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Honestly, the best way is to run. Crunches work, but they only create muscle. The only way to actually get rid of the fat is cardio. Good luck!!
I second the running thing, supplemented with sit-ups and push-ups (even just a few--it's amazing how fast you can build up strength) for ab definition. That works best for me. Good luck!
Run or eliptical. Running is faster, but man does it suck. Eliptical and eat less fat. Change your diet to mainly lean protiens and veggies. It'll get there. It's boring but it will.
- I'm talking to myself as well. I'm small but hold all my fat in my front tummy. Drives me BONKERS.
Cardio, cardio, cardio. Strength training is also very important, but the best way to burn fat is cardio. You cannot spot-reduce, so there's not some special magic belly fat exercise.
Cardio + weight training Push-ups are good. More protein and veggies and less carbs. It gets really boring to eat like that but it makes a big difference...plus once you loose the belly fat you can add back in fun foods but in moderation.
The only way to lose fat is to do intense cardio or circuit training. You can't spot reduce though so you aren't guaranteed that you will lose from your stomach only.
Don't forget about improving your diet. Eating too much junk isn't good for any weight loss plan.
More important that exercise, though, is diet. Are you controlling your diet at all? You can exersice until you're blue in the face but if you're not restricting your food intake, the fat in't going anywhere. Good luck!
Personally here is my experience:
I was always very active. I run quite a bit. Used to run anywhere from 20-40 miles a week, worked out with weights & did core exercises, but I could NEVER get rid of my belly I had. Ever since getting engaged I have started working out with a trainer & she has me doing 60 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week, & she has stopped me from getting all my cardio from running. She said my body was too used to running & I needed to do something else. I also do strength training 3 times a week but most of all my diet has changed. I never used to eat bad, but I am now eating anywhere from 100-150 g of protein a day & I have found my belly has disappeared. I can feel my core has strengthed so much & I can honestly credit this to the change in my diet. Protein, protein,protein!
So, I've been doing Crossfit for several months now, and while I've definitely gotten stronger and in better shape, have finally come to accept that the weight, and the fat in particular, isn't going to come off without modification to my diet. Would highly recommend paleo or primal blueprint, especially if you're looking to drop belly fat (which is indicative of too many carbs, usually). There's no such thing as 'spot training' to tone just a specific area if you're not already pretty lean. You can build muscle, but to get definition you have to lose the fat that's over it, and that's most effectively done through a low-carb diet.
Eat Better. 80% of you will be made in the kitchen. You cant out exercise a bad diet or even a not so great diet or even a pretty OK diet. Look at the quality of your diet too, not just the caloric intake totals.
You want to lose fat and gain muscle. Cross functional exercises will get you the results best. Look into Tabata, crossfit, HIIT etc type exercises. (google)
Cardio alone is not what you want to do. Too much cardio will also burn your muscle, and muscle is what ups your metabolism and burns calories while at rest. Fat does not.
John Berardi has some great books and articles on the net.
http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/nutrition/hard1.htm
I'm a runner, but as a PP said, my body is used to it and I've always had a little "pooch." When I kickbox or spin, my abs look instantly defined. Some people gain weight in their boobs, I do in my lower stomach :(. Cutting out carbs helps me debloat.
Right now it sounds like you're staying active. Have you adjusted your nutrition accordingly? You'd be amazed at how easy it is to underestimate caloric intake. If not, it may just take some time. I know, it's not the answer you want to hear, but eventually if you keep it up and get through plateaus you'll see a big difference.
Abs are definitely made in the kitchen.
So in addition to your workouts, you're really gonna need to clean up your diet.
What does your diet look like? I'm starting to realize that diet is just as important (if not more so) than exercise. If you can cut out processed foods and stick with more natural foods (ie: basic lean protein, tons of veggies, etc.) that should do the trick.
For me, the main thing is diet. I have always been an avid exerciser. But here is how I know it's all diet for me. Last year, I trained for a marathon and gained weight. It was terribly disappointing. This year, I completely changed my diet, trained for a marathon and lost 25 pounds. I basically cut out most desserts, reduced portion sizes, ate only complex carbs and lean proteins. Lots of fruits and veggies, too. I wish I could eat whatever I want and look how I want, but I can't.
Right now, I run or bike, do pilates and weight train. I think you have to add weight training to the mix as well. Good luck!
The only time I ever saw my belly fat shrink was when I was running every day. I did it for about three months, started seeing the fat go away about two months in. I should get on that again...
it is true that if your body becomes "used" to a specific exercise, you will hit a plateau in your progress. if your body is not used to running, i would suggest trying that first. running targets your abs, arms, and core, and is the best form of cardio you can get!
you can't "spot tone" certain areas, so the only way to really lose belly fat is to lose fat all over. doing ab workouts (i recommend the one on the P90X videos called Ab Ripper) will tone your abs so when you do lose that fat on top you'll have a sexy sleek midsection!
I hate to slide the topic of these posts, but thanks everyone for the great advice. For those who practice the low carb diets, can you give some examples of ways to cut carbs?
I love carbs and will admit while reading all the posts I was finishing a bag of popcorn!! But I have always had belly fat and never have been able to see an improvement. Any suggestions on good ways to alter the diet would be helpful. But I hate yogurt and am constantly on the run, just fyi....
Thank you!!
Dancing! When I wanted to lose weight I bought a dace work-out video and it was great! Swimming is another great excercise. Also, having a "gym buddy" helps with staying motivated because sometimes the fat just takes some time! I heard Weight Watchers is really good if you're interested in that route.
@carriejuly: I did it in prep for the wedding and ended up being in the best shape of my life. Cutting out the carbs and sugar is hard at first. From what I've read - for most people, it takes 2 weeks to cut the cravings and then you are home free. I had to wean myself off them - limiting them to one meal a day, and then one day completely carb free, etc. I also reminded myself that vegetables and fruit ARE carbs - and, for whatever reason, it made me feel better about the types of carbs I was consuming. I replaced the processed carbs I ate (oatmeal, rice, bread, tortillas) with tons of veggies. If you keep yourself satiated with lean protein, veggies and some fat in every meal (ie: nuts, olive oil, avocado), you really won't want the other stuff. But, in the times you do, you have to pre-think replacement foods. Usually if you are craving something, it's not because you are hungry - it's because you are thirsty and need water. If you start to really pay attention to what you are eating and listen to your body - it will tell you what it needs. It's challenging and something I really have to put a lot of energy into - but the payoff is incredible.
@oracle:thanks for the advice!! My mom was the one of the first South Beach Diet people, and I have always made fun of her for it, but I think I'm going to give it a try of the New Year. That will give me seven months to get in shape!! Lets hope it works!!
@carriejuly: I did more Paleo-style eating. I found that to be much simpler than anything else - plus, it just made sense to me and had far less to keep track of (meaning, what foods were ok and what weren't).
awesome - thanks so much for the comments! I have been watching what I eat (more veggies/salads, less alcohol, minimal bread..) and definitely ramping up my workouts. I have naturally toned legs and am starting to see a difference in my face and arms as I've started working out, but definitely still have the belly flab :(
I can't really run (asthma and allergy problems) but do like the elliptical...so I'll try ramping that up and crossing my fingers! :)
@carriejuly: FYI - yogurt is mostly sugar, so staying away from it is a good idea (unless you get Nage or one of the greek yogurts with no honey or fruit in it.. but it'll taste kind of bland). Obviously sugar and juice/soda should be the first thing to go, then breads/rice/pasta of any kind. A lot of times we are programmed to eat carbs where we might not need them.. eat your burger without a bun, a sandwich open faced (take off the top piece of bread), no rice with your dinner, skip pasta altogether. I don't eat perfectly but always notice a difference in my shape when I'm being careful about sugar and carbs. :)
@carriejuly: A lot if eating lower carb is about eating more clean (less processed foods) and rebalancing your meals, as well as being creative.
IE start with drastically reducing bread, pastas, cereals, crackers etc and focus on whole grains like brown rice, barley, quinoa.
Then rethink the balance. For dinner try a tasty salad like baby spinach, strawberries, cucumber and goat cheese to start, then have some baked chicken stuffed with roasted red pepper and seasoned with garlic powder. Pair it with some butternut squash soup and then have a single serving of quinoa.
Used mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes on top of casseroles and shepards pies, as a side etc.
For snacks plain greek yogurt (I liek 2% best) mixed with some frozen berries, or celery with 1 TB of peanut butter or cucumber sticks dipped in 2 TB hummus. etc.
Learning to cook different meals will make skipping your processed grains much easier. When I eat bread etc I tend to do it early in the day and then forgo it in the later meals.
IE todays planned meals are/were
Breakfast- 100% whole bread sandwich with turkey, pickled peppers, pickles, laughing cow cheese, red onion, lettuce.
Snack- apple and some raw almonds
Lunch- sauteed cabbage with garlic onion, spinach chicken sausage, tomatoes, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, marjoram.
Snack- cucumbers and sugar snap peas with white bean hummus.
Dinner- Tilapia dredged in egg and flour in a lemon sauce, served with roasted balsamic asparagus and an orange and goat cheese mixed green salad.
Its much simpler than you think. Its really a combination of everything. I used to be super fit and fell off the wagon once I met my fiance and have been nesting since. lol. I am getting back on my old routine and need to trim off 10 lbs and tighten up for my Italian Riviera honeymoon.
- Cardio: I hate running. Despise it. So for other non-runners who have bad knees, try 45 mins, 3-4x a week of: spinning, biking, elliptical, aerobics, dancing, stairs! Even brisk walking is great exercise. I lost a couple lbs just walking my dogs twice a day.
- Strength training/defining: Weights up to 20 lbs and I *swear* by pilates - 3-4x a week
- Eating: Low carbs - only before the afternoon, no carbs for dinner. Period. Meat, veggies, good fats.
@lefeymw:Thank you so much for your advise!!! I'm just getting into this so your daily in-take is so helpful and will certainly help me adapt to something similar. It is certainly an adjustment, but its worth it!!
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About two months ago, I joined the local rec center and love it. I've been taking pilates, yoga, and a few other training and cardio classes. I can definitely feel differences (i.e, not about to fall over/puke during cardio classes..haha) but would love suggestions about specifically targeting my belly fat. I have rolls...gross..that just don't seem to go away. :(