Getting a great-looking stomach is all about the foods you eat and getting the right kind of exercise. Visceral fat and subcutaneous fat are the two kinds of fat around the stomach. Visceral fat surrounds the organs, and subcutaneous fat is the kind you can pinch. Both fats can be reduced to trim your waistline and improve your health.
Cardio
Aerobic training will help melt the fat that is on top of your abdominals. All the crunches in the world will not deliver you a flat stomach unless you do cardio training to shed the fat. The American Council of Exercise suggests that interval training is the best way to burn calories, because it uses both the aerobic and the anaerobic energy systems. Interval training uses short bursts of energy followed by a recovery period. Running, swimming, biking and stair-climbing can incorporate interval training.
Target Train
Target training your abdominals will help you gain strength for a flatter midsection. Yoga focuses on building core strength while leaning out muscles. "Yoga Journal" recommends poses like plank pose and boat pose to gain abdominal strength. To do a plank pose, hold the top of a pushup, draw your navel in and keep your glutes firm. Do boat pose by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you at a 45-degree angle. Hold this static pose with your hands out to the side off the floor to engage the core.
Almonds
Almonds are a fast snack that can keep you full and help you lose stubborn belly fat. MayoClinic.com says that almonds are the No. 1 weight-loss food because of their nutrients like monounsaturated fats and protein. Almonds also increase satiety, preventing you from overeating and allowing you to reduce your caloric intake. A handful of almonds is a sufficient amount when you are trying to lose weight because their caloric intake is high.
High-fiber Foods
Whole grains are filled with fiber and can help banish belly fat. A study published in the January 2008 "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," found that participants who consumed grains had a greater fat loss in the abdominal area than participants who consumed less grains.
References
- American Council on Exercise: Interval Training
- Yoga Journal: Core Poses
- MayoClinic.com: 10 Great Health Foods
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; The Effects of Whole Grain-enriched Hypocaloric Diet on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor in Men and Women With Metabolic Syndrome; Heather Katcher; January 2008
Member Comments