Beer belly getting out of hand?

MOST times a boys’ night out means a late night at the crew’s favourite bar, engaging in hours of beer pong or downing countless bottles of beer while engaging in man talk. Sadly, over time some men may notice that their abdominal region will transform into a little pudge, or what is commonly referred to as a beer belly.

“Having a good time for most men includes having alcohol, and a lot of it. With alcohol being such a calorie-dense liquid, what often happens is that the excess calories not burned are stored in the waistline, resulting in a beer gut,” fitness expert and personal trainer Gisel Harrow explained.

And while you may want to watch your alcohol intake for health reasons, you don’t have to sacrifice a good time altogether. To manage your beer belly, Harrow suggests that you explore these easy exercise techniques that will not only help you to shed excess fat around your waistline, but will also help you to achieve a much healthier body weight.

Cardio

Do any cardio activity of choice —whether it’s jumping rope, running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, jogging or joining an aerobics class, or a combination of activities. Aim to do at least 30 to 40 minutes of cardio three or four days per week.

Push-ups

Push-ups not only help you to get a stronger upper body, but they also strengthen your mid-section (your abdominal region). They incorporate the stabilisation of the muscles of your core, combining an upper body pushing movement with a plank. The push-up is, in fact, one of the best and most basic exercises for your mid section. Do three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions.

Plank

Planks burn more calories than sit-ups or crunches because they engage more muscles in the legs, arms and rear too. It is voted as the most effective core exercises. It can help reduce back pain and improve posture. Do a set of three planks and hold each plank for at least one minute.

Bicycle crunches

You can do this workout by lying flat on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift your knees off the floor towards your chest. First rotate to the right and try to meet the left knee with the right elbow while you extend the right leg straight out, and vice versa. Do a set of three with 20 repetitions on each side.

HIIT

High-intensity interval training is a great way to burn many calories in a short time. These exercises usually involve using your body weight or light weights to perform a circuit, combining upper and lower body exercises. This type of exercise is most effective when done for 5 to 20 minutes. Complete as many rounds as possible with little to no breaks in between.