High Intensity Interval Training And Belly Fat Loss

With so many new and “revolutionary” training methods constantly advertised in television, magazines, and on the internet these days, it is easy to get lost in a sea of false promises.  However, luckily, you have ended up in the right place, as my goal is to help you lose belly fat and achieve your own fitness goals, not sell you a product or service.

Introducing High Intensity Interval Training

In this article, I will go over one of the oldest yet most effective and engaging type of training ever created.  The method of training I am referring to is HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training which has been widely used by athletes and celebrities to get in shape quickly since the early 1970s.

Targeting Fat Loss

HIIT training works so well because there is no rest in the entire workout, this has a greater impact on the number of calories you burn than standard routines and will therefore target your bodies’ fat stores more aggressively.   Our bodies as efficient as they are find it necessary to store excess fat in fat stores for later energy use. This is why you will notice fat buildup in certain areas like your stomach, thighs, or hips. Where your body chooses to store this fat is different between each individual and by first recognizing where your own body is likely to store fat, you can begin to fix the issue.  But keep in mind, when you lose fat there is no way to control exactly which area the fat loss comes from and to eventually drop that stubborn belly fat most people experience, you will need to drop fat from your entire body.

What is HIIT and why it’s so effective in losing weight

Now that you understand that concept, we will go back to discussing HIIT training. The way HIIT training is able to allow you to keep moving the entire workout, is by alternating between low to moderate training periods (used to recover) and high intensity training periods. The lengths of these periods can vary, as there are many forms of HIIT training out there, but the same core techniques will always apply.  Keeping your body moving the entire workout is what makes this style of training so effective, because by keeping your heart rate elevated the entire workout you are burning more calories in a shorter time period.

Raising your Resting Metabolic Rate

However, the effect HIIT training has on fat loss does not stop there; it does something even more unique in the next 16-24 hours following your workout.   By increasing your bodies EPOC( or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption ) HIIT training will  actually raise your Resting Metabolic Rate ( the rate at which your body naturally  burns calories ) for up to 24 hours.

If that was not enough benefits for you, another way HIIT’ style of training can benefit you is increase your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases. This to me is the most important thing for you to consider in the long run and why HIIT training is truly helpful to your overall health.

Nevertheless, by now you are probably wondering how YOU can incorporate HIIT training in your life, so I will go over a few simple techniques you can use. First, as I said HIIT training comes in many varieties and the workouts are relatively short (10-30 minutes). The workouts can vary from weighted routines with dumbbells, barbells, or kettle bells to just running on the treadmill.  The easiest way to incorporate HIIT training in your own life would be just three to five 10-minute sessions a week.  You can do them on a treadmill, stationary bike, in the yard or down the street just follow these basic guidelines.

Step 1.  Start by Warming up for 5 minutes by walking slowly or even just walking in place. Be sure not to skip your warm-up because it is very important for injury prevention and will get you ready for the workout.

Step 2.  Based on your fitness level, pick a split for your workouts walking and jogging. A beginner could start at 40 seconds of walking per 20 seconds of jogging for example.  You would then set a timer to 10 minutes total and follow this layout.

Walk 40 Seconds

Jog 20 Seconds

Repeat for 10 times.

Step 3.  Finish the workout by moving into your cool down and stretching phase, this last step should last 3-5 minutes and is just to bring your body back to a normal level.  If you have a few extra minutes you can also incorporate static stretching into your routine here, a few  good muscles to considering stretching would be your Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Calves, and Piriformis muscles .

Now that is just one way to approach HIIT training and I chose that method because it is an easy yet effective way to get started.   If after doing that a few weeks, the workouts are too easy, just extend the total time to 15 minutes or change the walk/ jog split to something like 30 seconds of walking per 30 seconds of jogging.  Be sure to not to rush the progression on your workouts but you can eventually incorporate running in place of the jogging.

HIIT and Weight Lifting

Another style of HIIT of HIIT training worth mentioning is combining HIIT with weightlifting techniques, primarily using lower or full body exercises, to burn even more calories.  I included a sample routine for you below.

Toe Touches- 15 Reps- Just reach down and touch your toes, knees, or calves depending on what your flexibility allows and then come back up.

Forward Lunges- 10 repetitions each leg

Side Lunges- 10 repetitions each direction

Jogging Butt Kicks- 50 feet

Arm Circles – 20 reps both arms.

Jogging High Knees – 50 feet

Trunk Twists- 20 reps

Bodyweight Squats- 30 reps

That is a great beginner routine to get started in HIIT and does not require any equipment at all.  If after a few of weeks of following that routine it becomes too easy, you can increase the reps in the individual exercises or even do the whole circuit twice.  However, do not try to progress too soon as that can lead to injury or overtraining.

As the famous quote goes, “Do not fear progressing slowly, fear standing still” 

How To Get a Firm and Tight Butt

As long as men have been trying to learn how to build muscle, women have been asking how to get a tight butt to trainers and fitness experts worldwide. Nevertheless, I have good news for you, by the end of this article you will know exactly what steps you can take to get a firm butt and why so many people are doing it wrong.

There is no such thing as ‘spot reduction’

The first misconception to dismiss is “Spot Reduction”, every beginner in fitness and even some veterans believe in this magical theory that has been disproved time and time again by studies. No matter how hard you work one particular area like your butt, thighs or abs, you will NOT directly burn fat away from that area.  When you do lunges for example, you are not burning fat directly away from your butt and thighs, you are only building the muscle underneath the fat and in a way tightening or shaping the muscle along with burning calories throughout your entire body.

You have fat stores placed all over your body, which includes places like your butt, hips, abdomen etc. And when you do any exercise you are decreasing the total fat from all of these areas, not specifically targeting the one area you are working.  Your body just does not work like that; the only way to reduce fat from your entire body including your butt is through regular exercise and dieting.

Your butt is a group of muscles…

Eventually I will address both these techniques for you, but let us begin with exercises and a short anatomy lesson. Your “butt” is actually a complex system of gluteal muscles including the Gluteus Maximus, Medius, and Minimus.  The largest of the three, shown below is the Gluteus Maximus.

This is the muscle primarily responsible for the shape of your butt and is the main muscle you should target to achieve your goal as quickly as possible. The Gluteus Maximus is one of the most used muscles for basic movement and is responsible for hip extension and external rotation.

The other muscles I mentioned are the Gluteus Medius and Minimus, which are smaller muscles that can be found underneath the Gluteus Maximus and are responsible for abduction and internal rotation of your hip.

How to get a tight butt through exercise

As I said before, to develop a firm and tight butt you are going to have to exercise regularly and follow a proper diet. Nevertheless, with your gluteal muscles being responsible for so much of your lower body movements, you have many exercises to choose from:

Walking Lunges

Side Lunges

Back Lunges

Stiff Legged Deadlifts

Sumo Deadlifts

Squats

Split Squats

Step Ups

Lateral Step Ups

Standing Hip Extensions

Leg Presses

However, to further help you, I will go over the exercises I feel will benefit you the most.

Lunges

Lunges come in many variations and can be performed with just your bodyweight, a barbell or dumbbells. However, the same basic movement applies for all of them and that is what we will cover here.

General Guidelines : To  ensure proper safety during lunges be sure to keep your torso upright during the entire movement to avoid stressing your  lower back.  Also, be sure to keep the lunge at a long but safe stride length to emphasize the Gluteus Maximus muscle.

Step 1. Depending on which type of lunge you decided to do, either grab a dumbbell firmly in each hand, or un-rack a barbell on your back. If you do not have access to weights or are a beginner, bodyweight lunges will be fine as well.

Step 2. To begin the movement lunge forward with your left leg in a slow and controlled motion until your back legs knee is almost in contact with the floor as illustrated below.

Step 3.   Pause at this bottom position shortly before returning to your original standing position. That is one repetition and should be repeated while alternating leading legs.

Step-Ups

Step-ups are another exercise, which can be performed almost anywhere and yield great results.  You can do them on a bench, flight of stairs, footrest ect and this is what makes them so versatile.

General Guidelines:  For proper safety when performing step ups please be sure the surface your stepping up on is at a low enough height so you do not have a risk of falling or pulling a muscle. Also, be sure the surface is flat and not slippery. The shorter the surface you are using to step up on the easier the exercise will be.

Step 1: Stand directly in front of the ledge, bench, or platform.

Step 2:  Lift your right foot up and  plant it on the surface then follow up with the left foot , you are now completely on top of the surface.

Step 3:  Step back, leading again with your right foot and following with your left into the starting position.

Step 4:  Alternate which foot you lead with and repeat the motion.

5 Diet tips for a firm butt

The last step to get a tight and firm butt is to monitor your diet, which will help get rid of the extra fat stored around your body and therefore on your butt. I included an easy to follow list of diets tips below to help you.

1. Distribute your protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake evenly throughout the entire day and at each meal.

2. Go for whole grains and fresh vegetables over refrained grains and simple sugars, as a good amount of fiber and starch will aid overall hunger control.

3. Avoid empty calories drinks or highly processed foods whenever possible, which contain many calories and do not effect your feeling of fullness.

4. Drink 8-12 cups of water per day, The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends individuals looking to lose weight drink 96 ounces of water plus an additional 8 ounces per 25lbs they want to lose.

5.  Weigh and measure your food to become aware of actual serving sizes.

Sample Workout routine

Congratulations, you now know the ins and outs of each step you can take to reach your goal and now all you have to do is combine them and implement them! The most important thing will be your diet followed by the exercises l listed above, but if you want results even faster, you could also do a cardio session around 3 times a week such as jogging or biking.

Here is an example of a routine someone could use in addition to dieting properly and expect great results.

Monday- Do 30 minutes cardio such as jogging or biking

Tuesday- Do 5 sets of 1 minute of lunges, then immediately 1 minute of step-ups, rest 60 seconds in-between each set

Wednesday – Do 30 minutes cardio such as jogging or biking

Thursday- Do 5 sets of 1 minute of lunges, then immediately 1 minute of step ups, rest 60 seconds in-between each set

Friday- Do 30 minutes cardio such as jogging or biking

Saturday- Do 5 sets of: 1 minute of lunges, then immediately 1 minute of step-ups, rest 60 seconds in-between each set

Sunday- OFF

* images are courtesy of bikeradar

A flat stomach for Christmas – diet and exercise tips

The Christmas period is approaching and the big rush to get ready has started. With less than a month to go the panic starts to kick in. Thanks giving just been and gone and you are still counting the food and drink casualties while you are trying to squeeze your into your outfit.

If your quest is a flat (or near enough) stomach, think both diet and exercise. With diet you will manage to lose the extra abdominal fat which has been accumulated but you will need exercise to actually increase both the weight loss and the appearance of your tummy.

Read here how you can get a flat stomach for the festive period and how you can keep it. 

5 Diet Tips for a flat stomach 

1.     Stop Dieting

Now this may sound silly. How on earth are you going to lose weight without dieting? Well how many times have you been on diet the past year alone or how many times have you said you will go on diet, and how many diets have you seen so far? If you are searching the internet for more dieting solutions obviously they previous haven’t worked.

Think of healthy eating instead of finding a diet. Aim to make small changes which they will become a lifetime habit rather than another weight loss project.

2.     Go Mediterranean

The Mediterranean dietary pattern has been consistently suggested by ‘the experts’ as one of the best diets to follow in terms of weight loss results and health outcomes. There are a number of different weight loss diets which have been based on a Mediterranean style of eating which you can choose from. Alternatively, you can just follow the basic principles of a Mediterranean diet such as, eat olive oil, eat ample fruit and veg., lower sugars and carbs etc.

Remember: Aim to establish lifestyle changes rather than just a weight loss plan. 

3.     Start Now

It may look like a bad idea to start eating healthy on the door step of a food and nibble festive period. However, eating healthy does not mean you will be depriving yourself this season. You can still enjoy what you like but in a healthier way.

If you leave it for tomorrow you will most probably end up picking a 1 week crash diet which is likely to make you suffer, not result in any significant fat loss (mainly water and sugar) and unlikely healthy. Hardly worth the torture, so motivate yourself and make that start.

4.     Cut down on liquid calories

This is probably the easiest way to cut at least 200 kcal from your day. Think how many sodas you have in one day. How many coffees or glasses of wine, or beer, or hot chocolates, milkshakes, fruit juices…the list can go on and on. You don’t have to go cold turkey and stop all your drinks through the day but you can make a plan and have so many per day.

Try to substitute some drinks with water or a green tea; both could help you lose weight and keep healthier. Why not carry a small bottle of water in your bag and if you feel thirsty you just have a sip. Have a freshly squeezed juice or a sugar free soda (not recommended to have too many sugar free drinks as some of the sweeteners used have been question for their safety).

5.     Go low carb and then enjoy that big meal

You are probably thinking that now it is the hardest time to follow a diet or make changes with all the dinner parties and/or meal commitments you have to attend. Well actually not.

Go strict low carb in the weeks/days leading to a big meal or dinner party (etc.) and then just enjoy the meal. No wise choices or diet options, low fat this or salad that; just eat whatever you want. The next day just go back to low carb until the next party.

This way you will actually be boosting your metabolism. However, you do need to be strictly low carbohydrate and low sugar in the in-between days and it may not be recommended if you have problems in controlling insulin/blood sugar.

4 Exercise Tips for a flat stomach

1.     Go Olympic

There is always that misconception that weight lifting is only for men and some exercises are only for body builders. Wrong. Resistance exercise can actually help you lose more weight than aerobic exercise alone as it used to be preached in the old days. In addition, functional exercises which provide full body (or close enough) work out can be better than just stationary weight lifting alone.

To bust one more myth, weight lifting does not necessarily translate to big muscles as some women tend to fear. What does going Olympic mean is try to do some Olympic lifts and functional exercises and you are more likely to get that flat stomach than doing 100 crunches alone. Below are some exercises for those who want to give it a go. These are for an example for beginners, men and women.

Dead lift: Works a number of muscles in the body directly or for stabilisation, including those in the abdomen, back and legs. There can be a few variations in performing the dead lift. Bellow is the classic style.

Can you lose belly fat with Green Tea?

This is really a very interesting question: Can you really lose belly fat with green tea? If you are researching for ways to lose belly fat then it is certain that you came across this question a number of times. Also if you have read articles on the Internet from web sites that sell or promote green tea products then most probably they told you that green tea is one of the best ways to lose belly fat. Well, the truth is somewhere in between. Read on to find out if green tea can help you lose weight and belly fat.

A brief history about Green Tea

Green tea has been the traditional drink for many Asia countries including India, Japan and of course China. It contains large amounts of antioxidants (polyphenols) that can fight free radicals (can damage the cells and create a number of health problems including cancer).

For many years Green Tea was used by Chinese for medication purposes and in the last decade scientists around the World investigated the possible benefits of Green tea for treating various health conditions including obesity. These studies showed that green tea can be useful for fighting or preventing atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, cancer and diabetes.

Green Tea for Weight loss

Green tea can certainly aid weight and fat loss but not to the degree presented by many web sites or product promoters. The effectiveness of green tea for losing weight has been identified through various clinical studies but cannot generate real results if not combined with traditional weight loss methods i.e. diet and exercise. The facts about the effectiveness of green tea and weight loss are:

• Green Tea is possible to increase your metabolism if consumed daily (2-3 cups per day).
• It can help control your weight and fat levels but not your appetite.
• Green tea will not help you get rid of belly fat but it will help you gain less weight and less fat.
• Green tea should not replace diet and exercise but can be used as a complementary method to assist your weight loss efforts.
• Most clinical studies to date (November 2011) regarding the effectiveness of green tea for fat loss were done on mice and not on humans. Other studies carried out by research organizations on humans showed that regular consumption of green tea paired with regular exercise can generate better results than exercise alone. These studies were conducted by Japanese and Chinese scientists.
• Experts suggest to drink your green tea hot (and not cold) as this shows down calorie intake and gives you a better taste.
• The energy you get from regular intake of green tea can help you exercise longer and thus lose more calories.

To sum up, green tea is not a magical product. By drinking green tea alone you will not lose your belly fat or weight. To make the most of green tea you have to drink it regularly (2-3 cups per day) and never forget that the most effective way to lose belly fat is through balanced diet and regular exercise.

Belly fat truth and myths

One common concern among dieters is the fat accumulated around the belly, waist and bum. With the summer approaching and the bikinis coming out a lot of people ask how to lose that extra bit accumulated through the hibernating winter time. It is obvious that the weight loss world has hundreds of solutions for you to tackle the belly fat issue. In this article I have collected some truths and myths that are going around to help you on your flat tummy quest.

Belly Fat Myths and truths explained

1. There are specific foods that burn belly fat.

There is no or very little scientific evidence to show that there is a specific food or supplement which will cause weight loss in general let alone in specific areas. To my knowledge research supports that green tea and dietary calcium (through foods not supplemented) can help in increasing weight loss. For everything else there may be some theories, very little, poor or no evidence at all that they increase weight loss. For those supplements which could increase weight loss but are deemed unsafe I will put them in the same category.

If you lose weight, you will lose weight from the belly area as well as others. There is no need to spend your money just yet with the promise or guarantee of belly specific fat loss. Just follow an appropriate weight loss diet. See also best foods for losing belly fat

2. Fibre is the savvier of the overweight world and you must eat loads of it. Oh yes, it also burns belly fat.

Fibre is recommended in almost every weight loss diet, tip, and article. If you believe everything you read then fibre will save the world, is a magic substance, it will take the dog for a walk and clean the house for you while it makes you thinner!

Well undoubtedly fibre has health benefits like helping to lower cholesterol. It is recommended to include fibre in your diet, especially the one found in vegetables and fruit. However, large amounts of fibre consumption, especially the one which derives from all-bran and cereal, can lead to gastrointestinal complaints and irritation.

3. Women tend to store belly fat easier especially during or after menopause.

Well that may not be quite as true. In fact studies suggest that men tend to store fat more in the abdominal area and women in the areas around the hips and bottom. A theory for this is related to the sex hormones and the differences of them between men and women which lead to differences in fat storage. However, sometimes body type and build can affect where someone may have the tendency to store fat easier. Body shape does not mean that you will be stuck with fat in your tummy however.

It is true that during or after menopause hormones undergo through a lot of changes which do affect where fat is stored. Decrease of some hormones such as oestrogen and increase of others such as cortisol, can favour deposition of fat in the upper body and around the waist instead of the hips and thighs.   See also: How to lose belly fat for women

5. It is very difficult to burn belly fat.

As mentioned earlier when losing weight you will lose from the belly area as well. Some studies actually suggest that is easier to lose fat from the belly than other locations. Fat in simple terms can be divided into subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the one stored in the surface underneath the skin and is usually found in the lower body.   Visceral fat is usually stored in the deep abdominal cavity and the organs. Belly fat which is subcutaneous (Usually the one you can pinch) is the one which can be harder to lose.

Sometimes it could be loose skin or unconditioned abdominal muscles which may give the impression of having a ‘tummy’. Also bloating can have the same effect.

Studies do indicate that a healthy balanced diet such as cutting down on refined carbs and sugars and increasing protein intake, should be sufficient for belly fat loss.

6. Belly fat is more dangerous than other fat for your health.

Well always think how much excess fat do you have? If you are within a healthy weight range and you just have a bit of a superficial tummy, no it will not kill you. In simple terms subcutaneous abdominal fat is not as harmful as visceral fat. Storing measurably a lot of excess belly fat is considered to increase health risks. Scientists suggest that a large waist can increase the risk of development of type II diabetes even if BMI is within healthy range. Therefore, it is recommended that waist circumference measurements are taken in combination to BMI. Waist circumference and health risk will be dependent in a number of factors such as ethnic background.

Body fat (especially visceral fat) is considered to produce hormones and in general to be a biologically active tissue. Excess fat (especially visceral fat) can influence cells response to insulin, appetite regulation, and inflammation; and can lead to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and type II diabetes, amongst others.

7. Crunches will not help you burn belly fat and are dangerous.

There is no evidence that spot training will burn fat from a specific area. So no if you do 100 crunches does not result in burning all the belly fat and only the belly fat. However, any exercise can help in conditioning the muscles and if performed correctly it is not dangerous. Adding a set of crunches, which are performed correctly, will not result in miracles but also it will not kill you. It is needless to say that you don’t need to invest your money in a super crunch buster machine either. If you have a ‘bit of a tummy’, exercises which tone the abdominal muscles such as Pilates, can give the flat tummy effect by conditioning the muscles and holding things better in place.

If you have any musculoskeletal complaints which crunches could make worst it is obvious to say, avoid them.

A full body work out which incorporates both resistance and aerobic exercise for the average person is the best choice. This way you do get to condition most muscles and systems around your body. Increasing your muscle mass will help in increasing your metabolic rate and therefore increase the calories you burn. Always consult a fitness professional when taking on exercise. A fitness professional can assess you physical and fitness condition and devise a program which will correspond to your individual needs. Also can show you the correct techniques for performing exercises and avoid potential injuries.  See also Exercises to lose belly fat

How to lose belly fat for teenage girls

How to lose belly fat is a topic that interests many women and in particular teenage girls. Being a teenager has many challenges and having to lose fat from the belly just adds more stress to the already vulnerable teenage girls. Having a big belly is certainly not nice but you do not have to despair since there are a lot of ways to reduce your belly size and get a flatter belly.

First things first

Before getting into the details on how to lose your stomach fat, the first thing you should do is investigate and understand why you have formed a bulging belly in the first place. Is it because of the things you eat? Is it because of your lifestyle or is it because of other reasons beyond your control. If you believe that you are in the third category then you should consult a doctor immediately since the presence of a belly maybe due to some other illness or disorder. If on the other hand you are not exactly a healthy eater and you do not remember the last time you exercised then the reasons for having the belly and love handles are probably due to bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. In this case there are a lot of things you should do to reverse the situation while you are still young and energetic.

Once you have identified that the reason for having more fat than usual is your lifestyle then the next step is to take action and reverse the situation. Have in mind that the road to a flat stomach is not easy; it takes a lot of courage, commitment and hard work to get rid of the belly fat but it can be done.

What causes the concentration of belly fat for teenage girls?

Besides the reasons explained above teenage girls are more prone to getting weight easier than teen boys mainly because of the hormonal changes their body has to undergo especially with period and other women related conditions.

How to lose belly fat?

The best ways to lose belly fat as a teenager are the following:

1. Exercise as much as you can. It doesn’t have to be aerobics or weight lifting but any exercise or physical activity is good for your age. There are so many activities and events you can participate as a teenager and you need to take advantage of your energy now that you are young. If you want you can do some more formal forms of exercise (go to the gym, aerobics, weight lifting etc.) to re-enforce your efforts but your main objective should be to move around, burn calories, sweat and generally feel your body.

2. Quantity and Quality of food is important. You probably heard that you should avoid full fat foods. While this is true you should also take care of the quantities of the food you eat. Eating low-fat foods in large quantities is worse than eating full fat foods in small quantities. What we mean here is that if you learn to eat anything you like but in moderation you will be able to lose weight and fat. There may be times that you have to be more selective than others but in general you can eat all food types but in moderation. Having in mind that fast foods (burgers, chips, pizzas) are the healthiest food to eat but you do not need to completely abandon them from your diet.

3. Drink water. Water has zero calories and helps the body burn calories faster. It is also a good way to boost your metabolism and lose weight easier. Get into the habit of drinking 4-5 classes of water per day and keep this habit as you grow up. Water intake is vital for a healthy body and an essential step in losing body fat.

4. You need to get rid of overall body fat first before targeting the belly. Many people still believe that it is possible to lose fat from the belly and they do hundreds of crunches per day to achieve this. This is one of the biggest belly fat myths. You need to understand that there are no exercises to target the belly and that there is no way to get a six pack if you do not first lose the fat from the stomach. The presence of fat hides the abdominal muscles and crunches and sit-ups do not offer much help. What you should do instead is exercise and diet to lose overall body fat and once your belly muscles are visible you can do crunches or sit-ups to work your abdomen and waist and why not get some nice six pack abs.

Fastest way to lose belly fat

Searching for the fastest way to lose belly fat is very common. People are always looking for the fastest ways to do things and fitness is not an exception to this rule. The bad news is that there are no short-cuts when it comes to losing belly fat. Reducing your stomach size is a big challenge and you have to work hard and for a long time to see some real results. The good news however, is not impossible. Many people have managed to lose their belly fat and get a flat stomach or even a six pack. The best and fastest way to lose your belly fat is no other than exercise. Dieting is a major player in the whole process as well but you need to exercise regularly in order to remove fat from your body. Let’s see what you can do to speed up the process.

Fat burning exercises for the belly – the basics

First you need to understand that there are no specific exercises you can do to target fat residing in the belly. What you should do instead is fat burning exercises that will help you get rid of overall body fat. By losing fat from different parts of the body you will gradually open the way to reduce fat from the stomach as well. Generally there are two types of exercises you can do to accelerate the fat burning process and these are no other than cardio and strength training exercises. Once you eliminate the fat tissues from the belly muscles you can work your abdominal muscles and build a firm belly and why not a six pack as we said above. When you get to this stage you can also read about the best exercise to lose belly fat which explains with animated illustrations which are the best exercises for toning the belly muscles.

Continuing on our question, which is the fastest way to lose belly fat, it is important to note that to lose fat you need to achieve two things with your exercise and diet:

1. You need to burn more calories than you consume so as to lose weight and fat
2. You need to push your body to the limits, increase your heart beat rate and boost the fat burning process.

For the first part you can work more on your diet and be selective on the foods you consume. There are foods that carry less fat than others and there are even foods that can help you burn fat as you eat them (negative calorie foods). To get a complete list of these foods you can also read best foods for losing belly fat. This part alone however will not help you achieve fast results. To get rapid results you need to work on the second part.

Fastest way to lose fat

Burning calories can be achieved through exercise and physical activity. The more intense are the exercises the more calories you burn. This is the key in losing belly fat fast. You need to accelerate the fat burning process through cardio and strength training exercises. With cardio exercises you can burn calories and combining that with strength training exercises you can build more muscles which in turn will help you burn more fat. It is not very easy to do especially if you are a beginner in fitness.

This routine implies that you do cardio for 15 minutes, and then do strength training exercises (for example weight lifting) for 15 minutes and then cardio for another 15 minutes. What is important is to minimize your breaks and try to push yourself to the limits by accelerating your heart beat rate. When weight lifting, aim for more repetitions with less weight than fewer repetitions with more weight. Your goal is to wake up your muscles and boost your metabolism. Needless to say again that before doing any vigorous activities you need to consult your doctor to ensure that your body can cope with high intensity exercises.

So, the fastest way to lose belly fat is by following a low-fat diet and by doing cardio exercises combined with high intensity strength training exercises.

Best foods for losing belly fat

You probably have a mix of thoughts crossing your minds when we talk about food, especially when you are aspiring to lose belly fat. However not all foods are bad, and not all will lead to gaining belly fat. There are some food items that even help you burn fat and manage your weight. These food items should be evenly distributed across your diet. Instead of worrying what not to eat, why not think of what foods  you can eat. Lets look at those listed below.

Whole grains

Whole grains are very rich in fiber and they contain a very few calories. Found mostly in cereals, breads and rice they can be a good source of your carbohydrates. Eating whole grain can help you counter starvation and assist you in refraining from overeating. Choose 100% whole grain on your cereals and bread to get the most of it.

Oatmeal

It is a cereal that you can eat anytime of the day. Some people use oatmeal to promote good bowel movement. Also, eating oatmeal every day helps you eliminate fat and other toxins in the digestive tract. This is because oats, once taken in, absorb water from the body, and with that, the different fats and toxins are also added in. They are then finally excreted in as a stool. This means you can easily lose weight with oatmeal. It is a good choice to add oats to your diet instead of cutting the carbohydrate source of your meals.

Almonds and nuts

If you want a healthy snack that helps you decrease your belly fat, then almonds and nuts are the best choice for you. They are a good protein source that contain few calories. The fat content is low and you can safely eat a substantial amount and not worry too much of about gaining weight.

Olive oil

It is a notorious source of fat. Yes fat! We need fat as it offers nutrients to our body.  What olive oil has to offer is a different kind of fat, and that is the positive fat which contains low cholesterol. This is a preferable choice to having oils that contain saturated fats. You can use olive oil as salad dressing instead of your usual dressing which contains a lot of fat.

Berries

Berries are rich in fiber and they can be a good snack for you as well. Try to avoid processed berries that are in jams or cans of preserved fruits. They increase your calories and like all processed or preserved foods, always contain a higher calorie content due to the added preservatives and artificial flavorings.

Eggs

They are a good and healthy source of protein. Eggs contain a decent amount of fat with lesser cholesterol, which is the yolk (the yellow part), whilst the albumen (the white part) is the part rich in protein.  Studies have shown that they help to reduce belly fats, and are much better than your usual bagels. Eggs are also advisable if you are forming muscles or developing body parts.

Beans and legumes

Beans and legumes can be added to your favorite meals such as burritos. Plain black pinto beans help you decrease saturated fat level in the body. This is due to the fact that beans and legumes are rich in vitamin b12, said to help in metabolizing fat.

Lean meats and fish

If you want  a good protein source which contains less fat and calories, then fish meat is the best choice. You can still eat your favorite pork and beef as long as you go for lean meat, so cut out  the fat on those meats. By the way, fish meat, such as that from salmon contains omega-3, benefits the heart.

Green vegetables

This is undoubtedly one of the “must have” foods. Green veggies are rich in almost everything: nutrients, minerals, vitamins, fiber – you name it. A daily serving of 5 or more would be ideal. You will decrease your belly fats as they burn more calories than those they offer.

Dairy product

Calcium helps break down fat, and some research show that it also prevents its formation. Of course you should choose low fat dairy products and have them once a day. Drink milk daily.

Teas

Studies have shown that teas, maybe cold or iced, are better than standard beverages and drinks. Tea is a more natural drink and some teas such as  green tea promote increased metabolism. It is said to be better than coffee in terms of promoting weight loss and  is definitely better than carbonated sodas.

With all the above you can now enjoy a good food choice. All of these are simple ways to eat well.  When you eat well you won’t be afraid of gaining  weight as you are in control.  A sensible diet is a skill that is developed and practiced, and knowing what is good and bad for you is a great start in helping you practice your smart diet skills. Enjoy your belly fat losing diet, and don’t forget to continue with your regular exercise and workout plans. Good luck!

How to lose belly fat through sports

Do you want to lose belly fat but can’t find a way to actually do it? Most people tried dieting alone to lose belly fat and weight, but this usually takes a long time for it to show some good results unless if you are on an extreme diet like fasting. But for those who can’t even stick to their diet plans for a long time then it could be a big problem.

Think about it, exercising is the best way to lose fat and it may be the solution of the problem. It is a way to help you burn fat and also promotes good figure. Now, how can you do it if you really aren’t fun of going to gym whatsoever? Sports is the answer. Everyone have tried sport at some point in their life, and everyone has a sport that they truly enjoy. Why not use them to benefit in your weight loss endeavor. Here is how you can do it.

Start with a little check on what things you love to do. Sometimes it needs a bit of love to actually start something new. You should choose something familiar to you and that you love. It could be anything: it could be bicycling, or it could be camping or hiking. Start from there and actually do them. But if you want to have more choices in your list of what sports you can do, here they are.

Running

Running will help you burn for as much as 459 calories in just 30 minutes. And on top of that it promotes good inhalation and cardio exercise which totally benefits your health. Endurance and leg strength are utilized and strengthened as well. You only have to buy a pair of running shoes and your set to go.

Rock climbing

One good and adventurous way to lose weight is rock climbing. The energy burst that occurs when moving from one rock or to another would give you good results in muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, decision making, and of course fat burning. It helps you burn around 350 calories for every 30 minutes of rock climbing.

Swimming

It is considered as the best form of exercise by experts, swimming is a fun way to easily burn 360 calories in 30 minutes. You can easily tag along your friends or you can do it alone. Anything goes as long as you enjoy it.

Cycling

Famously used by many athletes or ordinary men and women. When you go on cycling you enjoy the sceneries and also lose weight and belly fat in the process. You can easily reach a range of 300 to 400 calories of fat burning per hour. Cycling is a definitely a good non-weight bearing exercise.

Boxing

A lot of women love this method! A pair of gloves and a punching bag or someone to spar with can help you lose weight easily. It is definitely a sport that a lot of people enjoy.  Boxing helps you burn for as much as 324 calories in half an hour.

The different ball games

Racquetball and basketball or soccer can help you burn belly fat and lose weight in a fun way. You won’t notice time pass while doing these activities. This would help you reach 300 calories burned, soccer maybe a bit higher than the first two since it requires constant running.

Seasonal sports like ice skating and skiing

These two can help you lose a range from 180 to 250 calories burned every 30 minutes, though a lot of accessories and experience may be needed for these kinds of activities.

Dancing

Dancing is a beautiful sport that most of us already use to burn fats. Aerobics is a form of dancing, now other kind of dancing like belly dancing helps you form and trim down belly fats.

When you think about it, there are actually a lot of ways to do it. And sport is just one part of it. Open your mind and lose your belly fats for real. Start now!

How to lose belly fat without leaving your home

Belly fat is a problem for any age group. You could be a teenage, a mom or a woman on menopause and have a belly bulge. The problem most of us have is that we don’t have time to go to a gym and workout. We could be very busy with school, kids or career that the belly bulge gets to stay—maybe for life. If you want to look better today, there are some activities that you can do at home which will also help you lose belly fat. What follows are three categories, and in each of those are tips on what you can do at home to lose your belly bulge.

FOLLOW A HEALTHY EATING PATTERN

You can never lose belly fat and keep on eating like a slob. The first step to losing belly fat is to eat healthy, but not eat less. First, never let yourself starve. Eating is easy when you’re just at home, but don’t overeat too. Eating small meals every three hours is ideal, but you also need to watch what you’re eating. Load your diet with a great deal of fruits and vegetables. These are rich in fibers and are great for cleaning your system. You’d also want to eat food with complex carbs such as mushroom, broccoli and spinach. These kinds of food slowly release sugar into the blood system, giving you lots energy for the day. If the whole family is interested, you can incorporate your diet into the family meal and have everyone eat healthy food.

DO CARDIO EXERCISE

Doing cardio exercises is important for burning fat (like belly fat). This kind of exercise is when you make your heart rate go faster, such as when you go running or jogging. If you don’t have a treadmill at home, you can actually go up and down the stairs for at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week. As you progress, you can even switch to jogging up and down instead of just walking. Cleaning the house is another way to burn fat. Walking, lifting the furniture and moving your arms are a great way to make the heart go faster. If cleaning is not your thing, you can also dance at home. Dancing is a great cardio exercise, and you can either do it following a dance workout video or hire a dance instructor to partner with you.

DO STOMACH WORKOUTS

If you want to have a toned belly, you also need to work out the muscles in the mid- area. There are a lot of stomach workouts to choose from like crunches and sit- ups. If you don’t know how to do these properly, check the internet for instructions and videos on how to do it right. You can also buy an instructional video for you to follow. Aside from this, you can also practice holding your stomach in (when walking, sitting, etc). This is also a form of work out, and it will help you have a toned belly.

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