The chest and belly are two large surface areas on the front of the anatomy. This side of the body is known in the fitness world as the "anterior." When you encounter weight gain in the chest and belly, it can become frustrating and cause you to lose your self confidence. But it's not the end of the world. You can rid your anterior of this fat by following some key steps that involve dietary adjustments and key exercises.
Step 1
Restructure your diet so you are only putting wholesome foods in your mouth. Avoid anything that is high in saturated fat, sugar and sodium. Consume foods that are nutrient rich like fruits, veggies, lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy, whole grains and beans.
Step 2
Increase your meal frequency to boost your metabolism and prevent overeating. Have a balanced meal every 2 to 3 hours throughout the day. Combine protein and complex carbs in each meal. An egg white scramble with whole wheat toast is a first meal example.
Step 3
Reduce your intake of beverages that have sugar and calories to promote weight loss even more. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water instead. Make sure to have a glass with your meals to give yourself a full feeling.
Step 4
Load a barbell and do bench presses. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with a wide grip. Push the bar off the safety rails and hold it straight above your chest. Lower it down until it lightly touches your chest, then push it back up. Do 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets.
Step 5
Target your upper chest by doing incline presses. Lie on the incline bench with dumbbells in your hands and your arms extended above you with your palms facing your feet. Engage your abdominals as you lower the weights by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the ground and your elbows are bent 90 degrees. Push the weights back up until they are an inch apart. Do 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets.
Step 6
Isolate your lower chest by doing decline presses with dumbbells. Lie on the bench and hook your feet under the padded supports. Lift the dumbbells straight up until they are an inch apart and your arms are fully extended. Lower them down the same way you did with incline presses and push them back up. Do 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets.
Step 7
Utilize a pull-up bar to do hanging knee raises. Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Pull your knees up toward your chest by engaging your abdominal muscles. Lower your legs back down until they are straight and repeat. Do 15 to 20 reps and three to four sets.
Step 8
Ride an imaginary bicycle. Lie on your back with your upper body in a crunch position and your knees bent with your shins parallel to the floor. Place your hands on the sides of your head and extend your elbows out to the sides. Alternate moving your right elbow towards your left knee and your left elbow towards your right knee. Extend your legs straight out in between each cycling motion. Do 15 to 20 reps and three to four sets.
Step 9
Deploy the services of a stability ball to do crunches. Lie on the ball with your shoulders and head up slightly. Place your hands on the sides of your head and curl your upper body up by contracting your abs. Squeeze for a second, then lower yourself back down. Do 15 to 20 reps and three to four sets.
Step 10
Burn off the fat with 45 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Do something that interests you like running, biking, swimming, elliptical training, jumping rope or cross country skiing.
Step 11
Engineer your routine. Do your chest and stomach exercises in the order they appear three times a week on alternating days. Do your cardio on three other alternating days.
Tips and Warnings
- Building muscle will help increase your metabolism and create definition. Use the heaviest weight you can handle when you perform your 10 to 12 reps with your chest exercises.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Bench
- Incline bench
- Decline bench
- Stability ball
Member Comments