In defense of beer, the so-called “beer belly” is not necessarily the byproduct of your favorite brewski.
The spare tire around your middle is the result of consuming too many calories and carbs, which beer happens to have in high amounts.
But regardless of how your beer belly came to be, getting back to a leaner state is now your primary goal.
Not just because the ladies don’t find a beer belly attractive (shocking revelation, we know), but also because it’s vital for your long-term health.
Lucky for you, there are a few foolproof exercises to get rid of beer belly.
Along with eating a healthy diet, doing the exercises below can help you whittle your middle and get back on track.
Here are a few things you should know to get rid of a beer belly:
- Beer belly is a term for excess visceral fat—aka, belly fat.
- Visceral fat is associated with a variety of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease.
- Fat-blasting exercises such as HIIT training can help you lose belly fat quickly.
Losing your beer belly won’t happen overnight.
But if you make healthier choices and commit to these waist-whittling exercises, you’ll start seeing results in a few short weeks.
GOT WRINKLES?1. Jump Rope
What’s not to love about jump rope?
It’s relatively easy to do and it’s super affordable (jump ropes cost what, $15?).
Plus, it torches calories like no other and can whip you into shape fast.
According to an often-cited study published in Research Quarterly, jumping rope for 10 minutes can offer a comparable cardiovascular benefit as jogging for 30 minutes (see claim: “…a 10-min. daily program of rope skipping is as efficient as a particular 30-min. daily program of jogging for improving cardiovascular efficiency.”)
Jumping rope is a great exercise for busy guys (you can sneak 10 minutes into your day, right?) and convenient for traveling, too.
Throw it in your carry-on and blast belly fat while you’re on vacation.
2. Squats
Cardio is great for burning off those extra calories that contribute to beer belly, but strength training exercises shouldn’t be ignored.
Hands down, one of the best strength training exercises a guy can do are squats.
Squats are often called the “king of exercises” because they’re an amazing, full-body workout.
They even work your core muscles and improve your posture, which can help reduce the appearance of a beer belly.
As an additional side benefit, squats give you an incentive to never skip leg day.
Because as most guys probably know, skinny legs don’t rank too highly on the list of things that women find attractive in a man.
3. Kettlebell Swing
Easy to do and crazy effective at blasting belly paunch, kettlebell swings are practically a must in every guy’s fitness regimen.
If you do regular CrossFit workouts, you’re probably familiar with the kettlebell, which resembles a cannonball with a handle.
Kettlebells are beloved by fitness enthusiasts because they’re effective at sculpting muscles, improving core strength, building strength and increasing endurance.
Basically, they offer a ton of fitness benefits packed into a single exercise.
That’s not to say kettlebell exercises are easy—far from it.
You’ll be sweating buckets within minutes of doing a single-handed kettlebell swing.
But if you want to get rid of the beer belly fast, kettlebells are well worth the sweat.
4. Sprint Intervals
Adding sprints to your fitness regimen is a super effective way to torch calories and take your fitness to the next level.
Sprint intervals are considered a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise, which research shows is key to getting rid of belly fat.
In a 2018 study published in Sports Medicine, researchers concluded that HIIT exercises are a time-effective strategy to reduce belly fat in subjects (see claim: “HIIT significantly reduced total (p = 0.003), abdominal (p = 0.007), and visceral (p = 0.018) fat mass.”)
If you have a treadmill at home, warm up with a 4-minute jog before sprinting as fast as you can for 20 seconds.
Walk at a slow pace for one minute before repeating the process for 10 rounds total.
5. Burpees
Burpees are yet another HIIT workout that is well worth your time and effort.
This fat-blasting exercise works your entire body and will leave you gasping for breath.
Another reason to love burpees: They can be done anywhere.
You don’t need bodyweights or expensive gym equipment to reap the cardiovascular and fat-obliterating benefits.
All you need is a little motivation and a desire to get lean.
TAKE THE SKIN CARE QUIZBe Consistent
It doesn’t matter whether it’s your diet, your skin care regimen or your fitness, the key to seeing results quickly is by being consistent with your routine.
If you really want to ditch the spare tire around your middle, you can’t cut corners.
That means swapping your daily beer with water and skipping the Monday morning donuts at work.
We’re not saying it won’t be difficult. We’re just saying that your health—and your confidence—will thank you for it.
References
Baker, John A. “Comparison of Rope Skipping and Jogging as Methods of Improving Cardiovascular Efficiency of College Men.” Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, vol. 39, no. 2, Routledge, May 1968, pp. 240–43.
Maillard, Florie et al. “Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Total, Abdominal and Visceral Fat Mass: A Meta-Analysis.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 48,2 (2018): 269-288.
