But is it really beer that causes a "beer belly"? Not all beer drinkers have them - some big sport teetotalers. So what really causes men, and some women, to develop the infamous cakes?
Belly Fat Loss Fruits - The Truth About Beer and Your Belly
It's not necessarily beer, but many calories that can turn your waist with a belly that projects on your pants. Any type of calories - whether alcohol, sugary drinks or overdimensioned food portions - can increase belly fat. However, alcohol seems to have a particular fat association in the section.
"In general, alcohol intake is associated with larger bands, because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat," says Michael Jensen, MD, an endocrine expert and obesity researcher with Mayo Clinic In Rochester, Minn.
Beer also gets guilt because the alcohol calories are so easy to exaggerate. A typical beer has 150 calories - and if you go down several in a session, you can end up with the serious overhead of calories.
and do not forget calories from the foods you wash with these beers. Alcohol can increase your appetite. Also, when you are drinking beer in a bar or party, the food in hand is often fattening like pizza, wings and other fried foods.
When you get more calories than burning, excess calories are stored as fat. Where your body stores this fat is determined in part for your age, sex and hormones.
Boys and girls start with similar fat storage patterns, but puberty changes that. Women have more subcutaneous fat (the type under the skin) than men, then these 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 to go down, often you become less active and gaining weight gets easier.
As hormonal levels decline in men and women as they grow older, they are more likely to store fat around the middle. Menopause women taking hormonal replacement therapy tend to have less change towards the more fat of the belly than those who do not.
Studies suggest that smokers can also deposit more fat in their bellies, says Jensen.
Belly fat in the middle of Midsection makes more than reduce your chances of winning the swimsuit competition. It is connected to a variety of health problems, type 2 diabetes for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Load extra pounds on your thighs or hips is less risky than loading them in the abdominal region. In addition, subcutaneous fat you can grab around your waist and your thighs, hips and buttocks is not as dangerous as visceral fat that found deep inside the abdominal cavity around your organs.
Visceral fat inside the abdominal wall is often measured by the circumference of the waist.
When waist circumference exceeds 35 inches for women and 40 for men, it is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome and general mortality, "says Jensen. He warns that these numbers are simply guidelines and recommends keeping the Size of the waist below these numbers.
There is no magic way to combat belly fat beyond the tried and true method of cutting calories and get more physical activity. The monounsaturated fats and the so-called "belly fats" diets do not appear their belly faster than any healthy and low calorie diet, says Jensen.
Because of alcohol and belly-fat calories link, drinking less alcohol is a good place to get started. Avoid drinking compulsion, which puts it at risk of liver damage and other serious health problems. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture recommends limiting alcohol to a portion per day for women and two for men.
Beer lovers should opt for light beers with 100 calories or less, and limit the number they drink per day. Another option is to drink alcohol only on weekends, and alternate alcoholic beverages with low calorie drinks, non-alcohol.
Do not forget to have a healthy meal before or with your drinks to help you withstand the temptation of high calorie bar foods.
do sit-ups, crunches or other abdominal exercises will strengthen your central muscles and will help you keep the belly fat but does not eliminate it. The only way to lose belly fat (or any kind of fat) is to lose weight.
Aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling and tennis are some of the best to help reduce body fat. But "any type of exercise will help you maintain the most effective weight than the diet alone," says Jensen.
The good news is that when you get to lose weight, you tend to lose it in the first section. "Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can be broken faster than another fat," says Jensen, "so it is usually the first to go, especially when you have a lot to lose."
. Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is a director of nutrition for WebMD. Belief opinions and conclusions are hers.
