Doing regular ab exercises will build your ab muscles and strengthen your core, but it won't make the fat layer in your belly fall away. For your ab muscles to become more visible, you need to reduce your body-fat percentage. Women require a body-fat percentage of about 20 percent to get a flat stomach. The most effective way to get to that percentage is to cut down back on calories and engage in aerobic exercises.
Causes
Belly fat is caused by a buildup of stored calories. There are three major factors that affect where a body chooses to store fat: the location of fat cells in your body, genetics and basic mechanics. Most people have stored fat in their midsection because this is the most efficient place for the body to store fat. Storing fat in your stomach also ensures that the added weight does not disrupt your body balance Consider what would happen if you had an extra 4 lbs. resting on your knees or shoulders.
Aerobic Routine
Your body burns more calories during cardio workouts than during resistance training exercises. For instance, going for a 60-minute walk every day can help you burn an additional 350 calories. Going for a jog in the same period requires anything from 500 to 700 calories depending, on how fast you jog and your body weight. To trim down your body fat percentage, look for an aerobic routine that you are comfortable with and then commit to it.
Diet
To lose belly fat, aim to reduce the amount of calories you ingest daily. This will force your body to turn to its reserves when it runs out of immediate fuel. The most effective way of doing this is to change your eating habits. For instance, eat fewer processed meals, such as foods made out of white flour and sugar, which have very high calorie contents. They are also digested very quickly, which means you end up being hungry after only a few hours of eating.
Fruits and vegetables are a healthy alternative. They are rich in soluble fiber and do not contain as many calories. Eat whole-grain foods instead of processed ones. Drink water or green tea instead of soda or sugary beverages.
Healthy Lifestyle
To get the best outcome of your weight loss, commit to your changes and make it a lifestyle routine. Crash diets rarely work because they do not build good habits. To get a flat stomach and keep it that way, your changes need to be permanent. Set realistic goals for yourself, such as aiming to lose 2 lbs. a week and to exercise five days a week.
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