Belly fat can be unsightly and has been shown to cause major health problems. It is commonly referred to as abdominal fat, which essentially means the fat is carried in your midsection. A common misconception is that sit ups and crunches alone will spot reduce belly fat. To see significant reductions in belly fat, you must follow a specifically tailored exercise program and complement it with a healthy diet.
Cardiovascular Exercises
Often, many people fail to see a flat belly when engaging in an exercise program because they are failing to burn the underlying fat. Cardiovascular exercises have the most significant effect on belly fat, because they facilitate the expenditure of large amounts of calories and help to boost metabolism. Furthermore, they have been shown to be the most effective at burning visceral fat, buried deep in the abdominal cavity. Moderate intensity cardiovascular exercises should be performed daily for at least 30 minutes. These exercises can be performed on cardio equipment, such as treadmills, ellipticals or stair climbers. If you do not have access to such equipment, the same benefits can be achieved by walking, jogging, aerobics and playing recreational sports.
Strength Training
Strength training is an essential part of any program designed to reduce belly fat and should always be combined with a cardiovascular exercise program. Total body strength training is as critical for fat loss as cardiovascular exercise, but the mechanism of action is much different. Strength training promotes belly fat reduction, because it directly and permanently increases metabolic rate. This leads to increased calorie expenditure throughout the day and night. Perhaps the most significant benefit of strength training is that it helps keep off excess fat after it has been lost. Strength training can be performed using various pieces of workout equipment, including free weights, machine weights or resistance bands. A general strength training workout should last about 30 minutes and be performed two to three times weekly.
Abdominal Exercises
Abdominal exercises are essentially a form of strength training; they just focus solely on the muscles of the midsection. They are a vital component to achieving a flat and toned belly. However, the appearance of a flat and well defined belly is only achievable if the underlying fat is reduced considerably. Abdominal exercises are different from general strength training, because they do not need to be loaded with large amounts of weight to see a benefit. Abdominal exercises do not require expensive equipment and can be performed in the comfort of your own home. Some of the most basic and effective exercise routines include the traditional crunch, reverse crunch, bicycle maneuver, planks and crunches on the stability ball. Each exercise should be performed slowly and include 15 to 25 repetitions.
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