises may strengthen muscles. However, there is mixed evidence about whether specific exercises effectively burn fat around the stomach or elsewhere.
A beer belly will shrink when you lose weight. The simplest way to lose weight is to consume more calories than you burn. Here are some strategies to help you do that.
Be healthier
It’s possible to reduce your beer intake, but that’s just one of many dietary changes you can make. These are some tips:
Reduce your portion size by half
Instead of eating two slices of pizza, eat one. As the weeks and days go by, you’ll become more comfortable with smaller portions. This is particularly important for those who eat out often. Serving sizes at restaurants are often largerTrusted Source than the standard sizes.
Count calories
Although it can seem difficult at first, you will not need to do so much math once you know how many calories each food contains.
The average woman should consume approximately 1,500 calories per day to lose 1 pound each week (instead of the usual 2,000 calories). An average man should consume 2,000 calories per day (instead of the usual 2,500).
These estimates can vary from one person to the next. It is important to consider the individual’s health, age, weight, height, exercise level, and general health.
Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and other healthy foods
Reduce the intake of processed foods and foods high in added sugars, enriched wheat flour, and saturated oils.
Healthy food swaps
Take, for example:
- For dessert, try strawberries over ice cream.
- Instead of soda, drink water (flavoured with lemon or lime).
- When cooking, use healthier fats such as olive oil instead of butter.
Do more
It is important to increase your physical activity in most weight loss efforts. Trusted Source Here are some tips.
High-intensity intermittent exercise, HIIE (High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise)
HIIE is a combination of intense training and sprinting or other activities. Then, you take short breaks to rest, then do more intense, but still quick, sets.
According to a study published in the Journal of Obesity, HIIE may be more effective than other types of exercise at weight loss and fat burning.
Do more exercise than you do not normally.
It would help if you aimed to do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate intensity on most days of your week. There are also 2 days per week that you can strength train and stretch in the morning or evening.
Get active
Lifestyle choices that naturally burn calories more effectively include taking the stairs rather than the elevator or frequent breaks from work to walk short distances.
What time will it take for it to disappear?
Many factors influence the time it takes to get rid of a beer belly.
You can think of one pound as equivalent to approximately 3,500 calories. You could lose 1 pound per week if you reduce your calorie intake by 500, burn 500 calories each day, or do another thing.
This is equivalent to approximately 4 pounds per month. You could lose 8 pounds each month by cutting down on 1,000 calories or burning them.
This is a safe and reasonable way to lose weight. This plan won’t work if you don’t stick to your exercise and eating goals. It is important to be diligent.
Avoid fad diets or weight loss pills promising quick results. These claims are often exaggerated. These claims could also lead to dangerous health complications.
The best way to hide a beer belly
Here are some quick tips to make your beer belly more noticeable.
- Flaunt loose clothing such as button-up shirts and blouses. Wearing tight clothes like muscle shirts can emphasize the belly.
- Dark colors are best for shorts and pants, and lighter colors for shirts. You may look more proportioned, as a beer belly can make your legs appear even thinner. It is possible to make the extra weight more noticeable by wearing darker clothes from top to bottom.
- Do not tuck your shirt in.
- If you will wear stripes, make sure you wear vertical stripes.
- You can choose tailored pants or pants that flatter your lower body. This will improve your overall appearance.
- Low-rise jeans are better than high-rise pants.
- Wear single-coloured blouses or shirts.
When should you see a doctor?
A beer belly is not a sign of a serious medical problem. It can indicate that you are at greater risk of serious medical problems. An increase in weight could be linked to:
- Type 2 diabetesTrusted Source
- Heart diseaseTrusted source
- Problems involving both parties
Sometimes, weight gain in your belly could be an indication of something other than your diet or exercise program. The abdomen swelling can indicate anything from pregnancy to more serious digestive problems, such as:
- irritable bowel syndrome
- lactose intolerance
- Blockage of your intestine
Consult a doctor immediately if your expanding belly is accompanied by pain or changes to your bowel habits.
Takeaway
Fear not if you want to lose your beer belly, but you don’t want to give up hops and barley. You can still enjoy a beer in moderation. To allow your beer habit to continue, you will need to make other changes.
This means that you will consume less soda calorie-dense foods and engage in more fat-burning exercises. Light beers are also a good choice.
Talk to a personal trainer or dietitian about changing your lifestyle and how to turn a beer belly into six-packs.
