Men, have you noticed that you have developed a “belly” after enrolling in college? If you have not already figured it out, it most likely is what people refer to as a “beer belly.” These beer bellies are extremely common in men who drink heavily and frequently. Contrary to popular belief, beer bellies are not just as a result of drinking the calories from the alcoholic beverage, but also from the greasy food that your body craves after drinking the alcohol. For example, everyone tends to get the post <a href=”http://rebelhealth.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-does-alcohol-make-you-hungry.html“>midnight munchies</a> after a long night of drinking and let’s be honest, you are definitely not going to sit down to a healthy meal, but rather engorge your face in crunchy gordida supremes at Taco Bell. Alcohol actually drastically raises insulin levels in your body, sending the message “I need a greasy, hardy meal” to your brain. As a result of the increase of insulin levels, blood sugar levels drastically decrease as well, causing the hunger. Alcohol completely dehydrates your body. It can cause you to pee frequently throughout any given night which will decrease <a href=”http://paleohacks.com/questions/172391/why-do-i-get-so-fcking-hungry-when-i-drink-booze.html#axzz2mLHVn9zN“> sodium levels </a>. So, the salty food that you crave (and usually devour) is an attempt by your body to replenish sodium levels. After sodium levels are somewhat replenished by the salty foods, a deep sleep usually follows.

So now we know that the calories from the food we consume while drinking is a contributing factor to the beer belly. The question still stands though, why does the fat for men tend to accumulate in the belly area? Men, most of the time, store the majority of their fat in their midsections. According to WebMD, <a href=”http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-beer-and-your-belly“> “Because men have less subcutaneous fat, they store more in their bellies.”</a>. Women on the other hand, tend to store their fat in other places around the body like the butt and thighs (which I might add is equally unattractive). The sad truth is that this accumulation of fat around the midsection is not going to get any easier to keep away. The older you get, the more likely your body is to store fat in the waistline area. Beer bellies will continue to be a likely “girl repellent” for years to come unless you can figure out a way to minimize the damage.

I actually believe it is extremely possible to avoid getting a beer belly. For starters, try to exercise at least 5 times a week. This will speed up your metabolism enough so your body has a chance to burn off the many calories associated with alcoholic drinks. Also, try to cut back on the drunk eating because you are most likely not going to remember eating it anyway. Try leaving an apple, or any other healthy alternative, on your bed before you go out. This will remind you to choose your snacks wisely when returning from a night of partying.

Beer bellies can be avoided. So please, men, do not lose hope. 

Works Cited:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-beer-and-your-belly

http://paleohacks.com/questions/172391/why-do-i-get-so-fcking-hungry-when-i-drink-booze.html#axzz2mLHVn9zN

http://rebelhealth.blogspot.com/2008/06/why-does-alcohol-make-you-hungry.html