Archive for January, 2009

Whenever people complain about a particular area of their body where they cannot seem to get the fat to come off, it is usually the belly. Belly fat is particularly troublesome to women. Losing belly fat may be tougher than losing fat from other areas of the body but it is not impossible.

3 Ways to Lose the Belly

1. Healthy eating - This one is obvious but what many do not realize is that healthy eating does not just mean reducing fat and calories. The foods that are highest in nutrients and fiber are best for combating weight gain and encouraging fat loss. Belly fat is particularly vulnerable to a vegetarian diet. Replacing meat with beans and legumes will give you an edge when it comes to burning the fat off your midsection. Whole grains, fruits and vegetable help to cleanse the intestinal tract thereby reducing the abdominal area as well.

2. Interval Training - When you train in intervals, you consistently surprise your body and encourage your metabolism to keep up. Studies have shown that interval training is more effective than sustained cardiovascular exercise when it comes to burning fat and calories. Training in intervals combines moderate exercise with more intense exercise or takes you through a routine of muscle strengthening and aerobic conditioning done in intervals. For example, bicep curls and shoulder lifts with free weights followed by a few minutes of cardio, then doing squats and lunges followed by more cardio. The heart rate never slows to its resting rate but alternates between moderate and more intense exercise.

3. Strength Training - Abdominal exercise does not burn off belly fat but it can flatten the abdominal area by sheer use of the ab muscles. Strength training itself builds muscle and muscle burns calories and fat. The more muscle you put on the whole of your body, the more fat you will burn. Strength training can make you look more toned while assisting in fat burning. It is a powerful tool when it comes to losing belly fat.

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If getting rid of belly fat loss is your goal, getting it off and keeping it off will take more than a crash diet and a few sit-ups. You must develop the proper habits in order to be successful in achieving and maintaining belly fat loss.

The best way to break bad habits is to replace them with good habits. With a few lifelong changes, you can make a significant difference in how you look and feel for years to come.

Essential Habits for Belly Fat Loss

Make dietary changes and stick to them. Instead of eating donuts for breakfast, eat a bowl of oatmeal or an egg with a piece of toast and drink a glass of orange juice. If you drink coffee, learn to drink it without the cream and sugar. Your diet should include plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Eat lean protein and make sure you are eating the recommended serving sizes and no more.

Make a habit of exercising. Interval training is a great way to burn fat off the belly area and increase your fitness level at the same time. When you interval train, your muscles burn more calories than when you just do cardio. The simplest interval training involves walking at a moderate speed and then alternating between that and faster, more aerobic intensive walking or sprinting. If you work out at the gym, you can interval train by adding in a quick sprint to your run on the treadmill, or a sprint cycle if you are on a stationary bike. Another option is to add some strength training to your cardio workouts to build muscle and burn fat at the same time.

You do not have to give up eating the foods you love. Just eat smaller portions and eat the “junk foods” less often. Once you have integrated healthy eating and exercise habits into your lifestyle, you will find them easier to stick to. Your belly fat will disappear and you will stay in shape naturally.

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