People desperate to lose weight voluntarily starve themselves, take expensive supplements, or go on the latest fad diet that promises to give them that perfect figure in 30 days. Fortunately, losing belly fat is easier, as belly fat is metabolically active and easier to lose. However, if proper nutrition is not observed and resources are employed for low calorie diets, weight loss may not occur within the desired timeframes.
Hunger and calorie deprivation will eventually kick in, and dieters who faced avoiding their favorite food will tend to go "stuck" at the first opportunity. The probability of gaining more weight than you originally lost is not far off.
According to Christine Rosenbloom, professor of nutrition at Georgia State University, eating a calorie-controlled diet and 60 minutes of daily moderate exercise activity will lead to weight loss and may even help with maintaining your desired weight.
In fact, according to Professor Michael Jensen of the Mayo Clinic, intense aerobic exercise will lead to being leaner around the abdomen.
It is important to remember that keeping the body's metabolism running so that the body constantly burns calories prevents it from entering fat storage mode that causes unnecessary weight gain.
Why is exercise necessary?
Most people involved in weight loss believe that it is all about the calories. If you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight.
If you eat more calories than you can burn, the body gains fat. Although this piece of logic may make sense, it is only partially true. What burns calories non-stop is actually lean muscle mass below body fat that allows for higher calorie intake without gaining weight.
In fact, the body adapts to the changes it undergoes. Losing weight without exercising increases your risk of losing lean body mass, slowing down your metabolism and putting your body into fat storage mode.
People who have lost body fat and muscle mass may find that they do not have the muscle mass that they once had. Worse yet, once you overeat even a little bit, you start filling up on body fat once again.
Building muscle mass
One important thing to remember is that when you undergo a weight loss program you have to understand what needs to be done. Realistic and achievable goals can help build the confidence necessary to take the leap necessary to achieve a desired weight.
Researchers from the Biomechanics Laboratory at San Diego State University took a look at some popular abdominal exercises and ranked them.
Study results revealed that exercises that require constant abdominal stabilization and body rotation resulted in the most muscle-building activity in the abdomen.
Top 5 exercises to lose belly fat
Below are the top five belly exercises as ranked by the study:
1. Sit-ups on the bike - best for targeting the six-pack and obliques. To do this exercise, get into a supine position with your hands on the back of your head. Bring your knees to your chest as you lift your shoulders off the ground. Gradually bring your right elbow toward your left knee while straightening your right leg. Change sides and continue with a pedaling motion. Get 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps.
2. Captain's Chair Exercise to lose abdominal fat - This exercise requires a captain's chair, a shelf with padded arms that allow the legs to hang free. It is commonly found in gyms or health clubs. To do this exercise, stand up on the chair and take your grasping hand. Press against the pad again then lift your knees up to your chest to contract your abs then slowly lower yourself. Get 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps.
3. Exercise of abdominal crunch on a ball- For this exercise, a ball is necessary. In this routine, the abdomen exercises more, but you will still need your entire body to stabilize the routine. Rest on the ball with your lower back fully supported. Put your hands behind your head. To lift your torso off the ball, contract your abs to pull the lower part of your rib cage toward your hips. Keep the ball steady as you do this, then lower your lower back to stretch your abs. Get 1 to 3
sets of 12 to 16 reps.
4. Abdominal contraction exercise with legs in an upright position - The execution of this exercise is similar to doing a routine with a leg, except that in this case the legs are up, which forces you to work your abs and add intensity to the routine. To do this, you lie on the floor with your legs up, with your knees crossed, and place your hands under your head for support. Contract your abs by lifting your shoulders off the floor and keeping your legs in a fixed position. Get 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps.
5. Long Arm Crunch Abdominal Exercise - This is a variant of the traditional floor crunch, where your arms are held straight behind you, adding a lever for movement and for a difficult exercise. To do this, you put yourself on the floor or on a mat, then extend your arms back, and next to your ears, linking your hands. Slowly contract your abs and lift your shoulders off the floor carefully to keep your arms straight.
Get 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 16 reps.
The best strategy for weight loss is to eat a healthy diet along with exercising for at least one hour a day. Although there is no safe way to deal with belly fat, there are a number of activities to choose from and enjoy.
Do not miss the Plank to lose abdominal fat
This is a very effective exercise that engages the entire core, including the transverse muscle, which can prevent and relieve back pain. Try to be able to hold the plank position for a minute. Check the following link:
As long as you're having fun, you can lose belly fat without realizing it. It is important to find an exercise that you enjoy. If the exercises suggested above don't suit your taste, taking a walk, swimming or biking are just as effective in burning fat and toning muscles.
Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you more prone to getting sick. Foods rich in vitamin C include oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, kale and broccoli.