Does Beer really cause a Beer Belly?

Beer has an image of a high-calorie and high-fat drink that can result into a beer belly. However, is it really beer that should be blamed for the pot belly or is it oversized proportions of food? Beer drinking is also regarded as a vice and not a component of a healthy diet but beer that is drunk in moderation can provide health benefits. If you consume packs of beer in one sitting, you will certainly gain weight which will be very obvious in your belly. In many instances, it is not the calories that beer contains that transform a trim waistline into a protruding belly but calories from food that is taken with beer. 

What do some people have big bellies?

Big bellies are the result of too much calories and the calories do not always come from drinking beer although it always gets the blame. A typical bottle of beer contains 150 calories which you can easily burn off but if you are eating pizza or chicken wings with your beer, you are taking in more calories that you can burn. If you want to have a trim body, make sure to exercise to burn off all the extra calories from beer and food you have taken at a party. Men tend to store more fat in their bellies because they have less subcutaneous fat. On women the extra calories are stored on their hips, thighs, arms and buttocks as well as on their bellies even if they do not drink beer. Age also has an effect on the accumulation of fat on the belly so that beer bellies are more prominent among seniors because they are less active and their metabolism has changed. Hormone levels also decline with age meaning older people tend to store more fat in their bellies. Extra fat on the thighs or hips is not risky but not if you have waistline of 35 inches for women and 40 for men. This is an indication that you have increased risk to have heart disease. 

How to eliminate the beer belly

Even if you abstain from drinking beer, your beer belly will not disappear like magic. The only way with which to lose beer belly is to lose weight through exercise. Diet alone is not enough; you need to do some sit ups, running, swimming, cycling or tennis to help reduce the fat on your belly as well as other parts of the body. The good news is when you start losing weight through proper diet and exercise, it starts on the midsection. If you want to enjoy a bottle of beer, leave out the calories from food that drowns in sauces. Choose seafood instead or a moderate amount of nuts. Sugar is also one of the culprits and it is hidden in most processed foods. Cut down on your sugar intake. If you want something sweet for your taste buds, try fruits instead. Once you lose your beer belly, you will be more confident wearing your swimsuit and you do not have to go one size up when you buy pants.