What Exercise Targets Stomach Fat

Think Eating Plan Not Diet

Ultimately, you need to pick a healthy eating plan you can stick to,Stewart says. The benefit of a low-carb approach is that it simply involveslearning better food choicesno calorie-counting is necessary. In general,a low-carb way of eating shifts your intake away from problem foodsthosehigh in carbs and sugar and without much fiber, like bread, bagels andsodasand toward high-fiber or high-protein choices, like vegetables, beansand healthy meats.

How Long Will It Take Before I Start Seeing Results

Depending on how hard you push yourself, you can start seeing results in as little as two weeks. Aim to drop 1-2 pound in body weight each week. Work on your diet and stick to your weight lifting routine. If you dont see results after a month, fat burners may be a good option for you. See the following section.

Exercises That Won’t Burn Belly Fat

Abdominal exercises. Simply put, bashing out endless reps of sit-ups won’t have any real impact on your belly fat, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. Of course, these kind of exercises will help strengthen your abdominal muscles, even tone them, but they won’t shift the layer of fat above them.

There is a belief, among some, that you are able to target a specific body part for weight loss, a process known as ‘spot reduction’. Unfortunately, the majority of studies cast doubt of the validity of this process.

So let’s make it clear: in order to reduce belly fat you’ll have to reduce the body fat percentage of your whole body. Unfortunately, and we’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, you have no real control over where you’ll lose the fat first. But that’s not to say that the exercises below a combination of full-body movements that demand a bucket load of effort won’t almost immediately start to bring your body fat down and, in time, shave flab from around your stomach, revealing your muscle groups. What’s more, when they do finally make an appearance, they’ll look strong and chiselled.

Start with the following eight fat burning exercises to hammer the dozens of muscles between your shoulders and hips and get better metabolism at the same time.

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Exercises To Help You Lose Belly Fat

To reduce belly fat you’ll have to reduce the body fat percentage of your whole body. These exercises can help

There are few fitness accolades perched above a washboard stomach it’s living proof that you’ve put time in at the gym, watch your diet and have found time to dish out a one-two punch to belly fat.

Providing it’s done safely and correctly, a toned stomach is an outward sign that you keep fit and watch what you eat. That said, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to eradicating belly fat and, despite what questionable fitness advice you’ve heard, you can’t target or ‘spot reduce’ areas of fat on your body.

” linked to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke”

But that’s not to say that your ultimate goal can’t be to lose belly fat. That’s as good a goal as any, and if that is your aim, science certainly has your back. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that your belly your gut, your paunch or whatever you call it may increase your risk of dying early. The 2.5 million-person study revealed that as waist size increases so does all causes of mortality. Jarringly, the study found that for ever four inches of added waist size, the chances of early mortality increase by 11%.

How To Create A Calorie Deficit

Creating a calorie deficit boils down to a simple math equation: Are you burning more calories than youre consuming on a daily basis? If you are, youre at a calorie deficit.

Burning 3,500 calories more than you consume is equal to 1 pound of fat, according to the Mayo Clinic.

For most people, losing more than 2.5 pounds of fat per week involves extreme calorie restriction and isnt recommended.

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Do Ab Exercises Help You Burn Belly Fat

Defined abdominal muscles or abs have become a symbol of fitness and health.

For this reason, the internet is full of information about how you can achieve a six pack.

Many of these recommendations involve exercises and devices that target the ab muscles.

These methods supposedly stimulate your abs to burn belly fat.

However, theyre not as effective as some of us may think.

This article explains everything you need to know about ab exercises and belly fat.

Try Curbing Carbs Instead Of Fats

When Johns Hopkins researchers compared the effects on the heart of losingweight through a low-carbohydrate diet versus a low-fat diet for sixmonthseach containing the same amount of caloriesthose on a low-carb dietlost an average of 10 pounds more than those on a low-fat diet28.9 poundsversus 18.7 pounds. An extra benefit of the low-carb diet is that itproduced a higher quality of weight loss, Stewart says. With weight loss,fat is reduced, but there is also often a loss of lean tissue ,which is not desirable. On both diets, there was a loss of about 2 to 3pounds of good lean tissue along with the fat, which means that the fatloss percentage was much higher on the low-carb diet.

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You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep

From scrolling through social media to having a late-night coffee, there are plenty of ways we unknowingly keep ourselves awake at night. Aside from feeling tired and groggy the next day, not getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night can affect weight loss, explains Dr Luke.

“When were lacking in sleep, our bodys hormones get thrown off balance which can impact our hunger levels the next day. We all have two hormones that affect our appetite: ghrelin and leptin. When we dont get enough sleep, our ghrelin levels rise, and our leptin levels drop. This means that when were awake, we tend to eat more but feel less satisfied. Try going to bed a little earlier than usual to avoid this imbalance and remember to remove any distractions that might prevent you from nodding off,” he continues.

Youre Consuming Too Much Sugar

“If your diet consists of lots of sports drinks, sugar-sweetened drinks like fizzy coca cola and flavoured waters, or sugary foods like chocolate and cakes, it will make losing weight harder,” Dr Luke reckons. He also explains that while whole fruits and vegetables are undoubtedly good for you, they can also sometimes cause weight gain if you eat too much, as they have high levels of natural sugars in them. “Low-fat food options might have high amounts of added sugar in there too, so make sure to check the food label”, he warns.

Plus, cutting back on the amount of simple carbohydrates you eat, like pasta and bread, and substituting for healthier alternatives, like courgetti, could help with weight loss. “It wont be easy, but by dropping your overall carbohydrate intake , you will have the best chance of tackling your belly fat,” shares Dr Luke.

However, Emily has a slightly different take on this one. She explains that, while Dr Luke isn’t wrong in saying that, nutritionally speaking, the above foods aren’t as nutritionally-dense, they won’t ultimately affect weight loss if you’re still maintaining a calorie deficit. “Im a big believer that you dont need to cut out foods or become consumed with good and bad labels when it comes to your nutrition,” she shares.

See – you don’t have to cut out the foods you love. It’s all about moderation.

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Difference Between Bloating And Belly Fat

One thing people get confused is, there is a difference between bloating and belly fat.

Bloating has two primary causes – gas and blockage.

Gases can often be attributed to lacking digestive enzymes, and is a common issue with lower quality protein. Often, a clean grass fed whey protein isolate will provide easier digestion and less bloating.

A common issue many dieters have is constipation – this is usually from reducing carbs and increasing protein. Protein is slower and more difficult to digest, but is also way more thermogenic than carbs .

Thermogenic – meaning proteins require more bodily energy to digest, resulting in more calories being used for digestion, muscle protein synthesis, etc, resulting in less calories going towards fat stores.

This blockade and constipation can make your belly swell, looking fatter than before you started dieting. This can also contribute to increased weight – the opposite of what you are going for. Weight in backed up bodily waste, not necessarily weight from fat storage.

But remember… bloating is not fat.

Belly fat is either subcutaneous fat or visceral, the fat surrounding the organs in your mid section.

Bloating is gas or food within the stomach or intestines.

To avoid bloating,

Step 1Step 2.

Creating An Effective Exercise Plan

According to the American Council on Exercise, a regular exercise routine is the best way to burn off excess belly fat. But not just any exercise plan will do the trick. In fact, a 2011 study by Duke University Medical School found that resistance training achieved no significant reductions in visceral fat. The study, which tracked the progress of 196 overweight adults over eight months, also found that belly fat overwhelmingly yields to aerobic exercises such as walking, running and biking. This correlates with what we know about aerobic exercise — activities that elevate your heart rate cause your body to burn off fat from its reserves.

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Tip : Snack On Some Almonds

One of those calcium-rich foods: Almonds. Swapping those little brown nuts in place of a higher-carb snack has also been found to help people lose belly fat. In one study of 48 people with elevated bad cholesterol, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, those who were given a daily almond snack lost fat in their legs and bellies, even if they didnt lose weight.

As with any nutty snack, watch your portions. If you go overboard, a cup of almonds can add over 800 calories to your daily diet, according to the United States Department of Agriculture . Consult your Grocery Guide and stick to a one PowerFuel serving: Two tablespoons of almonds can help you burn fat and stay on track.

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You Can Get Rid Of The Thigh Fat

Every Tom, Dick and Harry keyboard trainer on the Internet will be quick to tell you that spot reduction is a total myth and doesnt work. This isnt the whole truth.

Some older studies did find spot reducing exercises didnt work to target fat burning on the participants. This 1983 study found doing sit-ups didnt do anything to target abdominal fat in the participants . And even in this 2013 study researchers found training one leg and not training the other didnt result in fat loss in the train leg .

But in both studies the participants were overweight and they didnt account for the total fat loss that was also happening in the body. Usually, when youre really overweight youll lose visceral fat first before you start losing targeted fat. Spot lipolysis is definitely real and can help you lose your thigh fat fast.

This study found you can burn body fat in the fat regions near an active muscle than in those muscles far away from the area your training . Researchers theorize this because of increased temperature and blood flow near the muscles youre exercising. This may result in an increased delivery of fat burning hormones that can help to slim and tone certain body parts.

In this newest study researchers found lower body strength training resulted in more fat loss in the lower body than the upper body . So if anybodys quick to tell you spot reduction is a total myth then be sure to reference these studies and let them know it may be possible in one way or another.

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Squats To Overhead Press

Last, but certainly not least, is the squat to overhead press. This 2 part movement focuses on your posture, quads, glutes, arms, and abs.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart. Grip a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in. Hold them at shoulder height.
• Press back through your hips as you lower into a squat with a neutral spine.
• As you press through your feet to rise to stand, extend your arms above your head into an overhead press.
• With control, lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level.
• Complete your desired number of sets and repetitions.

How To Lose Belly Fat Effectively

Evidence shows that you cant lose belly fat by exercising your abs alone.

For total-body fat loss, use a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training, such as lifting weights.

In addition, eat a healthy diet with plenty of protein, fiber and portion control all of which are proven to help reduce body fat.

These methods will help you burn calories, speed up your metabolism and make you lose fat. This will ultimately cause belly fat loss and give you a flatter stomach.

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Walking On An Incline

Walking at an incline burns more fat that walking on the flat, as youre working harder. One study found that walking on an incline of 16-18% and a speed of 3mph burns 70% more fat than running on a flat surface. Need inspiration? Find out what happened when we tried the viral TikTok 12-3-30 treadmill workout.

How to walk on an incline:

To avoid getting injured when walking on a treadmill on an incline, think about engaging your core as you walk, and avoid leaning forwards. Try and keep your stride fast and short, rather than overstretching into longer strides.

Daily Habits For Fat Loss

Pack snacks

No belly-busting diet is complete without a super-charged arsenal of healthy, satiating snacks. By planning ahead for those times you get stuckthink traffic jams and long days at the officeyoull be equipped to fight against any unhealthy temptations or poor food choices. I would definitely have snacks planned throughout the day. Its very important to eat throughout the day to make sure youre not famished at some of the bigger meals. I would definitely have snack jars with things like granola bars, protein bars, almonds, dehydrated fruits, turkey jerky, and a lot of high-protein snacks stashed at work, in the car, or at home, says White.

Prepare meals on Sunday

Putting aside time on Sundays to prep for the week ahead will not only save you countless dollars in last-minute takeout meals, but it will also save you a tremendous amount of excess calories in the long run. When we make decisions based on emotions and convenience we often find ourselves tied to less-healthy fare. White suggests getting in the kitchen, throwing on some good music, and preparing your meals for the days ahead. This way you can control ingredients, portions, and also free up time during the week to tend to your usual obligations. If you stick with it in the long-term, this will translate to less overall body fat as a result.

Pencil in your workouts

Meditate

Make sleep a priority

Avoid artificial sweeteners

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Best Exercises For Losing Belly Fat

For many people, their waist is their problem area, and although there is no one routine that will work for everyone, there are important steps that you can take to help you lose weight and tone your midsection. Some exercises can help you achieve your goals, including burpees and jumping jacks. Keep reading for a breakdown of what each of these entails.

Do What You Can To Reduce Stress Levels

“If you are working out consistently, eating healthy and still not losing the belly fat, I suggest having your hormones checked,” Tucker suggests. “Too much cortisol can be a result of adrenal fatigue and can cause weight gain and bloat around the lower belly.”

If the belly fat is the result of a hormone imbalance, you’ll also want to prioritize adding stress reduction activities into your day. “Try incorporating a daily meditation practice or yin yoga and limiting time on devices to reduce stress and calm your nervous system”.

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How To Lose Your Belly Fat

Losing belly fat isnt a matter of just physical activity or just targeting your abs.

Spot reduction of certain areas of fat simply doesnt work, regardless of the body part.

That being said, there are lifestyle changes to counteract fat gain to make you lose excess fat all over, including your belly.

The first thing to pay attention to is your diet. Theres the adage, 6 packs are made in the kitchen for a reason.

Its more than simply eating fewer calories. Eat a healthy diet* with plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Choose lean sources of protein, like fish, beans, and poultry.

Limit added sugar , alcohol, and saturated fat.

Try intermittent fasting, cooking with coconut oil, low carbs, or adding apple cider vinegar to your daily routine.

But also, drink more water, get enough sleep and reduce cortisol aka the stress hormone in your body.

Easier said than done, I know.

Lastly, burn calories by exercising regularly and add a variety of exercises to your routines such as cardio, strength training, and high-intensity interval training .

You dont have to out sprint everyone, pump large amounts of heavier weights or work out for hours on end. The key to a smaller waist size is variety.

Think about it. For every pound of muscle gained, your body burns about 6 10 calories.

This number comes into play for your resting metabolic rate, your RMR. Your RMR is determined by your age, gender, and lean muscle mass.

Lets dive into the exercise routine.