The Wrath of the Beer-Belly

I enjoy a good pint and I'm not afraid to admit it. I've grown to love the taste of a crisp, cold pint of beer or ale in the last few years and let's just say that I've had enough experience to lead me to this stage. When I started out drinking, beer was more or less all I would drink. After a few bad experiences with spirits and a deep loathing for cider, I settled on beer. At the time when I was just getting into drinking I over-indulged myself on quite a few occasions which is the norm with young adults. I've seen it all in the last few years: having to drink in people's houses because your not 18 yet and then when you turn 18 riding it for all it's worth. That in turn has led to many a teenage hangover of which I have had my fair share. The thing is that the hangover (which was not always a guaranteed outcome thankfully) was the only problem that I would have with drinking too much. Now that I'm a bit older I'm starting to fear the specter of many a beer drinker - the beer-belly.

Now I'm a fairly active guy because I play football quite a lot (especially when I'm on holiday) and I go running as much as my motivation and the Scottish climate will allow. The thing is that in the last year or so I've noticed that it is much more difficult to shift a few nights of drinking, especially when you don't have time or the energy to exercise. I used to joke when I went to the gym that I would like to have a little bit more meat on me because it would mean that I might be able to work it into muscle rather than work with my former scrawny self. Now that I've got my wish I'm starting to wonder if I should be more careful in the future when I joke about. Under no circumstances would I call myself heavy or fat because I still think that I would be able to play a tune on my ribs (albeit a slightly more muffled one than before) but I really can't continue in this way.

The obvious solution is to stop drinking or to stop drinking as much and they are two options that I've considered. Looking at my prospective timetable for next year, I'm going to have even less time to keep myself in shape than I did last year so one of those options might have to come to fruition before too long. I don't think I could give up drinking because it's nice to socialise with friends and enjoy a few drinks. One thing I wouldn't miss all that much however are the nights that I have a couple too many and then I can't function properly the next day. Hangovers can ruin complete days (and sometimes whole weekends) and so I would miss them like a hole in my head. I think there lies the simple answer to the impending doom of a bigger gut - drink less and enjoy life a bit more. Alcohol is great fun but sadly the fun factor is starting to ware off for me - maybe I'm just getting old.

Thanks for reading and the next time I write about a hangover that has particularly affected me you'll know straight away that I'm kicking myself whilst trying desperately to do sit-ups to get rid of the aesthetic affects.

Martin