You must dedicate yourself to a weight loss plan for an extended period of time if you want to lose your gut. People often think they must choose a plan centered entirely around food, but you can't neglect your fitness routine if you want the best results. Create a plan that incorporates multiple methods if you want to lose the maximize amount of belly fat. Combine a healthy diet with regular resistance training and cardiovascular exercise.
Step 1
Calculate your maintenance calories, which is the number of calories your body needs daily to maintain your current weight. Use an online calorie calculator to figure out your maintenance calories. Subtract 500 from this number--this is your starting caloric intake for fat loss. You'll probably need to adjust this number up or down as your body changes.
Step 2
Adjust your diet. Drop the fast and processed food. Stay away from greasy foods loaded with saturated and trans fats. If you drink soda, switch to diet soda or skip it entirely. These quick fixes can make an instant difference in your appearance and health. Reach your desired caloric intake with a combination of lean meat, eggs, brown rice, sweet potatoes, beans, whole wheat bread, avocados, natural peanut butter and nuts. Combine protein sources with complex carbohydrates--chicken and sweet potatoes are a good example. Snack on vegetables and fruits throughout the day to keep your appetite in check.
Step 3
Start a resistance training routine. Working with weights helps you build muscle and burn calories at the same time. Circuit training, which is a specific type of resistance training, is specifically designed to accomplish this. Choose six to eight exercises balanced between upper and lower body movements. Perform 10 reps of each exercise back to back with no rest in between. When you finish all the exercises, take a short rest--that's one circuit. Perform the circuit three times.
Step 4
Add in cardiovascular exercise. In addition to improving your total body health, cardio can speed up your fat loss or give you a little leeway in your diet. Aerobic and anaerobic cardio burn lots of calories. Perform low-intensity aerobic cardio on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical or in a pool. After building a base, move on to high-intensity anaerobic cardio in the form of sprints. Start by performing your favorite type of cardio exercise two or three times a week.
Tips and Warnings
- Mix it up if traditional cardio bores you--any type of sport works well as a cardio workout. Moderation is key when it comes to your diet. Eat anything you want, as long as it's in small portions.
Things You'll Need
- Gym access
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