How to get rid of a Beer Gut
A beer gut is just a belly or belly fat. You can get a beer gut without drinking any alcohol at all. You get it by eating and drinking more calories than you consume. So the key to getting rid of a beer gut is to consume less calories than you burn.
A beer gut or belly fat is about the worst kind of fat from a heart health point of view.
The following are 13 tips on how to lose weight. They apply equally as well for a beer gut as fat in any other area. Each of these ideas has to do with the simple concept - burn more calories or eat less calories. It is that simple. In the end, it is all about lifestyle choice. We are the habit of what we repeatedly do (a great quote from Aristotle)
1.The little things count. Park 12 more spaces from the door. Take the stairs for a few flights rather than the elevator.
2.Join weight watchers. This is one organization that is not a fad diet. They teach lifestyle.
3.Watch the calories that you drink. Your mind tends not to count calories that you drink so still makes you think you are hungry. There is a reason why it is called a beer gut although it could also be called a soda gut.
4.Write things down. The simple act of recording what you eat and the exercises you do will tend to keep you on track.
5.Enlist a friend. There is nothing more motivational than doing healthy activities with a friend.
6.Find exercise you enjoy. It could be golf (without the cart) or walking or tennis or running. Exercise you enjoy is more sustainable.
7.Avoid a few foods. The reality is it does not really matter which foods (although pick the unhealthy ones) and say you NEVER eat them. Do not choose to never eat the foods you love but there are often foods you can avoid that you will not miss. Healthy examples of foods to avoid - meat, red meat, shellfish, white flour, white sugar, cakes, cookies etc. Do not choose to avoid them all though just choose one.
8.Pace. Nothing burns calories like pacing. Get a hands free head set and pace while you are on the phone. This goes back to 1 - the small activities count.
9.Learn your substitutes. There are many healthy substitutes that can save a lot of calories. Examples include - pretzels for chips, broiled fish for deep fried fish, etc.
10.Learn your glycemic index. Foods high in glycemic index(GI) like sugar are bad and foods low in glycemic index like beans are good.
11.Think fiber. Adding fiber can make high GI foods low GI. High fiber foods include the obvious - bran, psyllium, raw vegetables but also include whole wheat rather than white flour. Add fiber for health.
12.Build muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat so as you build muscle, shape is a better indicator than weight or health. Muscles burn a lot mor calories than fat even when resting. One of the best muscle builders is squats. Partly this is because the legs/butt is a large muscle mass. Start with a low weight and learn how to do them properly. Even 2 sets of 15 squats per day can do wonders.
13.Moderation in all. Stop before you are full. Drink one glass of wine - not 2 (or 3 or 4). Almost any food is not bad for you if taken in moderation.