Posted by Winston Salem | Posted in Winston Salem Health | Posted on 25-07-2009
To lose belly fat you must exercise, but it might not be the type of exercises you are thinking of. It does not take 100 abdominal exercises or 500 crunches a day to get a flat stomach. In fact no abdominal exercise alone will make you lose belly fat. These exercises will help tighten and tone the muscles, but they will still be hidden behind a layer of fat.
The exercise you need is aerobics. That’s right. No exercise mat required but instead a great pair of running shoes. This is because aerobic exercises will give you the higher calorie burn and fat burn. In addition to aerobics you must also eat healthy, reduce stress, get sleep and strength train to help reduce excess fat.
Step 1 – Aerobic Exercises
Fat needs oxygen to burn and during aerobic exercises you are pumping blood and oxygen to all parts of your body. This supply of oxygen is what helps aid in burning fat. Although all aerobic exercises will help you lose belly fat, some are better than others. You want to choose aerobic exercises that include the lower body.
The lower body muscles like the glutes, quads and hips are bigger muscles. Using these bigger muscles will give you a higher calorie and fat burn. Exercises like cross country skiing, walking, jogging or running are great fat burning exercises and use both the upper body and lower body muscles.
Step 2 – Eating Healthful
To lose belly fat you need to make adjustments to your current eating habits. Begin eating smaller meals more often. Eating more often keeps your metabolism going all day long. This means you burn more calories and the more calories you burn the more fat your body uses for fuel.
You should include protein with each meal. High protein foods are great for assisting burn body fat. This is because protein requires more energy to digest than fat. Foods high in protein include eggs, beans, lean meats, fish and even tofu.
Switch from whole milk to low fat or fat free milk. Studies show that people who include low fat or non-fat dairy products lose more weight than those who do not include this in their diet. Additionally get plenty of fruits and veggies, specifically the dark green leafy veggies. Fruits and vegetables in their natural state are packed with nutrition.
Step 3 – Reduce Stress
Stress can lead to many medical problems and is one of the main causes for excess belly fat. When you are stressed your body releases the stress hormone known as cortisol. Increased levels of cortisol can increase appetite and increases fat production. This excess fat more often than not settles in the stomach.
The best way to reduce stress is to exercise. You should also try to do breathing exercises 3 times a day for about 5 minutes. By taking deep breaths in and out you are not only relaxing your body and reducing stress, you are also increasing your metabolism. When you breathe deeply you are oxygenating your body and burning calories and fat more efficiently.
Step 4 – Make sure to get Sleep
When you get a good nights sleep you are allowing your body to recoup from the day before. You will be more refreshed and energized and will be able to exercise for longer or at a higher level. With a more difficult workout You will burn more calories and fat.
Also getting sufficient sleep helps to regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels. Lack of sleep impacts the production of insulin which is needed to regulate blood sugar. Increased levels of insulin send a signal to your brain to start storing foods as fat.
Step 5 – Strength Training Exercises
In conclusion to help lose belly fat and keep the fat off you have to do strength training. Strength training will help build lean muscles. The more lean muscle mass you have the higher your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR is responsible for up to 60% to 70% of the total calories you burn in a day. Of course your strength training exercises need to include abdominal exercises. After all, once you shed your excess belly fat you want to show off your six pack abs.
