Accumulating excess fat around your belly is a common and frustrating problem. It is also a health risk. According to GeorgiaHealthInfo.gov, "Excess belly fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers." To reduce the amount of belly fat you carry you must also reduce excess fat throughout your body. You can do this by eating a low-calorie diet, doing cardiovascular exercise, and performing exercises targeting your abdominal area.
Diet
The first step to take when trying to get rid of excess body and belly fat is to look at your diet. What you eat on a daily basis makes a difference in how much you weigh and where you carry your excess weight. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who took safflower oil or conjugated linoleic acid supplements had a decrease in their belly fat. Healthy fats, lean meats, whole fruits and vegetables and fat-free dairy products should all be part of your daily dietary intake.
Cardiovascular Exercise
To burn fat, you must perform cardiovascular exercises. Plan on exercising most days of the week and focus on high-calorie burn exercises such as step aerobics, running, biking, racket sports or swimming. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Daily, moderate-intensity exercise is the best way to lose belly fat--when you lose weight and tone your muscles, your belly fat begins shrinking, too." Moderately intense exercise is when you are able to talk in short bursts, but are not able to carry on an entire conversation with ease.
Crunches
There are three abdominal crunches that target your upper, lower and oblique abs. For the basic crunch, lie on your back and bend your legs at a 90 degree angle. Place your hands alongside your head and lift your head, shoulders and upper back slightly off the floor. Hold at the top for two seconds and release. Repeat 20 times. To do the reverse crunch, raise your legs in the air so your feet are pointing to the ceiling. Lift and lower your buttocks off the floor 20 times. The oblique crunch is similiar to the basic crunch, but instead of lifting straight off the floor, you will roll your right shoulder towards your left knee and hold. Release and repeat on the opposite side.
Stability Ball Prone Walkout
Use a stability ball to perform the prone walkout. This exercise is recommend by the American Council on Exercise and targets your abs and back. Begin by lying on top of the ball with the ball centered under your lower belly and upper thighs. Your hands and feet are on the floor. Engage your abdominal muscles and begin walking your hands forward until your knees are centered on the ball and your upper body is only supported by your hands. Hold for two seconds and walk your hands back to their original position. Repeat five to 10 times.
References
- Georgiahealthinfo.gov: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep it Off
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Comparison of Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid with Safflower Oil on Body Composition in Obese Postmenopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep it Off
- Bodybuilding.com: Exercise Guides--Abdominal Exercises
- American Coucil on Exercise: Stability Ball Prone Walkout
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