Beer Bellies and Back Pain - How to Prevent Both
Do you enjoy a nice, cold beer at the end of a hard workday? Beer in moderation is okay for your health, but indulge too often, and you are likely to get some unexpected and undesired side effects. One of the most noticeable effects from drinking too much beer is excess weight gain in the stomach area, more commonly known as the beer belly. Not only is this beer belly unsightly, but it can also put a lot of strain and pressure on your back, leading to pain.
Beer Bellies Aren’t Just From Beer
While people call it a “beer belly”, the excess weight in the stomach area can be caused by a lot of different things. However, beer is a big issues, alongside with many other alcoholic drinks, because they contain a lot of carbohydrates, sugar, and calories. Since the drinks are alcohol, the body burns through that first, leaving the excess carbs, sugar, and calories left to become excess fat.
How Beer Bellies Cause Back Strain
For every pound you gain, more stress is put on your body. You will feel it most in your back, hips, and knees, especially if you try to do physical labor or exercise. The beer belly is also causing your stomach to change your center of gravity, much like what happens with a pregnant woman. Therefore, your body will change its posture to compensate for the added weight in front. This change in posture can also cause you more back pain and even make your back more prone to injuries.
Lose the Belly, Lose the Pain
The easiest way to find pain relief is to get rid of your gut. Every pound you lose, you will be taking off pressure and stress on your back and supporting joints.
If you drink a lot of beer or other alcoholic beverages, then the easiest way to lose the weight is to cut back on the drinking. Try to limit your alcoholic intake by one drink a week, and you will notice a huge change in your waistline.
If your beer belly is not actually caused by beer, then pursuing a healthy lifestyle of clean eating and regular exercise will help you shed the excess weight and strengthen your core and back muscles, which will decrease the pain too.
A cold beer may be your go-to for stress relief, but too much of a good thing will just stress out your health and back.