Burn Fat in the Stomach Area for Better Abs

People are anxious to know how to burn fat in the stomach area. This question makes a lot of sense. The sooner you get a set of great looking abs, the better you will feel about the effort you are putting into your fat loss program. Unfortunately this question targets the somewhat controversial topic of spot reduction.

For years television and infomercials have conditioned us to believe that spot reduction is possible. Fitness professionals and physiologists know that you lose fat from all of your body gradually and there is no way to isolate a single area for fat loss. But spot reduction has seemingly achieved the status of urban myth and the public doesn't want to hear the truth.

To stir things up a bit more an Australian fat loss researcher has recently released a study which seems to suggest that it is possible to selectively burn fat in the stomach area with certain types of training. These results are extremely preliminary and by no means conclusive. The proven route to seeing great abs is to lose body fat. You may already possess washboard abs. They are just hidden under a layer of fat! A substantially muscled man will see his abs at around 15% body fat. Women will see their upper abs at about 16% body fat.

Ultimately aerobic exercise is the key to burning fat. Your body will not start burning fat until the glycogen stores are depleted, so your aerobic workout should last from 30 to 60 minutes. Don't forget your eating plan in your haste to exercise. No matter how hard you exercise if your calorie intake is greater than your calorie expenditure you will not burn fat in the stomach area or anywhere else.

It is important to train regularly. As your body adapts to the new regimen it becomes more efficient at providing oxygen to burn fat. Regular exercise will improve your circulation making it easier to transport fatty acids for fuel. Over time your cells will produce more mitochondria. These produce energy for your body. More mitochondria working means more available energy.

Resistance or weight training combined with cardio and a sensible eating plan will create the calorie deficit you need to burn fat and show off your great abs. Abdominal exercises will be a part of your resistance training, but focusing on these will not burn fat in the stomach area.

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Lose Belly Fat - 4 Tips To Get Ripped Abs Without Sit Ups And Crunches

Do you spend hours doing crunches or sit ups and yet, you are not getting ripped or six pack abs? Chances are you've been doing it all wrong!

It's a common mistake in most people who want visible abs to do abdominal exercise only. Sure, you develop abdominal muscle but it's only hidden under a layer of fat. In fact, you may find your ab getting bigger as a result of the increased muscle mass.

If you want visible abs, your focus should be on reducing excess body fat.

Low body fat = ripped abs

You achieve low body fat by burning more calories than you consume.

Here are 4 tips for losing belly fat effectively and permanently.

1. Interval training

Research has shown that interval training is more superior to slow, steady cardio for fat loss. Your metabolism remains elevated post workout, thus resulting in the after burn effect. Effectively, you continue to burn calories even after an interval workout but not after a long, steady cardio workout.

Also, if you don't have long hours to spare in the gym, interval workouts enable you to achieve the most fat loss in the least amount of time. Some examples of interval workouts are wind sprints, hill sprints, swimming sprints and speed rope jumping. You can also do intervals on a treadmill, stationary bicycle, stairclimber, rower and elliptical machines.

2. Nutrition

Proper nutrition is the key to fat loss. No matter how much or hard you train, you'll never get visible abs if you live on crisps, sodas, fast food, cookies and other crap. Don't fall for any of the low carb, low fat, high protein and other fad diets. Instead, eat a healthy and well balanced diet that includes various food groups - carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep your energy levels stable. Choose wholesome, natural foods, preferably organic, and avoid processed foods. Avoid refined and simple carbs that contain white flour and white sugar. Your main sources of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Include a source of high quality, lean protein with every meal. There are several benefits to consuming lean protein. Your body burns more calories from digesting protein than carbs or fats. Protein keeps hunger at bay and gives you a feeling of satiety. It is also necessary for building lean muscle that controls your metabolism and burns calories.

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and to speed up fat loss.

Consume healthy fats from avocado, flax seed (or flax oil), nuts, seeds, fish (or fish oil), etc. Essential fatty acids help to regulate appetite and burn fat.

3. Resistance training

Resistance training not only sculpts your body but is important for building muscles. Like interval training, it raises your post workout metabolism so your body continues to burn calories even when you are doing nothing.

Aim for low rep resistance training, i.e. 8 reps per exercise, as it has been shown to boost metabolism after the workout.

If your goal is to burn fat, don't isolate your body parts by training certain muscle groups using single-joint movements. Isolation exercises such as leg extension, bicep curl and tricep kickback burn little body fat. Shift your focus from single-joint to multi-joint muscle movements such as squats, lunges, split squats, pushups, chinups, rows, step ups and deadlifts. These are full body movements that work many muscles at one time, burn more calories during each workout and increase your metabolism post workout.

4. Reduce stress

Stress has been associated with belly fat. In stressful situations, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. Excess cortisol production leads to build up of belly fat. A fat belly is more than ugly looking. Accumulated fat in the abdomen increases your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

Be aware of your stress level and learn to manage it through yoga, meditation, qi gong, tai chi and other stress reduction techniques. The truth is there's no quick fix for losing belly fat. Forget about ab gadgets, diets or magic pills that promise to give you lean abs. They are nothing but scams.

The good news is that you can attain a set of lean or six pack abs through a healthy diet plan and effective training program that promote fat loss.

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I Want Six Pack Abs! 6 Amazing Benefits of Six Pack Abs

A lot of people tell themselves, "I want six pack abs!" Everyone wishes for washboard abs, but not everyone knows that with toned abdominal muscles comes many other benefits. The strength of your mid-section does more than just determine how you will look in a bathing suit.

If you perform endless crunches and other stomach exercise in hopes of gaining the perfect, flat tummy, you should know what else you will be gaining.

1. Defined Waist

When your mid-section is not toned and you are carrying extra tummy weight, you can lose the definition of your waist. Your curves might disappear and you might feel lumpy. Or, your mid-section might become the biggest part of your body.

You might find it difficult to find clothes that fit well and look attractive, and your self image could plummet. With a regular stomach exercise routine, you could be on the road to a flatter, toned tummy and a well-defined waist.

2. Better Posture

When your tummy is flabby, your posture follows the same rule. If your stomach area is flabby, you will most likely have poor posture. Your shoulders might hunch over and you might find it difficult to do anything but slouch when you sit.

When you strengthen your abdominal muscles through stomach exercise, you will find it easier to sit up straight. Your strong mid-section will provide stability for your body and you will find yourself standing straighter.

Not only will you find it easier to stand straighter, but your body will naturally stand straighter. With a straighter posture, you will appear taller, you will look more confident, and your clothes will hang on your body more attractively,

3. Better Digestion

When you have poor posture due to undefined abdominal muscles, your digestive tract can become compressed and aggravated. Food and waste might have a harder time navigating your digestive tract.

When you perform regular stomach exercise and strengthen your abdominal muscles, your posture improves. With improved posture, your digestive tract is more likely to be situated as intended, and your food and waste will move through your digestive tract much easier.

4. Relieve Lower Back Pain

If you suffer from lower back pain, strengthening your abdominal muscles with stomach exercise may improve your condition. When your abdominal muscles are weak, your lower back must work harder to support your upper body.

Stomach exercise will help create strong abdominal muscles that will help your back support your upper body. When your abs and back muscles are able to work together, a portion of the load is taken away from your lower back.

5. Move Easier

Do you have problems getting up out of a chair? Is it difficult to pick up your toddler? Do you find it hard to get out of bed?

Your weak abdominal muscles might be the reason. We use our abdominal muscles for a wide variety of movements that we use every day. If your abdominal muscles are weak, your might find it difficult to move around and perform regular daily activities.

Strengthen your abdominal muscles with stomach exercise and you will find it easier to get around.

6. Increased Self Image

Let's face it. When you look better, and move better, you feel better about yourself. When you put on extra pounds and let your body go, your self image can plummet.

Exercise, in general, can increase your energy level and melt extra pounds. If you dedicate yourself to feeling and looking better, you can drastically improve the way you look at your life. Stomach exercise to tone your abdominal muscles, along with a regular cardiovascular exercise routine, can boost your energy, change the way you look, and help boost your self image.

I want six pack abs! If you want to learn the truth about how you can achieve a great looking stomach, visit http://www.truth-about-abs.info for more information.

Great Abs - A Beautiful Belly - 4 Super Tips

A Beautiful Belly

Almost everybody has a belly and in America 65% of them are bigger than they should be. A big belly is a health risk. The bigger your belly is the higher your risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke. Women are at increased risk when their waist is 37 inches or bigger in circumference. Men are at increased risk when there belly is 40 inches or bigger. Get out your measuring tape and assess your risk. How did you fare? Time to get to work on that gut.

An Easy Washboard Stomach

What if I told you that if you would do 33 crunches everyday that your belly fat would melt away? I would be lying. It is really 34. Just kidding. There isn’t any magic number or exercise which preferentially burns belly fat. Exercising a body part to make is skinnier is called spot reduction. Unfortunately our bodies don’t work like that.

When you exercise you burn calories. Some of those calories come from fat. We store fat all over our body and when it is needed we take a little from here and a little from there. It seems like the last place you lose fat is the place you would like to lose it first. The famous last five pounds always seems to be on your tummy. Seeing the six-pack requires patience, persistence and a disciplined diet.

Eating for a Six-Pack

Eat all the chocolate chip cookies you want and have abs that ripple. Ha! I wish. Creating a washboard stomach requires burning your stored body fat. Burning your stored body fat requires you to be in a calorie deficit. You know what that means—eating less than you need. Prepare yourself to feel hungry on your way to the perfect stomach. Eating less than you need isn’t easy. Here are four tips to help you eat fewer calories than you need and still feel great.

1) Hydrate. When ever you feel hungry—drink some water. Try drinking a quart of water 10 minutes prior to eating. Drinking water helps you feel full. Drink up to a gallon of water a day.

2) Fill up on fiber. Go for high fiber, low calorie foods. Celery, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard, and spinach are all examples of low calorie, high fiber foods. Include these types of foods in all of your meals.

3) Snack on fruit. Fruit is also low in calories and high in fiber. Most fruit also has a lot of water in it. The combination of water and fiber make fruit a filling, low calorie snack. When you feel hungry grab an apple, orange, plum, peach, pear, mango or apricot.

4) Exercise. Exercising is a great way to reduce your appetite, take your mind off food and burn extra calories. Sometimes a quick 10-minute walk will do the trick.

In addition to eating right you will also need to exercise. Not only does exercise burn calories it also makes your stronger and healthier.

Exercise for Excellent Abs

To get rid of the gut you get to do two types of exercise—Cardio and Strength Training. You should strive for at least 30-minutes of moderate intensity cardio every day of the week. Depending on your health and fitness level you may do more or less. A full body strength training workout consisting of one set of 10-12 exercises with 12-15 repetitions done 2-3 times a week would be perfect. Here are three exercises specifically for strengthening your core (your belly and low back):

The Hover

If you want a flat stomach the Hover will be your new best friend.

The muscle you work doing this exercise is called the Transversus Abdominus, TA for short. It’s the muscle that actually enables you to truly flatten your tummy. The fibers of the TA run from the front of your body to the back of your body. When you suck your belly in to button your jeans you are contracting your TA.

The Hover is also one of the best exercises for preventing low back pain. The TA is your very own back support belt.

Your TA is also important for keeping all of your abdominal organs in place. When all of your organs are where they should be your digestion improves and your energy levels go up. Your TA is your deepest core muscle and it stabilizes your spine while you move. So, if you want to stand up straighter, move more gracefully and have a flatter stomach, strengthen your core with a daily Hover.

So, here is what the Hover can do for you:

• Flatten your stomach

• Help eliminate back pain

• Strengthen and stabilize your core

• Improve your digestion and energy level

• Improve your posture

How to do the hover:

Start by lying on your belly with your elbow directly below your shoulder.
Curl your toes under and lift your body off the floor.
Pull your belly button toward your spine.
Remember to breathe.
To make the Hover a bit easier you can do it on your knees rather than your toes.
If you need more of a challenge you can lift one foot.
Try to hover for at least one minute.

Back Extension

While this doesn’t work your stomach it is a crucial core exercise. In order to have a strong stomach you need a strong back. You have your back muscles and your stomach muscles and your spine in the middle. In order for your spine to stay healthy you need a balance of strength from front to back. Doing stomach exercises without a good back extension sets you up to experience low back pain. Low back pain is the 2nd most common reason people visit their doctor. So, do your back extensions.

How to do a back extension:

Start by lying on your belly with your arms out to your sides like airplane wings and the palms of your hands facing down.

Take a deep breath in. As you exhale lift your head, chest and arms up off the floor as high as you can.

Keep your chin tucked under so the back of your neck stays long and in good alignment with the rest of your spine.

Lift your hands high and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Inhale as you lower back to the floor.

Try for 15-20 back extensions.

Crunches

While crunches won’t flatten your stomach, they will make it stronger. We can all use a little more strength. Crunches work a muscle called the rectus abdominus. The rectus Abdominus is your six-pack muscle.

How to do crunches:

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

Cross your hands over your chest.

Take a deep breath in. Then, as you exhale, tuck your chin into your chest slightly (this helps support your head and prevents neck injury), and slowly, using your stomach muscles, curl yourself up, bringing your head towards your knees.

Go slow and focus on really feeling this in your stomach. Try for 15-20 repetitions.

Take away Tips:
If you want abs that show, focus on eating well everyday and working out consistently. Tracking the number of calories you eat in a food journal is a fantastic way to hold yourself accountable to eating well. Be patient with yourself. Six-pack abs don’t show up overnight. Enjoy the journey!

Derrick DeLay, B.Sc. is a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer and ACE Certified Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant. He specializes in working with people who are dissatisfied with the way they look and feel and are ready to feel healthy, vibrant and alive again. Derrick is also a fitness and wellness presenter and his peers chose him as Northwest Personal Training’s Personal Trainer of the Year in 2005. Derrick may be contacted at http://www.your-weightloss-wellness-solution.com a free resource for weight loss and wellness success, or http://www.novasoma.com