3 Beer Belly Be Gone Drinking Tips

Irresponsible waistline drinking is one of the reasons more people are buying two plane tickets for one seat.

Enjoying alcohol doesn’t have to be a “pack on the pounds” event. From choosing the right drink to pre-gaming with the right foods you just may be able to avoid the dreaded beer belly from here on in. This goes for the female “beer belly” too, which some may refer to as the pooch or pouch.

Either way, here are 3 beer belly be gone drinking tips on how to avoid gaining weight when consuming alcohol (while being a responsible drinker at the same time).

Get Protein

Choosing lean proteins to consume before or during alcohol consumption is key. Avoid fat because your body’s ability to utilize fat while drinking practically shuts down.

So, fueled by alcohol is what you’ll be (the body can’t store it so it prioritizes it as an energy source). When you drink two or more drinks and if you chow down chips, cheese, or other side bulging foods, your body will be too busy running on booze to burn those or previously stored calories. It just packs away all that carbohydrate, turned sugar-swirling-sludge, into your belly, legs, and butt, (to name a few).

If you know you’re going to imbibe in the evening choose no fats or low fats and plenty of lean proteins during the day. The same goes for eating while drinking.

According to a study cited in the Wall Street Journal article, ‘Latest Research on the Effects of Alcohol on Your Waistline’ (8/13/13),

“Men and women ate less healthily on days they drank alcohol,” said Rosalind Breslow, an epidemiologist with the federal National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and lead author of the study. “Poorer food choices on drinking days have public-health implications,” she said.

Don’t Drink and Order

It turns out that drinking alcohol alone doesn’t add that much weight to the body.

Yahoo Food reports that,

“One study found that men consuming an average of 56 grams of ethanol per day (four beers) took in 16 percent more total calories than a matched group of non-drinkers. The two groups – drinkers and non-drinkers – had identical amounts of physical activity. So, logically, you’d think that the drinkers packed on some pounds. They didn’t. Both groups had the same body-mass index, despite all those excess calories for the drinkers.”

Therefore, it comes down to alcohol fueled binging. Whether it’s a late night greasy burger and fry fest with your pals or shoveling down whatever you can get your hands on at home, being buzzed means feeding the craving of fat, salt and sugar.

This eating behavior was recently attributed to a natural signaling agent in the brain called galanin. It turns out that a viscous cycle occurs when you drink. The alcohol consumption produces more galanin that leads to eating fat which in turn produces more galanin which increases the desire to drink alcohol.

A study by researchers at the Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, NYC, reported that,

“Evidence suggests that the orexigenic peptide, galanin (GAL), in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) has a role in stimulating the consumption of ethanol, in addition to a high-fat diet.”

Therefore, sticking to the first beer belly be gone drinking tip, when you reach for food while under the influence make sure it is lean protein such as grilled, skinless chicken breast, fish, or even tofu for you vegetarians.

Heck, write yourself a reminder note found in your front pocket later so you remember not to stuff your face with fries, nachos or donuts.

Pick a Winner

Finally, it’s what you sip that can make all the difference. Sure, you may love a piña colada, but just one can hold triple the calories of one whiskey.

Livestrong reports on drinking these choices if you don’t want to go up a belt size or two:

• Red Wine – About 105 calories per 5 oz
• Liquor (especially mixed with a diet drink as opposed to dairy) – Vodka, whiskey and tequila weigh in at about 96-98 calories per 1.5 oz.
• Lite Beer – About 95-100 calories per 12 oz.

Drinking alcohol may not be the healthiest choice (however some studies show that moderate consumption may benefit health) yet it’s a major part of society. Don’t get caught up in gaining weight when you’re just trying to let loose, use these 3 beer belly be gone drinking tips instead. Obviously, never drink and drive and always choose responsibly.