"Beer Belly"

Q: Is there any truth to the phrase “beer belly?”

A: The phrase is generally associated with men that have large stomachs.  It implies a direct relationship between beer consumption and stomach size.

There is some evidence that increased alcohol intake leads to larger waist sizes, but the main culprit is calories.  When you consume more calories than you burn, the excess calories are stored as fat.

Age, sex, and hormone levels determine where the fat is stored:

•         Men tend to store fat in the midsection.

•         As people age, they lose muscle mass.  Less muscle mass means a lower metabolism.  Lower metabolism with no change in caloric intake leads to fat storage. 

•         Hormone levels decline in men and women as they age.  The decline results in more fat storage at the midsection for both men and women.

To reduce or eliminate a beer belly you need to burn more calories than you consume.  One of the most efficient methods to achieve this caloric deficit is by increasing your lean muscle mass through strength training.  More muscle mass means a higher metabolism and an increase in the number of calories burned by the body.