Brewing Beer, Drinking Beer and Managing Beer Gut

[MississippiSlim]

I am impressed by all of you. I have been blessed/cursed with an extremely high metabolism and a very low Body fat Per.(never been higher than 7). I don't exercise at all but tend to work and play pretty strenously. I have noticed a little loss of muscle tone around my midsection in the last few years (I am 37) but basically weigh the same as when I was 21 (6'6 180lbs). My problem with execising is that I really can't get motivated. I drink a couple beers a night and maybe a 6-12 over a weekend.

 

[maida7]

I am impressed by all of you. I have been blessed/cursed with an extremely high metabolism and a very low Body fat Per.(never been higher than 7). I don't exercise at all but tend to work and play pretty strenously. I have noticed a little loss of muscle tone around my midsection in the last few years (I am 37) but basically weigh the same as when I was 21 (6'6 180lbs). My problem with execising is that I really can't get motivated. I drink a couple beers a night and maybe a 6-12 over a weekend.

you suck! JK

 

[Hoppus_Poppatopolis]

I'm out of breath just reading this thread.

 

[MississippiSlim]

But if it makes you feel any better, I smoke and my cholesterol numbers need improvement.

 

[TechyDork]

I started making myself earn my beers. if i want a beer at night i need to do some exercise to earn it. I started making myself run 3-5 miles before i could have a beer and that helped out a lot. Now that the holidays are over i have started cutting back my food intake and uping my gym time.

I am 28 6' 3" and about 215, when i was a 22 yr old college soccer player i was 175 but that was when i was running 8-10 miles a day and training for 2-4 hours. sitting in an office all day handling tech calls doesn't help me much now.

I have tried convincing SWMBO that we need to do more "activities" to burn off this beer, but she hasn't gone for that one yet.

 

[TechyDork]

I ride a mtn bike as my main source of exercise. It's super high intensity cardio workout mixed with an adrenaline rush. I can go for a 4-6 hour ride. It's great for you and it's sooo much fun. For you gym guys: when is the last time you spent 4-6 hours working out and afterwords said "That was freaking awesome, lets do it again next weekend" ? I do a big ride pretty much every weekend and then a shorter 1-2 hour ride one day after work.

Beer and mountain biking go hand and hand. I don't know any riders who aren't beer drinkers. Nothing is better then an after ride beer. Except maybe a mid ride beer that you have stashed deep in the woods.

I agree nothing tastes better after a long trail ride than a beer.

 

[Shooter]

Surprisingly, after all the food and drink during the holidays I was a bit frightened to step on the scale the other day. I've always worked out to some degree, but I did up my workouts significantly within the past few months. I dropped 2 1/2 pounds. Man, I LOVE this new holiday diet!!!

Seriously, I often have a beer or two in the evenings and more on the weekends, but I know in order to do that I have to increase my workouts. I also find that I'll eat a lighter dinner and that helps quite a bit. FYI, don't skip dinner unless you're looking for quite a buzz from those two an evening sessions.

 

[Hellfish76]

I'm a personal trainer in Portland, Or, so I tend to hear this question a lot.

Honestly, you need to make a choice between drinking every night and being below 10% BF. There are some genetic freaks among us who get both, but they are the exception not the rule. I love beer as much (if not more) as anybody, but for me I had to give up drinking on the weekdays. Obviously there are exceptions here and there, but for the most part I keep my beer out of my fridge until the weekend so I won't be tempted.

HIIT & resistance training are great for burning calories but no matter how much you do, you can't outwork a bad diet. If you can be comfortable with a little extra weight on your belt, then it is OK to keep drinking like you are. It's all about which is more important to you, your appearance or your beer.

 

[Shooter]

HIIT & resistance training are great for burning calories but no matter how much you do, you can't outwork a bad diet.

I think looking at your overall diet is a key part of the whole thing as well. I splurge and fall short some time in that regard, but in general I try to be concious of how much and what I'm eating so that by also working out regularly I can splurge on a meal every once in a while and drink my beer without massive guilt. I'm happy with my numbers and my doctor seems satisfied with them.

 

[AnOldUR]

I'm a personal trainer in Portland, Or . . . It's all about which is more important to you, your appearance or your beer.

This is total BS. After you take individual metabolism into account, it’s calories in / calories out. It all comes down to choices. A good craft brew is 200-300 calories. If you put in an extra 2-3 miles you’ll break even. If you cheat, your waistline will grow. It’s not a matter of being a genetic freak. It all about self control and compromise. I choose to put in the extra miles and have the beer.

And if you enjoy the extra miles, you get to have your cake (beer) and eat (drink) it too.





Disclaimer:
I’m one of those guys who enjoys spending all day dragging my sweaty butt up and down the hills through the woods. A genetic freak, no. Just a freak!

 

[B33R]

I've always had a compulsion of needing something to drink since i was a child. At one point in time my mom thought i had a condition but turned out it was just a compulsion. Any way since i've feel in love with beer I seem to do what a lot of you do the common thing around here. Couple beers at night and 6-12 on the weekend. In the last 1½ years i've actually lost 30lbs. I'm 5'7" i went from 185 to 155 while consuming more bee but if you look at my diet i only eat about 1200 calories a day. I'd rather have a beer then food to be honest. It just works for me. Everyones different just find something that works for you. You might not find it right away but just find the balance to keep you where you want to be.

 

[Hoppus_Poppatopolis]

I have tried convincing SWMBO that we need to do more "activities" to burn off this beer, but she hasn't gone for that one yet.

Wait until she hits her mid 30's or so. You won't have to convince her then :rockin:

 

[mojotele]

Disclaimer:
I’m one of those guys who enjoys spending all day dragging my sweaty butt up and down the hills through the woods. A genetic freak, no. Just a freak!

Ohhhh, you're one of those runner peoples. I don't understand that. No matter how much I run, no matter how well I do, I still hate running. I really, really despise it. I still do it, but I hate every moment of it.

Good on you for being able to do it, though.

 

[maida7]

Ohhhh, you're one of those runner peoples. I don't understand that. No matter how much I run, no matter how well I do, I still hate running. I really, really despise it. I still do it, but I hate every moment of it.

Good on you for being able to do it, though.

dude there is this invention called wheels. ride a bike I think bikes were invented because running is so dreadful.

 

[shroomzofdoom]

I'd rather have a beer then food to be honest. It just works for me.

Never a truer word has been spoken. Though after about 6-10 beers, those cheeseburgers just disappear...especially after midnight!!!

 

[maida7]

Never a truer word has been spoken. Though after about 6-10 beers, those cheeseburgers just disappear...especially after midnight!!!

I think we should call this the "Gremlin Effect"

 

[cklages]

Or the 'hoff' effect, although at least not all the cheesburger makes it to the gut

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

Or the 'hoff' effect, although at least not all the cheesburger makes it to the gut

It took you 8 months to come up with that zinger?

 

[broadbill]

This is total BS. After you take individual metabolism into account, it’s calories in / calories out. It all comes down to choices. A good craft brew is 200-300 calories. If you put in an extra 2-3 miles you’ll break even. If you cheat, your waistline will grow. It’s not a matter of being a genetic freak. It all about self control and compromise. I choose to put in the extra miles and have the beer.

And if you enjoy the extra miles, you get to have your cake (beer) and eat (drink) it too.

You didn't read his whole post.

He was making the point that you have to choose between having the 10% body fat or the beer, NOT that you can't be in shape and drink beer. Its a big difference.

I am also a runner/triathlete (with one Ironman under my belt) and the only time I approach/go under 10% body fat point is when I'm in peak condition for racing. Its unrealistic to maintain 10% body fat without some serious work/dieting. You can still be fit/healthy at close to 20% body fat (which is where I usually sit in the off-season)

 

[AnOldUR]

You didn't read his whole post.

Well sir, you are wrong. I read the entire post and think it’s BS. Might be that I read between the lines too much, but I think the below 10% BF number was directed to the OP and in reference to his individual goal. He goes on to say:

If you can be comfortable with a little extra weight on your belt, then it is OK to keep drinking like you are. It's all about which is more important to you, your appearance or your beer.

Below 10% is a bit obsessive, but I contend that you can stay well below 20% body fat and not have any “extra” weight and also not have any issues with compromising your “appearance.” All without giving up your weekday beer consumption. It’s all about math and lifestyle. If you drink a 300 calorie beer, you have to be willing to burn off those calories with an extra 300 calories of exercise. Lifestyle come into play in that you need to find a way to do it that you enjoy.

I won’t bore this group with details, but I’ve found that, unlike you, when my training is at its peak, I can (and do) put down even more beer both during the week and on weekends than I normally would. You are among the obsessive who think that abstinence will give you that “edge.” I’ve learned that for me the “live hard, play hard” approach is a lot more fun and gets the same results.





and, hey, nice zombie thread . . . .

 

[cklages]

Oh son of a gun, I just got caught necroposting... I guess God has to kill another kitten.

Man I have to watch the dates on this stuff....

 

[jbrookeiv]

SWMBO and I came to an agreement recently, that if I work out 3 times a week, I get $8 for beer that week. 4 times, $10. 5 times, $12. So far, it's working out pretty well. Unfortunately, I have a large stock of beers at home, so I really don't need to buy beer every week.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I'm 5'8", 160# and 40 something years old. I walk my dogs about 3-6 miles, 4-5 days a week.

I just stopped eating solid food and switched to an all grain liquid diet...

 

[bja]

Unfortunately, I have a large stock of beers at home, so I really don't need to buy beer every week.

This makes absolutely no sense at all.

 

[jbrookeiv]

This makes absolutely no sense at all.

lol, it's a good thing but a bad thing at the same time. It doesn't motivate me to exercise because I already have beer to drink at home. The goal was to get into the habit of exercising regularly.

 

[bja]

lol, it's a good thing but a bad thing at the same time. It doesn't motivate me to exercise because I already have beer to drink at home. The goal was to get into the habit of exercising regularly.

use the money to buy ingredients to brew more beer.

 

[dozer217]

Um, 1 300 calroie beer a night would be considered moderation and you shouldn't be gaining any weight, now have 3 or 4 and good luck maintaining with the "live hard, play hard" approach unless of course your doing a 1/2 marathon extra per week. It's not just calories in/calories out it does depend on what kind of calories your putting in and how your body handles them.

 

[BogusOwnz]

i'm 23 5'11 about 175-180 pounds. I power lift 3 days a week and depending on my training i'll run hills a day a week. I started on the craft beer and home brewing about 10 months ago thus making craft beer/home brew a daily part of my diet. I have 0-3 during the week but usually have at least one and probably around 6 on weekends. I haven't noticed too much of a difference in my body. I think some people need to just lighten up, life is to short to worry about the amount of normal calorie beer we drink. If you want a beer drink it because i'm pretty sure when your on your death bed you won't be thinking "damn I wish i drank less beer". Plus for most people its life style not beer that leaves them with un wanted results, lay off the fast food, eat more real food and drink more water.

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

I definitely have noticed a difference. 5'10" 165lbs. I'm pretty skinny, and have put on a good 10lbs from the beerfairy since I started homebrewing. I'm pretty sure my job (which has me on the road 3-4 days a week) doesn't help either. I've joined a gym and cut back on the weekday beers. I miss them... =(

 

[AnOldUR]

Um, 1 300 calroie beer a night would be considered moderation and you shouldn't be gaining any weight.

I agree, but many of these guys a saying no beer on week days. Personally, I probably average about two a night on week nights. Might be a little more.

now have 3 or 4 and good luck maintaining with the "live hard, play hard" approach.

The "live hard, play hard" was way too dramatic. Can I take it back?

It's not just calories in/calories out it does depend on what kind of calories your putting in and how your body handles them.

Sure it is. It's just like brewing. Once you know your system you adjust things like liquor temps and grain weight to get what you want from your efficiency. Once you know your body's efficiency, it's simple math.