The #MPOWERment Blog
>Beer Belly Be Gone!
>It is June and that means it is Men’s Health Month and the time for many BBQs and beerfests.
Beer Belly Be Gone!While the BBQ part of the equation may actually be a healthy one (if we are not consuming buns, condiments and sauces), drinking too much beer is a surefire way to ruin your physical appearance and wreak havoc on your insides too.
Men, for the most part, naturally store more fat in their midsection due to hormonal differences and this is why it is even more important for you men to pay attention!
Abdominal fat, also known as android obesity, is by far the most harmful type of fat to carry. There are two types:
* Visceral – the fat surrounding the organs and subcutaneous that lies between the abdominal wall and the skin and is typically referred to as flab.
* Subcutaneous – the layer of fat underneath the skin that helps maintain homeostasis in the body by keeping it insulated.
While some research shows the deeper subcutaneous fat in men creates health implications, it is the visceral fat that is of more concern. High visceral fat in the abdominal area is linked to insulin resistance, cardiovascular implications and overall inflammation and can disrupt hormone levels. Eating a healthy diet of food low in inflammatory response is crucial to good health. Read my article on Anti-Inflammatory Foods Lead to Longevity.
While there is very little evidence that beer consumption on its own is a direct cause of the “beer belly,” an overconsumption of calories from drinking beer and the cascade of hormonal disruptions that follows all contribute to the beer gut. Drinking beer in particular has been shown to have estrogenic effects in men, which leads to fat storage and disrupts our appetite control centers, stimulating the fat-storing hormone insulin. Drinking too much alcohol on its own will rack up your caloric intake fast, but alcohol and beer drinking can also dull your sense of fullness, causing you to crave and eat even more calories.
Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors, campfires and yes, even a few brewskies with your buddies, but keep moderation in mind!
Here are some other tips to help control those appetite-increasing and fat-storing hormones:
* Be sure to have some high quality protein.
* Eat more fibrous foods (with your drinks) to slow down the absorption process and counterbalance spikes in insulin.
* Always opt for lighter versions of your favorite bevy to save a few calories.
* If you are at a BBQ, get up and get moving. Grab some friends and throw a ball around; play like you did when you were a kid.
* If you are camping, go for a nature hike, chop some wood (unless of course you have already had too many drinks!) Just get up and get moving, so you will be burning off some calories and at least giving yourself a chance against the infamous beer belly.
Now, if you are not motivated enough by the health implications listed above, how about the fact that women are not particularly attracted to bulging guts? In fact, research shows that obese men are 70% less likely to engage in sex with more than one partner in a year in comparison to their leaner counterparts.
If you already have a lady and don’t think you need to worry – think again! How about the fact that erectile dysfunction is 2.5 times higher among those who are overweight and obese?
If that isn’t motivation enough then well plain and simple, give your head a shake!
Sources:
Abdominal fat and what to do about it. (December 2006). Retrieved June 10, 2011, from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it.htm
Couwenbergs, Catharina J. Th. (April 1988). Acute effects of drinking beer or wine on the steroid hormones of healthy men. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry (1988) Vol. 31, Issue 4, Part 1; doi:10.1016/0022-4731(88)90317-2
Reinberg, Steven. (June 16, 2010). Obesity Can Take Toll on Sex Life – [1] [2] Stigma may lead to fewer sexual encounters, poorer sexual health, study finds. Retrieved June 10, 2011 from http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/640149.html.
Originally posted hereBeer Belly Be Gone!