Stubborn belly fat is often the hardest region of the body to get rid of. While is difficult to specifically target this area with one exercise there are a number of ways to trim down the belly region and achieve a flatter, leaner stomach. Routine exercise and a nutritious and well balanced diet are instrumental components when it comes to losing belly fat.
Basics to fat loss
It takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of fat, therefore reducing your daily caloric intake and burning calories through exercise will translate to consistent fat loss. When losing weight, you may notice that you lose some areas of fat faster than others. This is largely due to genetics and the structure of your unique body. Furthermore, as you continue lose weight, fat is lost from all regions of the body, but exercise can help you target and tone particular regions.
Cardio Exercise
Cardio exercises like running, jogging, jump roping and kickboxing elevate the heart rate to a level that supports maximum calorie and fat burning. Cardio exercises work major muscles groups at once, including in the abdominal region, which helps to burn the layer of fat that lies on top of your abs. Running, for example, works not only the external obliques and the rectus abdominus muscles, but the hard to reach transverse abdominus as well.
Core Exercise
Core exercises like sit-ups, crunches and push ups are some of the best ways to strengthen your core and tone your belly region. While you need cardio exercise to burn the layers of excess fat that lie on top of the muscles, core exercise help define these muscle to reveal a more sculpted midsection. Fitness balls and pilates also help to strengthen your core and thus tone your abs. Five or more sets of 20 reps of the various core exercises like sit-ups and crunches can help you achieve flatter abs over time.
Diet
Your diet is one of the most important factors to burning fat throughout your body including in the belly region. If you are exercising regularly, yet still consuming more calories than you are burning, it is virtually impossible to lose weight let alone belly fat. It is advisable to reduce the number of calories you consume while maintaining a consistent exercise routine. Your diet should be rich in fruits, vegetable, lean proteins and whole grains while low in fat.
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