Losing abdominal fat seems to be of importance especially when the holiday season comes closer and we are planning to spend some time on the beach. One thought about our bikini and how attractive we might look, and there we are, starting to search for the best way to lose belly fat!

Abdominal weight loss myth

We first have to clarify some myths about getting a slim midsection. The biggest myth is special exercise that is supposed to reduce your belly, like abdominal crunches etc. Many people have put in much effort and done these exercises religiously only to get frustrated with the lack of the desired results! Maybe you also have been one of them? Fitness and weight loss experts know that you simply can not spot reduce fat with exercises!

Exercise builds muscles!

What exercise does, depends on the type of exercise. Low intensity cardio, where you stay in the aerobic range, is a good fat loss exercise. But it reduces the fat allover the body. High intensity interval training (HIIT) can achieve the same results with a shorter training time (e.g. 20 mins interval training might burn the same calories as 40 min cardio).

Strength training builds muscles depending on what muscle groups you worked on. So what happens when you do hundreds of abdominal crunches or other abdominal exercises? These exercises build muscles! BUT – underneath your abdominal fat layer! And nobody will see these nice muscles!

Nutrition is the key

The best way to lose abdominal fat is to reduce the body fat with diet! Nutrition is the key component here. You have to create a calorie deficit to achieve this. The easiest way to do this is to cut out all sugars and simple carbohydrates and also to reduce complex carbohydrates while eating more protein, which will keep you feeling full. This is how the leanest people get their results – bodybuilders! Generally, they never were my role model (to many muscles for my taste), but when you think about it, they are lean!

Although nutrition is crucial for reducing fat in your body, one also has to make mention of the fact that dieting (eating less calories than you burn) leads to an overall fat loss in the whole body. There is unfortunately no way to only lose abdominal weight. No magic pill and no super food can achieve this! Even worse, the abdominal fat is usually the last one to come off! But maybe that’s why we consider somebody being in perfect shape only when their midsection is slim. Your belly shows if you have made it or if there is still fat left that needs to be covered up!

Conclusions

To lose abdominal weight successfully you need to focus on general nutritionally based fat loss strategies. And if you want ripped abs, you first have to get rid of your belly fat layer, only then building your abdominal muscles with specific exercises makes sense and the acquired muscle mass can be seen. But then you really can show off on the beach!

Author: Claudia Ohst from http://dietonautopilot.com

My wife and I decided last year we need a way to work out at home whenever we wanted to, and we bought a “total gym”. That’s right – the one with Chuck Norris and Christy Brinkly that you see on TV all the time (go ahead and make fun). I’m guilty of not using it for the last 10 months or so – but at least it hasn’t become a place to hang our drying clothes (just yet). It’s still setup in our basement and ready to go.

I have to say, last year when I worked out on the Total Gym at least 5 days per week – I had more energy, I slept better, I was more alert, I felt more confident, and I could feel muscle building in my body daily. When I flexed my arm I actually had muscle and not flab! I’m going to start working out with our Totaly Gym again this week to see if I can help meet my goal to get down to 250 lbs this month!

Surprisingly enough, when we compared the Total Gym to that rediculous costing “Bowflex” it was waaaay cheaper – and we’ve been very satisfied. We just have to use it more. Explore your options for affordable ways to workout at home. Save your time and gas. Use the link below to go directly to the Total Gym web site, or below that see if you can find a good deal on a “used Total Gym” on eBay. I will say – at least if you go direct you may be able to save on shipping charges.

Total Gym 1500 Home Gym
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NEW! Bayou Fitness DLX TOTAL Strength TRAINER Home Gym
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