Tummy fat can be a problem for men and women alike. Whether you are a woman who has just had a child, a man who prefers to drink calorie-filled beer or a person who lacks a healthy lifestyle, your body may have extra fat that has accumulated in your midsection. There is no such thing as a magic exercise to spot reduce tummy fat; the key to reducing tummy fat is to burn extra calories with diet and exercise each day.
Step 1
Reduce calories by eating smaller meals. Read the nutrition label on food products to determine what an appropriate portion size is and stick to this. Put the suggested serving on your plate instead of eating from the bag; this will help to avoid overeating and packing on more fat.
Step 2
Replace high-calorie food items with health conscious food choices. Swap junk food items such as cookies, ice cream, candy and sugary drinks with fresh fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and water. Easy replacements such as these will remove excess calories, fat and sugar from your diet and help to promote a lean tummy.
Step 3
Eat well-balanced nutritious meals. Incorporate fruit, vegetables, whole-grain bread products and lean protein (skinless chicken, soy, turkey, whey and fish) into each meal. These type of foods are low in fat, sugar, sodium and calories, which will help reduce tummy fat.
Step 4
Engage in cardiovascular activity for 30 to 60 minutes each day. Cardio activity helps to burn calories and fat along with shaping the muscles in your body for a toned figure. Choose activities that incorporates most of your muscles and keeps your heart rate elevated; try kickboxing, swimming, running, step aerobics and rowing. Body Building For You recommends aerobic activity first thing in the morning when your body is low in glycogen (body's energy source) to cause your body to burn excess fat for energy.
Step 5
Execute abdominal strength training every other day for 20 to 30 minutes. Strength training builds muscle, which helps your body burn fat faster. Choose various exercises that target your upper abs, lower abs and side abs (obliques). Try to complete 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions for each exercise you choose. See the "Resources" section for abs exercises.
Tips and Warnings
- Mix and match high intensity and low intensity aerobic activity. High intensity training requires you to use all of your energy for shorter periods of time (10 to 20 minutes) while low intensity training requires you to use about half of your energy for longer periods of time (30 to 45 minutes).
Member Comments