Beer Belly: Understanding Causes and How to Lose it
When you think of beer, most likely, you think of a relaxing afternoon, hanging out with friends, partying, or watching sports with a cold one in your hand. However, aside from the great memories, beer can also leave something permanent that you are not so fond of a beer belly.
But what exactly is a beer belly, and why does it happen? In this article, well discuss what causes a beer belly, how much alcohol you need to consume before it happens, and how to lose it through healthy lifestyle choices.
Understanding Beer Belly
Beer belly or beer gut is a term that refers to the accumulation of abdominal fat caused by excessive alcohol consumption. This type of fat is called visceral fat, a deep-seated fat that surrounds vital organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines.
Unlike subcutaneous fat, which lies under the skin and can be pinched and measured, visceral fat is not visible, and you cannot use a body fat scale to track it.
Causes of Beer Belly
Several factors contribute to a beer belly. These include metabolism, activity level, poor dietary choices, genetics, visceral fat, and sex differences.
Metabolism: Everyone has a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the minimum amount of energy required to keep your body functioning at rest. When you consume more calories than what you burn, your body stores the excess as fat, including visceral fat, which contributes to a beer belly.
Activity level: The less active you are, the slower your metabolism, and the more calories could be stored as fat instead of being burned. Poor dietary choices: A diet high in unhealthy fats, calories, and carbohydrates contributes to weight gain, including visceral fat.
Fast foods, processed foods, and sugary drinks are some culprits. Genetics: Some people are prone to storing visceral fat due to genetics, making it difficult for them to lose weight around their stomach area.
Visceral fat: The more visceral fat a person has, the more likely they are to develop a beer belly. Unlike subcutaneous fat, visceral fat is metabolically active, and it releases hormones that lead to inflammation, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.
Sex differences: Men are more likely to store fat around their abdomen than women. Women tend to store fat around their hips, thighs, and buttocks.
How much Beer Gives You a Belly? Alcohol contains empty calories, meaning it is high in sugar and contains no nutritional value.
The more you drink, the more calories you consume and store as fat, including visceral fat. Moreover, genetics and metabolism play an important role in how much alcohol you must consume before getting a beer belly.
For men, excessive drinking is defined as consuming more than 15 drinks a week, and for women, it is more than seven drinks a week.
How to Lose a Beer Belly
The good news is that a beer belly is not impossible to lose. It takes effort, consistency, and lifestyle changes.
Here are some tips:
Reduce Alcohol and Focus on Healthy Diet
Reducing alcohol consumption will significantly help in losing a beer belly. Instead, focus on a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and healthy protein sources.
A healthy diet can help boost your metabolism and reduce visceral fat.
Get Active
Regular exercise can also help you shed that belly fat. Muscle building exercises burn more calories than cardio workouts.
Cardio workouts are incredible for overall health and targeting visceral fat. High-intensity interval training is the best form of cardio to target a beer belly.
Add in weightlifting and abdominal muscle exercises like sit-ups, planks, and crunches, which strengthen the core and improve posture. How Long Will It Take to Lose My Beer Belly?
Your starting weight, adjustments you make to your diet and exercise, consistency, and sustainability will determine how long it will take to lose your beer belly. Everyone is different, and losing weight takes time, so do not expect rapid changes.
Gradual changes that become habits tend to last longer and produce lasting results.
Conclusion
A beer belly may seem harmless, but it is a visible sign of excess visceral fat that can lead to various health problems if left unaddressed. Understanding the causes of a beer belly and how much alcohol consumption contributes to it will help you make informed choices about your health.
Losing a beer belly requires a combination of diet modifications and physical activity. Genetics and metabolism play a role, but with time and effort, anyone can lose a beer belly and promote good health in the process.
Having Trouble Reducing Your Alcohol Use? Ria Health: An
Online Option for Help
Alcohol consumption can be a challenging habit to break.
For some, despite their best efforts, reducing or quitting alcohol might seem like an impossible task. However, with technology, people now have access to online resources that provide professional coaching, counseling, and medication-assisted treatment to help them regain control of their relationship with alcohol.
One such option is Ria Health. Ria Health: An
Online Option for Help
Ria Health is an online option for people who want to reduce or quit their alcohol consumption.
It offers a telemedicine platform with Board-Certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and coaches who specialize in addiction medicine. The program combines cognitive-behavioral techniques, medication-assisted treatment, and personalized support to help people break free from alcohol addiction.
Online Option
Unlike traditional in-person therapy, Ria Health offers a convenient telemedicine option. Users can access Ria Health’s website and connect with medical professionals from the comfort of their homes.
This means that users can get help regardless of how far they are from a licensed medical professional.
Medical Professionals
Ria Health employs licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, and coaches who specialize in addiction medicine. These professionals work together to provide users with comprehensive care.
The program requires users to complete a physical evaluation with a licensed medical professional before assisting them in creating a personalized treatment plan. Additionally, medical professionals oversee the program and adjust treatment plans accordingly.
Coaching Meetings
In addition to medical professionals, the Ria Health program has coaches who offer personalized support to users. The coaches guide users through the process of reducing or quitting alcohol.
They provide a safe and supportive environment to discuss concerns, set goals and provide accountability. Coaches also use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to help users develop healthy coping mechanisms to use when stressors arise.
Anti-Craving Medication Prescriptions
As part of the treatment plan, Ria Health offers medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Medications are FDA-approved and reduce cravings and help users manage symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal: Naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram.
However, only licensed medical professionals who have evaluated users can prescribe medication. Additionally, Ria Health also offers a digital breathalyzer, which helps to track progress and provides real-time feedback to users.
Users blowing over a predetermined setpoint receive a notification to warn them.
Support
Having a network of support can be instrumental in breaking free from alcohol addiction. Ria Health offers a private online community where users can share stories, connect with others going through similar journeys, and receive support from licensed coaches and peers.
The platform also offers group sessions where users can connect with others with similar experiences and struggles.
Relationship with Alcohol
Ria Health recognizes that alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition and achieving sobriety takes more than just quitting alcohol. Users of Ria Health have control to their relationship with alcohol, with some choosing to learn how to moderate their alcohol intake without the goal of complete abstinence.
The coaches work with users on identifying their goal to suit the individual needs of the users.
Conclusion
Breaking free from alcohol addiction can be challenging, but with the advancement of technology and access to medical professionals, treatment is more convenient than ever. Ria Health offers an online option for people who want to reduce or quit their alcohol consumption.
The program includes Board-Certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and coaches specialize in addiction medicine, medication-assisted treatment, and individualized support. The combination of these features allows for an effective and comprehensive approach for those seeking help to regain control of their relationship with alcohol.
In conclusion, understanding the causes of a beer belly and how to lose it requires a combination of healthy diet, exercise, and consistency. Additionally, for those struggling with alcohol addiction, Ria Health offers an effective and convenient online option that combines medical professionals, coaching meetings, anti-craving medication prescriptions, and a supportive community.
By taking control of your relationship with alcohol and committing to living a healthier lifestyle, you can achieve long-lasting results and improve your overall well-being. FAQs:
Q: Can genetics prevent me from losing my beer belly?
A: Genetics can make it more challenging to lose weight around the stomach area, but a healthy diet and regular exercise will still help make progress. Q: How much alcohol is safe to consume per day?
A: Health experts recommend no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Q: Is Ria Health’s telemedicine option equally effective as in-person therapy?
A: Yes, studies have shown that telemedicine is as effective, if not more so, as in-person therapy for treating alcohol addiction. Q: What anti-craving medication options does Ria Health offer?
A: Ria Health offers FDA-approved anti-craving medications such as Naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram as part of their medication-assisted treatment. Q: Do I need to quit alcohol entirely to join Ria Health’s program?
A: No, Ria Health recognizes that alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition that individuals may manage in several ways. Users may choose to moderate their alcohol intake without entirely abstaining.