The medical profession has often warned us of the dangers of abdominal fat, which is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease. Getting rid of it is beneficial to everyone. A common problem for many body types as being “apple shaped” means you are carrying unwanted weight on your tummy more than your hips or thighs. But you can eliminate the unsightly fat and reduce your waistline as well as eliminating the health risks.
We all know that aerobic exercise will help you to lose excess weight. Some experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise such as walking three to four times a week. Not only will it help you shed pounds, but it will increase your metabolism and improve your cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that brisk walking or riding a stationary bike for about 3 hours per week for a year resulted in a loss of abdominal fat even though total body weight did not change much.
Exercises also help improve your posture, which always makes your tummy appear flatter and improves your appearance in general. Try doing abdominal exercises two to four times a week, 8 to 15 reps per set. They will help to flatten and tighten the area. After a month or so you should see some improvement in the look and tone of your stomach area. But a total body workout is even better and more effective in eliminating belly fat. Pilates movements, squats, lunges, and good old-fashioned push-ups are all very effective for the stomach, because you work your abdominal or core muscles when lowering your body to the ground.
However, we all know that exercise must be combined with proper nutrition or a flat stomach is nearly impossible. You are unlikely to have success unless you focus on your diet and nutrition at the same time. Find a diet that works for you and that you will be able to stay maintain. Remember, these are lifetime changes. Keep excess sugar, sodium and processed foods out of your diet as they are high-glycemic and activate the insulin in your body, resulting in the flabby tummy. Eat complex carbohydrates in foods such as brown rice and fibre-rich vegetables which have few calories and give you lots of energy. Make sure you are eating some protein every meal too and lots of water is important too. Eating five or six small meals a day is helpful as our bodies digest food more efficiently and we don’t get as hungry.
Getting lots of rest, exercising, and making wise food choices will make you feel and look good, and that tummy fat will be gone. You will not only be proud of how you look, but you’ll have increased your chances of being healthy and able to enjoy life for many years to come.
For more information on losing abdominal fat go to www.healthyeatingclub.com, http://diet.ivillage.com, or http://ezinearticles.com.
