Achieving tight, taut tummy may seem an impossible feat once belly fat hits your waistline, forming the dreaded spare tire, or in women, a noticeably rounded abdomen. You can think of belly fat as an inevitable change that ushers you into middle age and choose to live with it. However, there's a natural way to regain a svelte stomach, if you're willing to put in the time and the toil.
More Than Unattractive
While wistfully wishing for a flat, toned tummy, something to keep in mind is that when it comes to belly fat, you're actually dealing with two types of fat. There's that pudge around your middle that you can grab onto -- this is called subcutaneous fat. But deeper underneath your abdominal wall is where visceral fat forms. Described by the Cleveland Clinic as "metabolically active," visceral fat causes changes in your body that can cause high cholesterol and increase inflammation, both of which can lead to heart disease. Your propensity for developing visceral fat depends on several factors, says Harvard Medical School, including age, hormones and family history. If you were a small baby, you're more likely to put on belly fat when you grow older. Women who've gone through childbirth also tend to develop visceral fat, as do those entering middle-age.
Burn
The best way to get rid of belly fat naturally is to burn it off through exercise, says the American Council on Exercise. Spot exercises, such as sit-ups and crunches, tone the muscle underneath your belly, but they won't do a thing for troublesome fat. The Cleveland Clinic suggests putting 30 minutes of your day to a moderately intense aerobic activity -- such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling -- give days a week. On the other hand, ACE recommends putting in 60 minutes of aerobic exercise as many days of the week as you can.
Strenghten
ACE includes strength training -- working your small muscle groups -- as an absolute must when working off belly fat. Strength training increases the percentage of lean muscle in your body, which encourages your body to burn even more fat. Exercises that work your small muscle groups include leg presses, seated leg curls, overhead presses and adduction and abduction exercises that work your hips. You can head out to the gym and hit the machines, or you can simply purchase your own dumbbells and resistance bands from a sporting goods store and perform these exercises at home. Aim for strength training two to three times a week, giving your body at least a day's rest in between sessions, advises ACE. Aerobic exercise and strength training also helps you camouflage the "other" unmentionable fat -- cellulite.
About Spot Training
A popular misconception is that doing a lot of sit-ups, crunches and other abdominal exercises yields a firm, flat belly. Not so, says Harvard Medical School and ACE. Tummy-toning routines, also known as core training, don't burn belly fat, but they will give you a head-turning, "six-pack abs" effect by drawing the eye to well-defined abdominal muscles. When performed properly, core exercises can also reduce pain in your lower back, improve your posture and make it easier to perform other exercises, says ACE.
Diet
Calories are calories, no matter which types of foods you eat. The Weight-control Information Network notes that there's no miracle food you can eat that burns fat. "Flat belly diets" should be treated with skepticism. ACE reviewed one popular flat belly diet that's simply a very-low calorie diet that advises eating 1,200 calories and graduating to 1,600. The diet's focus on consuming monounsaturated fats does promote good heart health; however, ACE points out that these types of fats are still high in calories, and it's easy to overindulge. If weight loss is a part of your goal, calculate how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, says Cleveland Clinic. If you want to lose 1/2 lb. a week, cut calories by 250 each day. To lose 1 lb. a week, subtract 500 calories.
Cautions
Aside from flattening your tummy, regular exercise has other benefits, says MayoClinic.com. It protects you against heart disease and other chronic illnesses, boosts your stamina, keeps your muscles and bones strong, and puts you in a better mood. However, if you haven't gotten any physical activity in a long time -- and especially if you have a chronic health condition -- make sure to get your doctor's permission before you embark on a new exercise plan.
References
- American Council on Exercise: How Can I Get Rid of Belly Fat?
- Harvard Medical School: Taking Aim at Belly Fat
- Cleveland Clinic: What's Your Gut Telling You?
- American Council on Exercise: Flat Belly Diet
- Harvard Medical School: Abdominal Fat and What to Do About It
- Weight Control Information Network: Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
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