One of the trouble spots in weight loss is the belly area. Fortunately, losing weight and building sculpted abs isn't hard and doesn't necessarily take long. But despite what the infomercials say about magic belly-busting pills and no-sweat ab machines, it does takes effort and commitment to the actions that burn fat and build muscle.
Eat Healthy
Flabby abs are the result of fat over the abdominal area. This fat is stored because more calories are being consumed than burned. But cutting calories isn't the only factor in losing fat. The quality of food you eat can impact belly fat and your overall health. The best diet is one that includes lean proteins, lots of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. It is possible to overeat on healthy items, so make sure you're serving yourself single-size portions and watch the number of calories you consume. You need to eat enough to fuel your body, but not so much that the excess gets stored as fat.
Burn Fat
Exercise -- along with a healthy diet -- will speed up your results. Exercise burns fat and has the added health benefits of strengthening your heart and lungs. To burn fat, you need to do aerobic exercise in your target heart range, which is calculated based on your age. The American Heart Association provides a chart to help you determine your target heart rate. It also suggests exercising at least 30-minutes a day, five days a week. But for faster results, exercise 45 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week. For added ab reduction, choose aerobic activities that use core muscles such as running, rowing, kickboxing or swimming.
Build Muscle
Studies show that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn -- even when you're not exercising. Building muscle provides other health benefits such as supporting strong bones and injury prevention. Include two days of weight training to strengthen your legs, arms, abs and back. You don't need to go to the gym or buy equipment. Push-ups, squats, calf raises, dead lifts, tricep dips and many other exercises can be done without equipment. You can also buy hand-held weights or resistance bands to add more challenge to your muscle-building workout.
Focus on the Abs
If your ultimate goal is six-pack abs, diet and exercise are key, but ab exercises will tighten and sculpt the belly. A study by Ace Fitness found the most effective abdominal exercises are the bicycle and captains chair. If you don't have the equipment for the captains chair, you can still get great abs by doing planks, reverse curls and crunches on an exercise ball. For safety, you need to work opposing muscles groups which means after working your abs, you should work your back as well. Superman pose and bent-over rows are effective exercises for building strength in your back.
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