Get rid of that beer belly

A beer belly or potbelly is the urban term to describe abdominal or central obesity. It’s an eyesore and extremely difficult to camouflage. Usually men have a beer gut although women too can have one, though the chances are lesser. The reason for this is that the female sex hormones cause fat to be stored in the buttocks, thighs and hips whereas men tend to store fat around the abdominal area. Not only does it look extremely unpleasant but there are many health risks and diseases that ail people with potbellies.

Causes

Although it might be genetic and there are some diseases that might lead to central obesity, the most common causes are over-consumption of fats, sugars and a sedentary lifestyle. Basically whenever we consume more calories than we burn up it tends to convert into fat and in men this usually becomes a beer belly. This can be from various sources including meats, fried stuff, sweets, alcohol etc. Add the fact that when one drinks beer or other alcoholic beverages one tends to lose their inhibitions and snack on nuts and other fried snacks and we can see where the condition got its name.

Health problems associated with abdominal obesity

There have been various diseases and conditions that are associated with that are associated with including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stress, hypertension, heart diseases and even dementia.

Healthy food items that’ll help you get rid of the beer belly

It’s not about how much we eat, but what we eat as well and when we eat. Our body needs all kinds of nutrients to function. We should try to get our calories from food items that have other nutritional properties as well. You need to avoid food items with empty calories include pizzas, burgers, doughnuts, sweets, soft drinks, alcoholic and beverages. A balanced diet can trim your mid-section, whether it is a beer belly or just flab. Swap red meat for lean meat, fibre and protein-rich foods like fish and egg whites. Start each meal with a salad and/or soup to cut down on the intake. Swap white bread for whole-wheat bread. Add curd to your diet. Eat smaller meals four-five times a day, and have generous helpings of fresh fruits and vegetables and most importantly drink at least eight glasses of water every day.

Exercises (belly specific)

The fat burning process can be accelerated by combining an exercise regime with a fat-burning diet. To address the beer belly, opt for a combo routine comprising cardio vascular workouts and strength training exercises. This will help increase your metabolism, so that you gain less weight and help transform the beer belly fat into lean muscle. Start off slow, maybe thrice a week for 30 minutes each day, and as you progress, you can go in for a regular aerobic workout. Within the workout, it would be effective to alternate between low-intensity and high-intensity interval training. Interval training allows the body to recover, before proceeding to a high intensity workout again. The helps boost your metabolism, build muscle and burn fat. Do abdomen crunches for at least 15 minutes. This is for anyone who wants to reduce a belly. If you are not a gym person, head to the park. Take a 30-minute invigorating walk. Include a 15-minute jog. This combats a beer belly and strengthens the heart. 

 So as we can see that getting rid of the beer belly isn’t that hard. All you need is a little motivation, discipline and commitment. 

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