Quickest Way to Lose a Beer Belly

The proverbial "beer belly" is the name given to a stomach that is very large. Although it is not always acquired from the consumption of beer, beer is oftentimes a big contributor. The bottom line is, a lot of excess calories were consumed and not burned off. In order to lose the beer belly quickly, several things need to happen.

Fluids

• Whether beer caused your belly or not, beer still needs to be eliminated from your diet in order to lose the fat that has appeared. That goes for all forms of alcohol and any other beverage that is high in sugar and calories such as soda, processed fruit juices, sweetened teas and sugared coffee drinks. Use water as your only beverage instead. It has no calories, it helps metabolize fat and it also flushes toxins from your system. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get 2.7 total liters of fluid per day and men get 3.7 total liters, with 80 percent coming from beverages and 20 percent from food. This comes out to about nine 8-oz. cups of water for women and about 12 8-oz. cups for men.

Food

• Forget about the high-calorie foods that you might have been eating along with your beer. They are high in fat, calories and cholesterol. Examples of these include deep-fried foods, wings, cheese fries, nachos with melted cheese and processed baked goods. Eat fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products and beans. These foods offer quality calories and they are also good sources of protein, carbs, fiber and vitamins.

Frequent Meals

• Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of two to three big meals can help you in a number of ways. It can prevent you from overeating, it can keep you feeling satisfied and it can also maintain energy levels. Make your meals a balance of protein, carbs and fats and eat every 2 to 3 hours. An example of a balanced meal would be a salad with a chicken breast, a tbsp. of olive oil and a piece of fruit.

Cardio

• In order to lose the beer belly, you are also going to have to burn a significant number of calories. Partake in some cardiovascular activity every day, such as running, biking, swimming, stepping, elliptical training, rowing and rope jumping. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes per day, 3 to 4 days a week. Keep your intensity moderate to high.

Weight Training

• Building muscle can help increase your metabolism which in turn will burn more calories and decrease your beer belly. Do exercises that target all your major muscle groups. Examples of these are dumbbell chest presses, military presses, dumbbell back rows, overhead tricep extensions, bicep curls and lunges.