How To Get Rid Of Beer Belly | 7 Ways To Lose Belly Fat

Drinking beer, especially in large amounts, can cause a beer belly or beer gut. There are many reasons for this (genetics, age, etc.), but the main reason is that beer is high in calories and is often combined with high-calorie food.  

Beer also prevents your body from burning fat and it ends up stored on your body. While it might not go straight to your belly, it can mean more body fat overall.

Body fat around your belly area, also known as visceral fat, can lead to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. With that in mind, here are seven ways to lose belly fat and slim down your waistline.

1. Lift Weights

Lifting weights helps you not only lose body weight, but also helps you build muscles and boost your metabolism. 

The metabolism boost is what will help you burn belly fat even when you aren’t exercising. You’ll burn fat at a much higher rate than if you weren’t lifting weights. 

2. Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Watching your beer consumption is important. When you drink an excessive amount of alcohol, your liver goes into overdrive in order to process the alcohol.

Since your liver views alcohol as a toxin, it wants it out of your body as soon as possible. Because of this, the liver becomes less efficient at processing fat into energy which means more can be added to your midsection, potentially increasing your waist circumference.

Try picking one day a week where you have alcoholic drinks instead of drinking every day. You can also drink a glass of water after each beer to reduce your calorie intake and stay hydrated.

3. Do Crunches & Sit-Ups

Crunches and sit-ups will work to firm and strengthen your abdominal muscles and probably reduce your beer belly, but crunches and sit-ups alone won’t do the job entirely.

If you do crunches and sit-ups on top of eating healthy and doing other forms of physical activity, like cardiovascular (cardio) exercises or push-ups, you will likely burn fat and flatten that beer belly. 

Start with three or four sets of 30 to 50 sit-ups and five 30-second planks over 30 minutes. This along with some cardio mixed in will likely burn fat much faster than sit-ups alone.

4. Consider High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise

High-Intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) is probably the best thing you can do for a beer belly. 

HIIE is also known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It involves short rapid sets of sprints, aerobics, strength training, or other cardio exercises that are then followed by short periods of rest.

HIIE is considered the most effective way to burn fat and speed up weight loss and fat loss. 

5. Get Enough Sleep

While diet and exercise are important, so is getting enough sleep and planning time for relaxation. Too much stress in your life can cause an increase in cortisol, which can cause weight gain in the stomach area.

In terms of sleep, make sure you try to get between 7-8 hours each night. The better rested you are, the less stress you’ll feel, the less cortisol you’ll produce, and the less extra weight you’ll gain in your abdomen.

6. Eat Healthy Foods

Eating healthy foods is also an important step in getting rid of your beer belly. This can include lean protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and complex carbs.

But beyond eating foods that are good for you, you’ll also want to keep an eye on how much-processed foods and fried foods you’re eating too.

These can increase inflammation in your stomach and that can build up stomach fat. Stick to as many fresh foods as you can and throw in some antioxidants to help with the inflammation.

You can also try eating before you go out with friends. It’ll help metabolize the alcohol you consume and fill you up so you don’t drink as much or consume excess calories.

7. Cut Down Your Portion Size

Cutting the portion size of your food can also help with your beer belly. This is especially important if you eat out a lot. Restaurant portions are likely at least twice the size of a recommended portion. Cut it in half and save the rest for later to avoid excess weight.

To learn about how we can help you reduce your alcohol intake, please connect with us today.