LifeCoach: how to get rid of a beer belly

Q I’m 50 and have had a generally trim, muscular build all my life, without the need to do much exercise. However, in recent years, like many men my age who like a beer or two, I have developed an unattractive gut. I’m not very disciplined when it comes to diets, so I’d appreciate some advice on shifting this weight through exercise. I have access to a gym at work and a local park.

TONY GALLAGHER WRITES:

A You have done well to have had a generally trim, muscular build over the years. At 50 your metabolism will have slowed down, your muscles will have atrophied and your skin will have loosened to some extent. All this adds to the unattractive gut you describe. Although you are not very disciplined when it comes to diets, you should, at a minimum, consider limiting your beer intake which has a large number of calories. An excessive beer gut is thought to affect the incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnoea, so there is plenty of reason to reduce it.

Aim to exercise regularly, a minimum of three to four times per week if possible. A combination of cardiovascular exercise and abdominal work is a good start. Although it is tempting to do loads of abdominal curls, this alone won’t aid you in losing your gut since you will still have the excess fat covering it. Don’t forget to balance any abdominal work you do with some back-strengthening exercises.

At the gym, cardiovascular exercise should be your main activity, interspersed with weight training.

Alternate your CV work and choose between swimming, treadmill, cycling and indoor rowing, which will all burn calories and increase your metabolism or at least stop it from slowing further.

If you like group classes, I would recommend indoor cycling and BodyPump which is a weights-based barbell group class. Do a minimum of 30 minutes’ CV work each visit.

When working specifically on your abdominals, perform your regular curls but also include some hover/plank work which will help tighten your abdominals and prevent sagging.

Try the following exercise, too, which works the transverse abdominis – the muscle that is worked as you suck in:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and draw your belly button in towards your spine.

Hold this position for 10 seconds or so; repeat six times.

In the local park, try to jog regularly and also attempt some interval work. Try the following session once every fortnight and preferably on grass:

Jog for 100m, then sprint for 50m, jog for 100m, sprint for 75m.

Continue this for 15–20 minutes. Work at about 75 per cent when sprinting.

A good session I do is a spontaneous speed play type of run:

After warming up, sprint as far as the first person you see entering the park.

Jog and raise knees to chest for 15 seconds, followed by heels to buttock for five seconds.

After a one-minute jog, take long strides as you run along. I like to run bounding along sideways.

It makes for an interesting but tough session. The fitter you are, the quicker your recovery rate will be between stations.

When you are in the park, you can also perform a running circuit of sorts using a line of trees as stations. You could try the following:

Do five press-ups when you reach the first tree, then return to the start.

When you reach the second tree, do five squats and return to the start.

Do a different activity at each tree, such as curl ups, star jumps or lunges. Varying things makes for an enjoyable workout and this is also a great calorie- burner.

As with everything, consistency is the key, rather than the type of exercise you do. Before you know it, there will be less and less of you.

SARA STANNER WRITES:

A To reduce body fat, no matter where it is, you have to follow the basic rule of weight loss – to burn more calories than you consume. There is no food or supplement that will encourage your body to remove fat in one place rather than another.

But you don’t have to follow a strict dietary regime; just making some simple changes to your diet will help you to shift the weight. Cutting one biscuit a week, for example, can lead to a loss of 5lb over a year. You are also more likely to stick to easy changes like swapping from whole to semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, making time for a healthy breakfast each morning or cutting down on high-calorie/fat snacks.

It is easy to cut back on calories without feeling hungry – try bulking up your meals with foods that are low in fat and high in fibre so you feel fuller for longer (for example, add more vegetables to a spaghetti bolognese or more salad to a sandwich).

Foods that contain water (soups and stews, foods like pasta and rice that absorb water during cooking, and foods that are naturally high in water, such as fruit and vegetables) will also help to fill you up with fewer calories.

Including a source of lean protein with each meal (skinless poultry, lean meat, fish, beans, pulses, nuts) can also help to keep hunger at bay.

Although studies suggest that beer probably doesn’t encourage a “beer belly” more than other types of alcohol, a pint of beer contains about 140 calories.

Alas, you don’t compensate for its calorie content by eating less food because alcohol also stimulates appetite – a double whammy of bad news!

So you need to watch your alcohol intake if you want to lose weight.

VITAMINS’ STAYING POWER

Q I read recently about vitamins losing their potency if you keep them in your bathroom, as the moisture causes them to deteriorate. Should I be storing them in a different way?

SARA STANNER WRITES:

A These headlines were in response to a study which showed that vitamin C breaks down in high temperatures and humidity. It was suggested that keeping them in kitchens or bathrooms would reduce their shelf life.

Vitamin C is an unstable substance and although it won’t become harmful if it degrades, it won’t provide the same nutritional benefit. However, it isn’t clear whether this research is of relevance to supplements, as they usually contain other ingredients, including silica which will protect against the effects of humidity. Further research is needed to clarify the best storage conditions. In the meantime, keep them in their container in a cool, dry place.

SPOT OF TROUBLE?

Q I work at a computer for 10 hours a day. Recently, I’ve started seeing bright spots. Should I be worried?

DAN RUTHERFORD WRITES:

A “Eye strain” due to excessive computer use includes symptoms such as dry eyes, blurred or double vision, but not bright spots. “Flashing lights” are a potential sign of trouble with the light-sensitive retina at the back of the eye. The most serious of these conditions is retinal detachment, which can threaten your eyesight. There are less serious possibilities, such as migraine, but have your eyes checked right away.

FACT OR FAD?

Q Is Pilates really all it’s cracked up to be?

TONY GALLAGHER WRITES:

A: If performed correctly pilates is one of the most rewarding forms of exercise. Its main benefits are improvements in core strength and flexibility. Since it increases the co-ordination and strength in the deep abdominal muscles then the lumbar spine is stabilised and protected. Pilates works by using gentle, progressive movements to rebalance your body and adjust the method in which you recruit muscles to produce movements. Regular practice typically leads to a stronger, leaner body. Since performing the movements correctly is key, particularly in the early stages, take a class with a certified instructor before exercising on your own. Initially it may seem rather slow compared to other exercises but it is vital to grasp the basic concepts.