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Many of my readers and clients often ask me about how they can lose weight around their mid-section, a problematic area that doesn’t seem to go away, no matter how many miles they run or sit-ups they do at the gym or healthy foods they eat daily.

Oftentimes, this extra weight comes from what we all know as “the beer belly.” That unsightly pudge that comes from too drinking too much alcohol, eating a variety of unhealthy/fatty foods, such as processed white flour, sugar and foods low in fiber.

Many of you may be unaware that the average can of beer contains 140 calories, and the averaged mixed-drink has over 600 calories. These are also what are known as “empty-calories” meaning that your body will have to work pretty hard to process them, without getting anything back in the way of vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Typically, this leads to weight gain.

What is more, alcohol has been shown to actual interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize fats, meaning that your body actual stores fat much easier. And from this combined effect comes the quintessential beer belly.

The following article will address the beer belly and the active steps you can take to deflate it.

The Obvious One: Stop Drinking Alcohol

The best step you can take for your health, as well as the best way to get rid of your beer belly, is to stop taking in what is causing the extra pudge. If you truly enjoy a cold beer, just be sure to drink in moderation.

Try cutting back to one or two alcoholic drinks per week. Reducing the amount of alcohol you take in can lead to a huge reduction in your total weekly calorie intake. In fact, if you just stop drinking alcohol, as well as sodas, you quickly notice a drop in weight.

Take Action Against Alcohol: Exercise!

The more we move our body’s, the more we enhance our lives. Burning fat and keeping our cardiovascular system in optimal shape, will help us rid our body of excess fat and toxins. By doing cardiovascular exercise, for at least 20 minutes, 3 times per week, you will increase your heart rate, add strength to your body, and help tone your muscles.

What is more, you should not only focus on sit-ups and “belly-related” exercises, thinking that this will tone your gut. The excess fat around your belly is the issue, and until you lose that fat, the weight will cover any of the muscles you are building. So, concentrate first on burning fat through cardio workouts.

Eat Like You Love Your Body

One of the saddest consequences of over-consumption of alcohol is that it causes our body’s to crave foods that are harmful. The classic example of fried foods and snacks always accompany drinks for a reason. Our body begins to crave salt and sugar to buffer all the liquid and alcohol we are taking in.

Healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, raw seeds and raw nuts, as well as lots of water, will help aid the body in detoxifying itself from the harmful residues left behind by the over-consumption of alcohol. It will also boost energy levels, increasing overall well-being, and over time, help to reduce or eliminate alcohol cravings. Another tip is to not eat after 8pm and get a good nights rest.

Drink Lots of Purified Water

Drinking enough water will help to make the process of eliminating extra fat from the body easier. Try to drink half your body weight in ounces per day (body-weight in lbs/2). I recommend using distilled water, or if that is not available, use another form of purified water.

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