Losing Belly Fat
This piece of advice is probably the single most important thing to bear in mind in your journey to losing belly fat.
The number one thing to remember with fatloss is that it is systematic. There is no one best exercise or technique that will specifically target the fat on your midsection. Your body simply does not work like that!
Although the abdominal training product commercials would have you believe otherwise, often endorsed by fitness models who claim to have achieved their sharp physiques simply with whatever machine they’re being paid to endorse, the fact is, you can not “spot reduce”. This means that working any one muscle does not have any noticable effect on the fat stores surrounding it. Afterall, why should it? Fat and muscle are two entirely separate tissues.
The fact is, your body alters it’s fat stores in a systematic manner. That means that if you’re eating a caloric surplus (i.e. consuming more calories than you burn) then you’re going to be adding fat to wherever your body dictates. Often with men this is the chest and belly areas, and with women the hips and thighs. This is dictated simply by genetics.
The same is true for fat loss. If you’re body is in a caloric deficit – burning more than you eat – then to make up the difference, it starts stripping fat stores and using them for energy. However, WHERE your body pulls the fat from, is pretty much not up to you. Often, it will come off in the reverse order you put it on. That’s the only proven way to lose fat – use more energy than you consume. Your body makes up the difference by burning fat. Weight lifting workouts and cardio routines can increase your fat burning abilities by increasing your metabolism, which is essentially your rate of burning calories. By amping your metabolism you create a bigger deficit, and you lose more fat per week. But you don’t get to choose where from!
So ultimately, to be losing belly fat, nutrition is the number one deciding factor, with a general program of weight training and cardio for good measure.
Tags: abdominal training, caloric deficit, caloric surplus, fat and muscle, fat burning, fat stores, fatloss, spot reduce, weight lifting workouts