Fitness coach explains why alcohol gives you the classic ‘beer belly’

You might already know alcohol consumption is bad for the heart and makes you gain weight, but fitness coach Eric warns that it can derail your fitness goals.

If you’re trying to lose weight, frequent drinking may be doing more harm than you realise. Alcohol is packed with empty calories, disrupts your body’s ability to burn fat, and can quickly lead to stubborn weight gain - especially around the abdomen. Over time, this can contribute to the classic ‘beer belly’, making your fitness goals feel further out of reach despite your best efforts.

Eric Roberts, a fitness coach with eight years of experience and more than 25,000 clients trained, explains why alcohol can lead to weight gain and hinder muscle-building. In an Instagram video posted on November 15, the fitness trainer breaks down what happens when alcohol enters your system - and how its empty calories and impact on fat loss can seriously derail your fitness goals.

What happens when alcohol is in your system?

According to Eric, alcohol acts as a toxin in the body, and your system immediately shifts its focus to breaking it down. Until that toxin is cleared, your body puts fat-burning and muscle-building on hold. He explains, “When alcohol is in your system, it stops you from burning fat and building muscle. Because alcohol is a toxin that your body has to get rid of first.”

The fitness coach adds that alcohol is already high in calories, and the effect is often compounded by the foods people tend to eat alongside it - which are rarely low-calorie choices either. This, in turn, can undermine your fitness goals - particularly if you’re following a calorie-deficit diet.

Why do you get beer belly?

Eric emphasises that alcohol contributes to a build-up of visceral fat around the abdomen - the very thing that leads to a bloated ‘beer belly’. Cutting down on alcohol can not only help you build muscle more effectively but also reduce further fat accumulation. He explains, “Alcohol can lead to more visceral fat around your belly, which wraps around your internal organs and makes you look super bloated. So, if you cut out or at least cut way back on your alcohol, you'll lose fat and build muscle faster, plus make it way easier to stick to your calorie deficit.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.