Wouldnt it be nice if you could wave a magic wand and watch your belly fat disappear? Unfortunately, its not that easy. The only way to get rid of the flab on your midsection is to combine the
best fat burning exercises with a sensible eating plan.
Cardiovascular and Weight Training
If you reduce your caloric intake, its certainly possible to lose weight without exercise. However, if you dont exercise, your metabolism will eventually slow down and burn less fuel. When this happens, youll likely hit a plateau and the weight loss will stop.
The only way to consistently see belly flab melt away is to get enough cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular exercise raises the heart rate and forces the body to burn stored fat for fuel. For the best results, it is recommended that you do at least one hour of moderate to rigorous cardio five days a week.
If you choose a cardiovascular activity you enjoy, youre more likely to stick to your exercise regimen. Here are some excellent forms of cardio.
running
brisk walking
elliptical trainer
dancing
aerobics
boxing
basketball and other sports
pushing a lawnmower
jumping rope
biking
swimming
skating
When you do the same exercises all the time, your muscle can get used to them and they will not be as effective. To prevent this, vary your workout routine periodically.
Stomach Exercises to Tone
Stomach exercises wont help you lose fat around your midsection, but they will help you tone and tighten your abdominal muscles. However, all the crunches in the world wont matter if you dont do enough cardiovascular exercises to burn off fat. Your toned abs will simply be covered in a layer of flab, never to be seen by you or anyone else.
For optimum results, combine regular cardiovascular exercises with a three day a week core training routine. Here are some exercises to target the abdominal muscles and help you tone up.
Bicycle Exercise: Lie flat on the floor and put you hands behind your head. Bring your knees up to a 45-degree angle. Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and rotate your upper body to the left while simultaneously bringing your left knee up to touch your right elbow. Repeat the movements on the other side. Continue alternating sides in a bicycle peddling motion. Do 1 to 3 reps of 15.
Exercise Ball Crunch: Lie on an exercise ball and cross your arms across your chest. Tighten your abs and lift your upper body off the ball. Lower your upper body back down and repeat the movements for 1 to 3 reps of 15.
Vertical Leg Crunch: Lie flat on the floor. Extend your legs straight in the air and cross your knees. Tighten your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor. Pretend to press your navel into your spine. Lower your shoulders and repeat the movements for 1 to 3 repetitions of 15.
Eat a Healthy Diet to Lose Belly Fat
A healthy eating plan is a key component to burning fat. If your diet is filled with high-calorie junk foods, it wont matter how much you exercise, youll still have fat around your midsection. Minimize processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners in your diet. Replace these items with vegetables, fruits, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans and legumes.
Getting rid of stubborn belly fat can feel like an uphill battle. But with the right combination of cardio, abdominal strengthening exercises and sensible eating, you can reduce the overall amount of fat on your body and have the firm, flat stomach youve always wanted.
