If you like to drink beer, and many people do, you may be concerned about getting a beer belly. Fortunately beer alone will not bring on the extra weight. It is a combination of a few things, but it is often associated with beer because it usually related.

WHAT CAUSES IT

A “beer belly” is the result of a net energy imbalance wherein a person takes in more calories than they expend. Your midsection contains the highest amount of cortisol receptors in the body. When you take in empty calories and do not burn them off, they are stored in the visceral fat around the midsection before any other area of the body. The reason why this area becomes a problem is because this fat is stored between the organs and the torso (not under the skin).

WHY IT IS A PROBLEM

Knowing how to lose a beer belly is very important. Whether you have one or are concerned that you might get one you need to know that it is a marker for more serious health conditions. If you have a beer belly, it probably means that you do not exercise as much as you should. The combination of extra calories and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to many problems, including:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Heart disease

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

Learning how to lose a beer belly does not have to be difficult. In fact, there are really only five things that you need to do. That doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy, though. You can’t just shrink a beer belly. It will take some work and some time, but it can be done.

1. QUIT DRINKING: Ok, you don’t have to completely quit drinking beer, but you might want to think about cutting back. These liquid calories are probably not part of your diet and therefore are unnecessary and are a big part of the problem
2. CHANGE YOUR DIET: Again, the issue is with empty calories that are not being expended. While you should definitely look to eating foods that are lower in calories, it is probably also a good idea to increase your intake of antioxidants. You will need these antioxidants because in order to lose the weight, you will need to increase your exercise.
3. STRENGTH TRAINING: Speaking of exercise, one of the most important components of learning how to lose a beer belly is to simply increase your physical activity. Again, you need to start expending more calories than you take in. However, aerobic training will not necessarily burn fat at the rate you probably want. Building muscle, on the other hand, will burn fat very quickly.
4. ABDOMINAL WORKOUTS: While ab-focused exercises do not necessarily help you “burn fat,” they will help you define the muscles in the area. This will motivate you to continue working towards your goal.
5. COMMIT!: How to lose a beer belly, effectively, will depend on how long you commit to your program. Every person is different so don’t compare yourself to others. Just make a plan and stick to it!