Whether you are chiseling at a small stomach pouch or a little upper arm jiggle, the approach to fat loss is the same for any location on your body. However, the stomach area is tricky because things like bloating, menstrual cycles for women and genetics all influence your waist size. Attack that small stomach pouch from all angles so you can bare your belly when the sun is shining.
Step 1
Cut calories from your diet. Just cutting 500 calories a day can help you drop about 1 pound a week. This amount is almost equivalent to eliminating that morning latte at 265 calories and one 20 oz. soda at 227 calories. If you have a pouch, you have excess body fat that you need to trim.
Step 2
Exercise for a total of 150 minutes per week. You can divide it up into 20 minutes a day or four, 40-minute workouts throughout the week. Cardiovascular exercise -- anything that gets your blood pumping -- helps reduce fat throughout the body including on that stomach pouch.
Step 3
Work the abdominal and core muscles three times a week or more if tolerated. Although you cannot spot reduce, you can make those abdominal, oblique and spinae erector muscles nice and tight as the fat melts away. The core workouts may also improve your posture, which can reduce the appearance of a small belly pouch.
Step 4
Choose foods that help boost your workout efforts and reduce bloat. These include whole grains, yogurt, berries and citrus fruits, notes Self magazine Editor-in-Chief Lucy Danziger on a January, 2011 edition of the CBS Early Show. Avoid foods that can add to your stomach pouch such as alcohol, refined grains like white rice or bread, and midnight snacks.
Step 5
Sit up straight and work your abs when no one is watching. At work or in the car, you can flex your abs and hold for a few seconds to get a little break-time workout for your belly. Suck in your stomach with a deep breath and continue to contract the muscles as you exhale. Improved posture and abdominal strength can reduce the appearance of a belly.
Tips and Warnings
- Check your BMI, or body mass index, to learn how many pounds you could drop. If your BMI is within the normal range, you may only need to add some cardiovascular exercise and core work as opposed to cutting calories.
- Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program if you have medical conditions or have been inactive for an extended period of time.
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