Beer belly caused by drinking? Add some snacks and the calorie count is off the charts

Some people say: "Beer belly is caused by drinking beer." In fact, the main culprits that cause belly enlargement and obesity are beer and high-calorie snacks. In summer, many people like to drink some cool beer and have it with snacks such as peanuts and dried fish. However, doctors remind us that although the calories in a bottle of beer are only the same as those in half a bowl of rice, if you eat a variety of side dishes, it is almost equivalent to the calories in two bowls of rice in one meal. In addition, if you sit still for long periods of time, it is easy for fat to accumulate in the abdomen, forming a "beer belly."

Office workers like to drink beer and chat with a few friends after get off work to relieve the summer heat and fatigue, but doctors remind you that beer is high in calories and excessive consumption may cause abdominal obesity and a "beer belly."

Beer is high in calories and if you don't consume it in time, you may develop a beer belly

The key to drinking beer and causing a beer belly is "calories"! Beer is high in calories. If you calculate based on a 330ml can of beer with an alcohol content of 4.5%, the calories are about 104 calories. If you add some side dishes that are high in oil, salt, and sugar, you may have eaten more than 500 calories before you are full, which is almost the calories of two bowls of rice, and a bowl of rice has about 280 calories.

Lin Yannong, attending physician at the Obesity Prevention and Treatment Center of Wan Fang Hospital, said that beer and snacks are one of the causes of fat accumulation. When the total calorie intake of all foods exceeds the actual consumption, for example, the daily calorie intake is 1,700 calories, but only 1,600 calories are consumed, the body will continue to accumulate fat. The part where fat is most likely to accumulate is the abdomen, which is easy to form the so-called "beer belly."

In addition to excessive drinking and eating too many high-calorie foods, sitting for long periods of time and lack of exercise, stress, hormonal imbalance or indigestion may all cause fat to accumulate in the abdomen, increasing the risk of the three highs and chronic diseases.

Eliminate beer belly and lose weight if BMI is over 25

Regarding the beer belly or abdominal obesity which is easy to create but difficult to remove, Dr. Lin Yannong said that the weight loss method needs to be adjusted according to the individual's obesity situation. For those with a BMI value greater than 25, who are considered to have systemic obesity, since the basal metabolic rate of the body is fixed, it is recommended to increase activity and exercise to increase overall calorie consumption. They should do 180 minutes of aerobic exercise per week and avoid maintaining static postures and sitting for long periods of time. In addition to exercise, they need to increase the amount of activity, such as planting flowers, walking or taking out the trash.

Exercise should be combined with diet control to reduce total calorie intake. Dr. Lin Yannong said that although eating until you are 70% full can reduce calories and fat storage, if you maintain the same vegetable intake at each meal and eat two fewer bites of other staple foods, milk, eggs, beans, fish and meat, you can also maintain the same sense of fullness. You don't have to starve yourself on purpose and can still eat 20% fewer calories.

BMI less than 23: Strengthen abdominal exercises

However, if people with a BMI less than 23 have a slightly protruding abdomen, they usually suffer from local obesity. In addition to the above-mentioned exercise and diet control, they are also suitable for local weight loss methods, such as strengthening waist and abdominal muscle exercises, or taking liposuction and non-invasive electrotherapy to help reduce stubborn abdominal fat.