2. Squats – Cardio is great for burning off those extra calories that contribute to beer belly, but strength training exercises shouldn’t be ignored. Hands down, one of the best strength training exercises a guy can do are squats. Squats are often called the “king of exercises” because they’re an amazing, full-body workout.
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Can you exercise away a beer belly?
The Truth About Beer and Your Belly What really causes that potbelly, and how can you get rid of it? Have years of too many beers morphed your six-pack abs into a keg? 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.
But is it really beer that causes a “beer belly”? Not all beer drinkers have them – some teetotalers sport large ones. So what really causes men, and some women, to develop the infamous paunch? 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 oversized portions of food – can increase belly fat. However, alcohol does seem to have a particular association with fat in the midsection. “In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the burns alcohol instead of fat,” says Michael Jensen, MD, an endocrine expert and obesity researcher with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
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.
When you take in more calories than you burn, the excess calories are stored as fat. Where your body stores that fat is determined in part by your age, sex, and hormones. Boys and girls start out with similar fat storage patterns, but puberty changes that.
Women have more subcutaneous fat (the kind under the ) than men, so those extra fat calories tend to be deposited in their arms, thighs, and buttocks, as well as their bellies. Because men have less subcutaneous fat, they store more in their bellies. Beer bellies tend to be more prominent in older people because as you get older, your calorie needs go down, you often become less active, and gaining weight gets easier.
As hormone levels decline in men and women as they age, they’re more likely to store fat around the middle. Menopausal women who take tend to have less of a shift toward more belly fat than those who do not. Studies suggest that smokers may also deposit more fat in their bellies, Jensen says.
- Belly fat in the midsection does more than reduce your chances of winning the swimsuit competition.
- It’s linked to a variety of health problems, from to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
- Carrying extra pounds in your thighs or hips is less risky than carrying them in the abdominal region.
Further, subcutaneous fat that you can grab around your waist and on your thighs, hips, and buttocks is not as dangerous as the visceral fat that’s found deep within the abdominal cavity surrounding your organs. Visceral fat within the abdominal wall is frequently measured by waist circumference.
- When waist circumference exceeds 35 inches for women and 40 for men, it is associated with an increased risk of, metabolic syndrome, and overall mortality,” Jensen says.
- He cautions that these numbers are simply guidelines, and recommends keeping your waist size below these numbers.
- There is no magical way to tackle belly fat other than the tried-and-true method of cutting calories and getting more physical activity.
Monounsaturated fats and so-called “belly fat” diets won’t trim your belly faster than any healthy, low-calorie diet, Jensen says. Because of the link between alcohol calories and belly fat, drinking less alcohol is a good place to start. Avoid binge drinking, which puts you at risk for damage and other serious health problems.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’ s 2010 D ietary Guidelines recommend limiting alcohol to one serving per day for women and two for men.
- Beer lovers should opt for light beers with 100 calorie or less, and limit the number they drink per day.
- Another option is to drink alcohol only on weekends, and to alternate drinks with low-calorie, non-alcohol beverages.
Don’t forget to have a healthy meal before or with your drinks to help you resist the temptation of high-calorie bar food. Doing sit-ups, crunches, or other will strengthen your core muscles and help you hold in your belly fat, but won’t eliminate it.
- The only way to lose belly fat (or any kind of fat) is to lose weight.
- Aerobic exercises like running,, cycling, and tennis are some of the best to help reduce body fat.
- But “any kind of will help you keep the weight off more effectively than diet alone,” Jensen says.
- The good news is that when you start losing weight, you tend to lose it in the midsection first.
“Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can be broken down quicker than other fat,” Jensen says, “so it is usually the first to go, especially when you have a lot to lose.” Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.
Does drinking water get rid of beer belly?
So, how does drinking more water help you lose belly fat? – Drinking more water may help with weight loss by temporarily increasing your metabolic rate. Most of our metabolic processes take place in the presence of water. Water helps in the digestion of food and consequently, helps burn more calories.
- This will lead to losing belly fat.
- Drinking more water also may help relieve constipation and reduce belly bloating.
- Water as an appetite suppressant: Drinking water before meals can make you feel fuller, so you’ll ultimately eat fewer calories.
- Studies show that by drinking water before a meal, you feel more full.
This will keep you from eating as much at meal time and therefore decrease your calorie intake. In a 12-week study conducted with obese participants, one group was asked to envision a full stomach before eating a meal. The other group was asked to drink 2-3 glasses of water before a meal.
What causes a hard beer belly?
A hard beer belly refers to the excessive buildup of visceral fat. It is caused by many factors, including excessive alcohol intake, poor diet, lack of exercise, and poor sleeping patterns. The good news is that you can reduce or avoid a hard beer belly.
Do planks burn belly fat?
Does Plank Reduce Belly Fat – Planks are perfect for burning belly fat because they engage multiple muscles at once, boosting the metabolic rate and benefiting core strength. All in all, a plank is an excellent choice to stimulate the whole body. Overall, a plank is a good exercise for facilitating the whole body.
Do sit ups burn belly fat?
The short answer is no. Sit ups, crunches or any other abdominal specific exercise do not directly burn belly fat. However, abdominal exercises can help to tone the belly. Sit-ups are particularly effective for strengthening the core and toning the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, and oblique muscles.
What burns fat the fastest?
9. INCREASE YOUR CARDIO – Cardio, also known as aerobic exercise, is one of the most common forms of exercise and is defined as any type of activity that increases your heart rate. Adding cardio to your routine may be one of the most effective ways to enhance fat burning.
- For example, one review of 16 studies found that the more aerobic exercise people got, the more belly fat they lost ( 37 ).
- Other studies have found that aerobic exercise can increase muscle mass and decrease belly fat, waist circumference and body fat ( 38, 39, 40 ).
- Most research recommends between 150–300 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise weekly, or roughly 20–40 minutes of cardio each day ( 41 ).
Running, walking, cycling and swimming are just a few examples of some cardio exercises that can help burn fat and kick-start weight loss. SUMMARY: Studies show that the more aerobic exercise people get, the more belly fat they tend to lose. Cardio may also help reduce waist circumference, lower body fat and increase muscle mass.