As a teen your body is rapidly changing. However, if you are seeing an increase in abdominal fat, this may not be the kind of change you're looking for. According to the Palo Alto Medical Center, 15 percent of teens are overweight or obese. You can ditch unwanted stomach fat by finding an aerobic activity that you enjoy.
Fat Loss
Fat loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume on a daily basis. The American Council on Exercise explains that spot reducing is impossible, meaning you can not magically lose fat from just one area. Instead, you will lose fat from your entire body, including your belly. To lose 1 lb. of fat you must burn 3,500 calories. Creating a caloric deficit daily by monitoring your caloric intake and melting fat with cardio training is the most effective approach. A healthy weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week.
Cardio Training
The Teen Health website suggests that, as a teen, you train aerobically for 60 minutes daily to help reduce your weight. As you burn calories with aerobic training, you lose fat from your entire body, including your tummy. While situps can strengthen your stomach, they won't burn enough calories to melt off the layer of fat that sits on your abs. The best cardio exercises are the ones that target your abdominals while also burning a high amount of calories. Exercises like swimming, running, dancing and cycling all engage your core to help stabilize your body during movement. Aim for exercises that burn 500 or more calories to promote weight loss. The Health Status website explains that a 150-lb. person can burn 666 calories swimming for an hour or 684 calories running for an hour at a 6 mph pace.
Abdominal Toning
Core strengthening exercises can help promote fat loss because you can build lean muscle with core moves. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently you can burn calories and increase your metabolism. Plank holds effectively target the major muscles of your stomach. Begin by holding the top of a pushup and draw your navel in. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat two times. Complete bicycle twists to tone the obliques. Begin by lying on your back with your hands by your ears. Slowly lift your shoulders off the ground and twist your right elbow to your left knee, then bring your left elbow to your right knee. Alternate twists, completing three sets of 15 reps on each side.
Considerations
If you want to see the results of all your hard work, it is crucial that you monitor the types of foods you're eating. Even a high amount of exercise cannot reverse a bad diet. Focus on eating healthy foods, like whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy products. Reduce empty calories, such as soda, fast foods and processed foods.
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