Brewing Beer, Drinking Beer and Managing Beer Gut

[pointcity-homebrew]

I had always been a skinny runt, prior to going into the Marines, 1998. I was considered under weight and had to go on double rations, which resulted in packing on 30 lbs. I was in the best shape of my life for sure, my own family did not recognize me.

Fast forward to the present day. It is not so much a weight issue with me, I just did not feel healthy. I started watching what I am eating, the amount of beer I am drinking and every now and then I allow myself a cheat weekend. I drink lots of water and most importantly I get at least 8 hours of sleep, most nights.

Everyone is different, the key is finding what works for you. Try a routine that you like, this will help motivate you to continue because you enjoy it not because you feel that you have to.

 

[GnenieGone]

Nutrition is over rated. Long live Beer

Love it!

 

[SanPancho]

I didn't really want to get into the weeds in my earlier post, but here is a pretty good summary of why most see little success with "exercise to lose weight" plan.

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories

and for anyone willing to challenge your stomach to see who's boss, this is a pretty remarkable study, a "diet" that is actually undergoing clinical trials for FDA approval for treating actual diseases. Fast mimicking diet. There's a lot of info on the web, but the guy behind it operates this company- L- Nutra. The research papers are all there.

Exercise is good for you, but weight loss seems to be better handled with diet.

 

[Mexibilly]

Anyone truly trying to take off weight would do we'll to investigate Low Carb High Fat.
This truly works, but unfortunately puts a huge restriction on carbohydrate intake.
My wife has been on it for months and myself for 46 days.
I'm down 12 pounds.
Now the sucky part:
I drink Miller 64, Bud select 55 and michelob ultra.
I haven't been brewing as much because of the carbs in my beer.
We do spend a weekend every 3 or 4 weeks putting down our favorites, but daily homebrews are a thing of the past...

 

[Qhrumphf]

You can't excercise away bad diet and you can't diet away lack of exercise. At least not in any lasting way.

I just work out a lot, eat a balanced diet, don't deprive myself, and make my carbs and junk food count. That's all.

 

[beersk]

Anyone truly trying to take off weight would do we'll to investigate Low Carb High Fat.
This truly works, but unfortunately puts a huge restriction on carbohydrate intake.
My wife has been on it for months and myself for 46 days.
I'm down 12 pounds.
Now the sucky part:
I drink Miller 64, Bud select 55 and michelob ultra.
I haven't been brewing as much because of the carbs in my beer.
We do spend a weekend every 3 or 4 weeks putting down our favorites, but daily homebrews are a thing of the past...

Hey, HOW ABOUT NO???

Nothing is worth it unless it's sustainable. Diets are temporary. There needs to be lifestyle changes. How about not eating huge buffets and drinking 6 beers a day? How about exercising daily? These are things that people need to incorporate to lose weight and keep it off. These are not new ideas. Diets are fads.

 

[SanPancho]

Diets are fads.

yes, except.... NO.

"Diet" as in atkins, grapefruit, no-carb/lo-carb, South Beach Diet are fads, yes. not sustainable, not mirrored by typical human societies. (with the exception of atkins - traditional inuits/eskimos eat basically protein and fats, no carbs)

"diet"- as in the kind/quantity of foods typically eaten by people- is what we are talking about. the "mediteranean diet" is not a fad. the japanese diet is not a fad. these are some of the longest-lived groups of people on earth. you are confusing the two uses of the word. and as much research has shown, its what you eat- ON AVERAGE- the small-d kind of "diet"- that really counts.

its like talking about the weather vs climate. one is about today, one is about an annual basis.

skipping meals or practicing caloric restriction is not a Diet/fad if it is something that you incorporate on a regular basis- i.e. enough to affect your average diet. so it cant be something that you just do for two weeks and then stop. i'm talking about a complete or a super low-calorie fast of a few days' time every month, or simply not eating breakfast or lunch any more. sustained change, that affects the long term average.

what the research shows, is that a long term reduction in the calories in your small-d "diet" is much more effective for losing weight than exercise. you should still do both, but the focus should be on minimizing calories if your goal is weight loss.

i hate to come off like some kind of nutrition nut or crazy fasting proponent, but i really do have to say that something as simple as skipping breakfast is not nearly as hard as it sounds, and is fairly common around the world. its also alot less effort than a half hour run or an hour at the gym.

 

[jpakstis]

There was an article in a running magazine I think that showed a strong correlation between runners and beer-drinking. Also some of my better shorter runs during my just-completed marathon training were run right after downing a pint. I have no idea why. You'd think that it would be a terrible idea but maybe the carbs and the sugars provide a short-term boost. So drink up and run!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

i hate to come off like some kind of nutrition nut or crazy fasting proponent, but i really do have to say that something as simple as skipping breakfast is not nearly as hard as it sounds, and is fairly common around the world. its also alot less effort than a half hour run or an hour at the gym.

Intermittent fasting works. I use a bigger window than some but mine is usually 12-8 which pretty much just means waiting for or skipping breakfast. Definitely not that hard and lets you work in some more calorie dense foods.
However what really polishes this off in my experience is combining it with fasted morning cardio. Thats how you get washboard. Of course, none of this really matters anyway if the person doesn't at least know how to manage their overall caloric intake.
On the other hand. If a person does know how to manage their intake then cardio/lifting weights gives them the option to eat more and stay at maintenance. This does take more work but the rewards are worth it IMO.

 

[bobeer]

I"m just under 6'3 and weigh 226 last time I checked. I've been a constant 215-230 for the past 4 years or so. All my extra weight is at my waist, for sure, and it comes from drinking homebrew and all the awesome food! I'm not a diet freak because I eat whatever I want to whenever I want to and I drink anywhere from 1-5 beers a night with an average of I'd say 2 per night.
I used to weigh 200-215 before I started homebrewing in my late 20's. I worked out a lot in my early to mid 20's which is why I'm over the 200lb mark. I was a lanky skinny tall guy in high school and college and weighed about 140-180 from freshman year in HS to when I graduated college.

No doubt that drinking beer has added a ton to my waistline! Now that I have a kid, and another on the way due in mid August, I feel obligated to start taking better care of myself. It's a bummer but that means drinking much less, eating much better, and getting back into exercising again.

I go through fazes with exercising. I used to hit the gym and do the weight lifting thing on some days and cardio on others but I got bored of that after 2 years or so. I got resistance tubes to switch it up and did the p90x thing until I got bored of that. Then I got a punching bag, exercise bike, and an indo board to regain my interest; which worked for a long time. Now I'm bored with everything again which is why I haven't been too active for the past 6 months or so. I enjoy going for a run with my headphones on and zoning out for a while but it's hard to find the time to do that. It's also hard for me to find a way to exercise that I enjoy and don't get tired of which I think is pretty normal.

Bottom line is I've been thinking about getting back into exercising again and eating better/drinking less. I'm trying to use the, "I'll feel better, look better, have my beer around for longer, and enjoy beer/good food more from not having it whenever I feel like it." route. I'm almost 34 and feel like this is the last time I'll be able to easily get back into it and get in shape for my 40's but it's soooo hard! I don't have someone to workout with and there's a serious lack of motivation for me besides what I just stated above. I love beer and good food and it's what I look forward to at the end of the day but something's got to give!

Wow... typing this is giving me a little motivation... Maybe I'll start this weekend on a new and improved Bobeer!!

With all that said... just got an email that there's doughnuts in the kitchen! lol.

 

[cannman]

For what it's worth, I caught a 7 day stomach bug 3 weeks ago trying to do the right thing and eat at Souplantation instead of Shakeys Pizza. I lost about 12 lbs that week and now fit into old jeans. What's even stranger is that my body now has accepted my new weight and I seem to be keeping off the excess poundage without doing anything extra, like my metabolic set point was reset...

 

[lstrowge]

Last December I after struggling to bend over to put my boots on I decided to change some things. I enjoy my Homebrew only on weekends, exercise (started walking 2-4 miles daily and hitting the gym. Other than just getting moving and burning calories I think the biggest thing was the calorie reduction. Cutting back on the homebrew on weeknights also led to no more late night snacking as well as increased daily water intake. I don't diet per se but I do watch the types of foods I eat with a "cheat" occasionally to satisfy the fat/greasy food cravings. I've lost 16 pounds to date and that is with the increased muscle mass from lifting weights again.

Bottom line, I think it's all about regular moderate exercise and eating right. Like someone said earlier diets are temporary, life style changes are more likely to become permanent.

 

[Paul_Aris]

Really watch how much breads, pastas, (grains, you get enough in your homebrew right?) and fatty foods you take in. I do this and execercise regularly. I also find I need to have the hungry feeling in my stomache often to keep the weight down. I keep my lunches really light to minimal because I always have a decent meal with the family every night. So far its been working well. I'm 46 years old 6'2" tall and weight between 180-185.

 

[Jim311]

Luckily for me I don't struggle with weight. Of course it could have something to do with the fact that I ride mountain and road bikes. I've ridden 50 miles this week and will probably ride another 25-50 before the weekend is over. Beer and bikes go together well and I highly recommend it

 

[SanPancho]

However what really polishes this off in my experience is combining it with fasted morning cardio.

thats exactly what i do. quick run in the AM 3x a week on empty stomach, just some black tea, and oddly enough i sometimes dont get hungry until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. but we're talking a 15min run, not half hour or hour.

as for washboard, you must be lucky. we mostly cook at home, i try not to drink too much, and yet washboard is not quite a goal i'd be willing to contemplate seriously at present.

 

[BoostEd6]

Calories in < calories out / thread

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

thats exactly what i do. quick run in the AM 3x a week on empty stomach, just some black tea, and oddly enough i sometimes dont get hungry until 1 or 2 in the afternoon. but we're talking a 15min run, not half hour or hour.



as for washboard, you must be lucky. we mostly cook at home, i try not to drink too much, and yet washboard is not quite a goal i'd be willing to contemplate seriously at present.

Similar here. I do quick 4 mile runs two or three AMs a week fasted. Also lift weights 4 days a week. I'll generally get in some BCAAs after running though then wait till noon to eat.
I wouldn't say lucky it's taken a lot of effort and sacrifice. I've learned a lot about nutrition, my body, and all sorts of tricks along the way. At this point I can work a beer in most days and still hit my nutritional goals.

 

[filthyastronaut]

Just gotta say, carbs are NOT the devil that some people think they are. In fact, they are essential to a healthy diet. You just want to get them from vegetables and whole grains. Along with that, stick with mostly mono and poly unsaturated fats in healthy amounts, and healthy amounts of complete protein. Most importantly, don't eat too much. If you want to lose weight, eat the right stuff and make a sustainable calorie deficit that will net you .5-1 lbs. of weight loss per week. That's sustainable.

Limit your beer intake to 0-2 per night, more on special occasions, or give yourself a beer budget per week and decide when you want to drink them depending on the day.

 

[m00ps]

I don't think a home brew forum is gonna have the best advice for weight management. Plus, every single person is different in their dietary needs and metabolism

I don't believe there is really such thing as a beer gut. I know what people are referring to by it, like an abnormally large stomach proportional to the rest of the body. Beer doesn't have fat in it though. It's the crap you mindlessly eat after a number of beers that cause it. If beer guts were a thing, I wouldn't be able to fit into the drivers seat of a car due to lack of clearance

 

[StonesBally]

Since taking up homebrewing 6+ years ago I have been steadily losing weight. From almost 300 lbs down to 235 now. No special exercise other than walks and rough housing with the kids. I cut grain, dairy, and sugar, except for beer, out of my diet about 75% of meals. My wife lost all baby weight after 3rd child on same diet. We eat a lot of eggs, meat, vegetables, greens, fruit and nuts, along with fats like coconut oil, olive oil, grass fed butter, lard, tallow, and poultry fat. I'd rather give up some food most of the time than have to work out and weight train every day. I don't have the time for it anyway with three kids and work my gardens and my other hobbies.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I don't think a home brew forum is gonna have the best advice for weight management. Plus, every single person is different in their dietary needs and metabolism

I don't believe there is really such thing as a beer gut. I know what people are referring to by it, like an abnormally large stomach proportional to the rest of the body. Beer doesn't have fat in it though. It's the crap you mindlessly eat after a number of beers that cause it. If beer guts were a thing, I wouldn't be able to fit into the drivers seat of a car due to lack of clearance

On a whole your probably right but you'd be surprised. Most people aren't that different if you feed the body the right way you'll get the results. Beer has a couple problems going against it though. Glycogen holds about 4 times its weight in water so when someone has an insane carb intake from lots of drinking and eating like crap they end up carrying more and more water weight over time. If not managed you'll get your "beer belly." The other is alcohol increases estrogen which also makes you hold more water around your waist. Keep things balanced though and no beer belly.

 

[Pyg]

I have always been short and round with a belly. But I have noticed with my beer drinking and homebrew ing my beer has grown a bit more pronounced as I get older.
Instead of concentrating on loosing weight I am working towards healthier habits and simply being healthy while drinking beer.
So I am trying not to snack before, during and after my nightly beer.
SWMBO bought me a fitbit and I am now keeping track of of what I eat and the amount of walking/exercising I get per day.
I am walkin my weekly round of golf (3.5 miles) and not drinking 2 beers during the round & 2 beers back at the bar.
I am also trying to limit my beer intact to no more than 2 beers a night .
Now if I could just figure out to how to eat properly breakfast, lunch & dinner

 

[Mexibilly]

This is not a diet sir, it's a lifestyle change.
My wife and I work out every morning. I run 1 or 2 miles every morning while catching the morning news and have Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday weight training routines, all at our local ymca.
Friday I run, sometimes brief weights, but Friday mornings are generally rushed. I'm very strong and in very good cardiovascular health.
Some local cops work out up there in the mornings and have told me they couldn't keep up with me.
My wife is a chef and holds an associate's degree in culinary arts.
She's very informed with regard to nutrition, and has modeled our meal planning around our nutritional goals.
Thanks for the advice though...

 

[DurtyChemist]

Anyone truly trying to take off weight would do we'll to investigate Low Carb High Fat.
This truly works, but unfortunately puts a huge restriction on carbohydrate intake.
My wife has been on it for months and myself for 46 days.
I'm down 12 pounds.
Now the sucky part:
I drink Miller 64, Bud select 55 and michelob ultra.
I haven't been brewing as much because of the carbs in my beer.
We do spend a weekend every 3 or 4 weeks putting down our favorites, but daily homebrews are a thing of the past...

If you're SERIOUS about it you cut beer drinking out. Brew a barley wine, barrel aged stuff, lagers, stuff that ages well.

High fat is THE way to go. The body loves it because fat has more energy per weight unit (gram/lb/ounce/etc.) than carbs.
Whole 30 diet did me well. Running 40 miles a week also helped. I need to start again on Monday.