Banish your beer belly!
Abdominal weight gain, otherwise known as
the beer belly, is not only unsightly it can have serious health implications.
Beer bellies are commonly associated with one too many pints down the pub and
it’s true that alcohol has the potential to seriously hamper your weight loss
efforts.
Did you know that a pint of beer contains up
to 250 calories and a glass of wine contains around the same amount of calories
as a slice of cake? This means that your alcohol consumption can quickly add to
that pot belly. Not only does alcohol add to the empty calories and
carbohydrates in your diet, it also affects your brain chemistry making you
more likely to experience hunger pangs and food cravings. We all know how
quickly our will power ceases to exist after we’ve had a couple of drinks!
Gaining weight around the middle is
particularly dangerous as it is strongly linked to cardiovascular disease,
diabetes and certain cancers but the good news is, your risk can be decreased
through a healthy diet and moderating alcohol intake.
Many of us are unaware of how much it’s safe
to drink, but it’s important to know. Women should not regularly exceed 2-3
units of alcohol per day, the equivalent to one small glass of wine. Men
shouldn’t exceed 3-4 units of alcohol per day, equivalent to one and a half
pints of beer. If you stick to these guidelines you’ll experience numerous
health benefits and maximise your dieting efforts.
If you think you’re drinking too much, here
are some practical ways to reduce your intake:
- Make
your units go further. Opt for bottles of beer or halves instead of pints
and drink them slower. Choose a small glasses of wine and add soda water
to make a spritzer.
- Eat
a healthy meal before you go out which will help slow the absorption of
alcohol.
- Keep
hydrated. Hangovers are largely due to dehydration so keep hydrated by
alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks like sparkling water with
fresh lime.
- Be
the designated driver. By taking your car on a night out you’ll have a
good excuse to stay tea total.
- Many of us have an after work drink to relax, but in reality alcohol can make you feel even more anxious. Get into positive stress-busters habits like hitting the gym with friends or running a bath at home and putting some relaxing music on.
FULLfast
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