Everyone dreams of sporting a tight, toned midsection, but few know how to achieve it and leave them with the question of how to lose belly fat!? Below is a brief overview that combines muscle-toning exercises with a sound nutrition plan to shed inches off your waistline both efficiently and permanently.
The Exercise/Belly Fat Link
Proper exercise plays a pertinent role in developing and maintaining a toned, sleek midsection. In today’s age of technology-based work, most individuals spend the majority of the day sitting in front of a computer, allowing their abdominal muscles to become lax. Over time, this leads to an increased waistline and weak stomach muscles, which can contribute to issues such as back pain.
Cardio exercises are important for overall fat burning, and should not be overlooked in your journey to a flat stomach. However, many people overdo their cardio sessions, which can lead to burnout and fatigue. 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, 4 to 5 days per week is sufficient to burn excess calories and eliminate the layer of fat around your midsection.
Although cardio is important for fat burning, performing moves designed specifically for the abdomen are recommended to truly trim and tone this troublesome area.
Losing Belly Fat Through Exercise
Contrary to popular belief, crunches and sit-ups are not the way to a flat stomach. Studies have shown that these moves place a tremendous amount of strain on the lower back, which can lead to herniated discs and fractured vertebra. Moves that target each section of the abdomen (upper, lower and obliques), should be performed 3 to 4 days per week to achieve the desired results.
A few of the most well known stomach-flattening moves are:
Planks: This is quite possibly the most effective stomach-tightening exercise known. Traditionally a yoga pose, this move works all areas of the stomach. To perform a plank, you should lie face down on the floor, as if you are about to perform a push-up. Your toes and forearms should be resting on the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your hips off the ground. Your body should be in a straight line, supported by your forearms and toes. Hold this position for as long as possible before slowly lowering yourself to the ground.
Wood choppers: Just like the name states, this move mimics chopping a piece of wood with an ax. It works all areas of the abdomen, especially the obliques. Stand with your feet hip width apart with a medium weight dumbbell grasped firmly in your hands. Raise your arms directly overhead, and off to the side so the dumbbell is above your shoulder. With your abdominals tight, bring your arms down and across your body until the weight is parallel to the opposite hip. Return to the starting position. Perform 15 of these on one side of the body, and then switch to the other side.
V-Sits: Sit on the floor with your legs together, extended in front of you. Your hands should be resting by your sides, palms facing the ceiling. With your abdominals tight, lean back about 12 inches. You should feel tension in your stomach muscles. If you are able, raise your legs several inches off the floor. Hold this position for as long as possible, and then lower your legs down and return to the starting position.
Aside from performing effective muscle-training exercises to lose belly fat, you must also follow a sound nutrition plan in order to achieve a truly flat stomach, free of excess fat.
How To Lose Belly Fat Quick With Nutrition
You may have heard the term ‘bodies are made in the kitchen’, but never really understood what that meant. It simply means that you cannot out exercise poor eating habits. Diets that consist mainly of sugar-laden processed foods will not provide your body with the energy it needs to power you through an effective workout. Even if you do manage to make it through an intense workout, your body may have been burning excess glucose instead of fat as its primary energy source.
The foods you eat play an important role in whether or not your body burns fat or stores it. Once you learn which foods are the best for fat burning, you can incorporate them into your daily routine, along with a solid fitness program you can lose belly fat fast.
Ways To Lose Belly Fat With Nutrtion
There is no one ‘magic’ food known to melt off stubborn belly fat overnight. However, there is a list of foods whose constituents are known for increasing metabolism, helping the body break down and process stored fat, and satiating a ravenous appetite. Try incorporating as many of the following foods as possible into your daily diet, and you should see noticeable results within 2 weeks.
Berries: Berries of any sort are full of appetite-suppressing fiber. They are also high in various vitamins and nutrients to help eliminate junk food cravings, which are often triggered by nutrient deficiencies.
Green tea: Green tea is high in potent antioxidants, which have been linked to an increase in fat burn. A recent report published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states those individuals who drink several cups of green tea per day experience a 35-43 percent boost in their metabolism.
Wild salmon: Salmon is considered the perfect fat-melting food because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Most individuals are deficient in these fatty acids, because of the high levels of processed foods in our daily diets. Because the body cannot produce omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to incorporate them into your diet. They help to increase the body’s metabolic rate, and are highly beneficial in any weight loss program.
Lean protein: Any lean protein source, such as chicken, fish or turkey, is great for burning excess belly fat. These proteins are high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid shown in studies to help increase feelings of fullness.
Fresh vegetables: Vegetables in general are high in fiber to help you feel full and decrease your appetite. However, there are certain vegetables that are high in a phytonutrient called ‘indole-3-carbinol’ (I3C), proven to fight environmental estrogens that can contribute to excess belly fat. These vegetables are Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower and broccoli.
A tight, toned midsection does not have to be out of your reach. By incorporating muscle-tightening exercises our tips to lose belly fat with a sound nutrition plan, you can burn excess belly fat, shed inches from your waistline, and achieve the slim, toned physique you want.
