If you are having a hard time fitting into your jeans because your gut gets in the way, you may need to hit the gym. Exercise and a proper diet can help you get a tighter stomach and reduce unwanted fat. The amount and type of exercise and the intensity at which you work determines how quickly you can lose your gut.
Weight Loss
Two kinds of belly fat exist: visceral fat which surrounds your organs, and subcutaneous fat which is the fat you can pinch. Both types of fat can be reduced with proper exercise. Because spot reducing -- losing fat from just your gut -- isn't possible, you'll lose fat from your entire body, including your midsection through cardio exercise. In order to lose 1 lb. you must burn 3,500 calories. Burning more calories than you consume will shrink your gut.
Running
Running is a total body workout because it uses your arms and legs to actively propel your body forward, while also engaging your core to stabilize your body. The MayoClinic.com suggests that a 160-lb. person can burn 986 calories running for an hour at an 8 mph pace. Running more slowly at a 5 mph pace still burns more than 500 calories. Due to the high caloric burn from running, your body is able to burn more fat than other activities.
Interval Training
The American Council on Exercise explains that interval training burns more calories and fat than traditional cardio training in a shorter period of time. Interval training requires using short bursts of high intensity followed by a recovery period. Interval training helps promote a faster weight loss and can be performed with a variety of exercises. Choose running, swimming, biking or even stair climbing and perform intervals. For example, interval train by running, swimming or your choice of activity at a high intensity for 30 seconds followed by a moderate intensity for two minutes.
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope is a high intensity and high calorie burning activity that requires very little equipment or space. Jumping rope for an hour can burn more than 730 calories for a 160-lb. person. Adding rope jumping into your strength training or as part of your cardio routine can amp up your caloric burn and melt your gut fat. You can break down your jumping into 15-minute workouts since it is a high impact exercise and places a great demand on your body.
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