According to the Mayo Clinic, belly fat lies deep within the abdominal cavity and surrounds the organs. When carrying excess fat around the middle, you are putting yourself at an increased risk of serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disorders, metabolic syndrome and certain types of cancer. If you follow a diet and exercise plan to burn belly fat, you decrease your chances of developing these problems.
Cardio Training
The American Council on Exercise recommends that you get at least 60 minutes of cardio exercise most days of the week to burn belly fat. The activities that you perform should be of moderate to vigorous intensity. You do not need to do 60 consecutive minutes, but instead split up the time throughout the course of the day. Some types of activities you can do include jogging, running, swimming, cycling and tennis.
Reduced Fat Diet
The Mayo Clinic recommends cutting out foods high in saturated fat from your diet as a way to lose weight and trim the middle. Foods to avoid are butter, margarine, fried foods, fast food, gravies, cookies, pastries, chips, candy and fatty cuts of meat. The fats that you do consume should be polyunsaturated. Examples of foods high in polyunsaturated fats are nuts, seeds, fish, soybean oil and corn oil.
Weights
Adding weights to your routine allows for your body to build more lean muscle mass. When you have more muscle, your body burns fat at a higher rate, according to the American Council on Exercise. Spend at least two to three days per week using resistance exercise machines, such as chest presses and hamstring curls, to work the upper and lower body muscles. Skip a day between sessions to give your muscles time to recover.
Healthy Carbs
Simple carbohydrates, such as white breads and white rice should be limited if you want to get rid of belly fat. Instead consume complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and whole grain cereals.
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