Is there any beverage that’s more versatile than beer? If you have a "beer belly," you are not alone.It seems beer drinkers across the globe have a tendency to grow bellies especially as they get older, and especially if they are men.Not all beer drinkers have them some teetotalers sport large ones.So what really causes men, and some women, to develop the infamous paunch?
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It’s commonly assumed that there is a direct correlation between the amount of beer men consume and the size of their beer bellies, but how accurate is this perception?Is there really a link between beer and beer bellies?READ ON and know the truth
Despite the common ”beer belly” moniker, excess belly flab is not always caused by swigging too many pints of liquid bread. Beer, at around 140 calories per 12-ounce bottle, is high in calories, and frequent imbibing can result in the extra calories that lead to a distended waistline. So, in this manner, the answer is yes. However, like fat that appears in other areas of the body, it has more to do with how many overall calories you consume versus how many you’re burning through regular exercise. Your body can’t tell the difference between beer-related calories and extra calories from any other food. So, the answer is also no
Why is fat deposited in the belly?
Calories certainly hold part of the answer, but so does age:metabolism slows down after the age of 35, so you may find that the more calendars you go through, the more trouble you have keeping a trim figure. Another part of the reason has to do with your gender. While most women tend to keep their extra flab on their hips, thighs and buttocks, men commonly store fat around the waist. So, combine your age and gender with an excess of calories, and the result can be a charming pot belly.It’s not necessarily beer but too many calories that can turn your trim waistline into a belly that protrudes over your pants. Any kind of calories -- whether from alcohol, sugary beverages, or over sized portions of food -- can increase belly fat. However, alcohol does seem to have a particular association with fat in the midsection.
Is belly fat a health risk?
"In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat,"Beer also gets the blame because alcohol calories are so easy to overdo. A typical beer has 150 calories – and if you down several in one sitting, you can end up with serious calorie overload.And don’t forget calories from the foods you wash down with those beers. Alcohol can increase your appetite. Further, when you're drinking beer at a bar or party, the food on hand is often fattening fare like pizza, wings, and other fried foods.
Not only is it an unattractive accessory, belly fat — or visceral fat — is getting extra attention as one of the riskiest kinds of extra flab a person can sport. People with excess belly fat have a tendency to develop nasty conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure,heart diseases, and high cholesterol over and above the already increased risk a person receives from other forms of obesity
So you've had a few too many pints and chicken wings over the years, which has led to unwanted belly bulge. How do you undo the damage you've wreaked on your waistline and get rid of that beer belly once and for all?
For starters, it isn't going to be easy. Visceral fat is stubborn and it will take some hard work to make it go away. Your best bet is Consume fewer calories and start moving your body. Fat-burning, or aerobic, exercise is going to be your biggest ally in the war against the beer belly. Run, walk, swim, bike, play team sports — you can do nearly anything as long as you’re building up a sweat. Try to exercise five times a week for at least 30 minutes each session.
It’s always a good idea to augment fat-burning exercise with strength training, but start slowly and give your muscles a day or two of rest between weight training. Also, no matter what those late-night infomercials tell you, there’s no way to spot-reduce a beer belly into submission. No number of sit-ups is going to give you washboard abs if your stomach is buried under a layer of fat — your muscles will be getting stronger, but they will also be invisible because they’re covered with flab.
If you’re one of the lucky men who have danced through life paunch-free so far, don’t think you’re safe from developing a beer belly. The best way to prevent flab from making a home on your waistline is to live as if you’re trying to get rid of it. Eat healthy foods, stay active and when you indulge in alcohol, do so in moderation. This should go a long way toward making sure the dreaded beer belly stays far away from you.