Photo iStock/YanLev

Belly fat is by far the most common reason people exercise and try to lose weight. People hate how they look and feel when they’re dealing with fat around their bellies, and many strive for “six-pack” abs. Getting rid of belly fat isn’t something that can be done simply with crunches, though. You must work hard in several ways to burn off the fat and keep it off.

1. Consume a healthy, low fat diet. The two main causes of stomach fat are poor diet and lack of exercise. You can run a mile every day, but it won’t make much difference if you’re eating a pound of red meat that same evening. Your diet should consist mainly of fruits, vegetables and low fat proteins, such as chicken breast. Read food labels to find nutrition information, and stay away from oils, sweets and items high in fat.

2. Enjoy long walks or runs every day. Cardiovascular exercise is an absolute necessity when it comes to burning calories. You don’t have to run miles every day to get rid of stomach fat. Walking to and from work, if possible, is a good way to integrate exercise into your daily life.

3. Swim a few times a week. Swimming works out your entire body, builds cardiovascular fitness and works muscles in the abdomen, where you’re trying to lose fat.

4. Train upper, lower and oblique abdominal muscles. Only performing stomach crunches won’t burn stomach fat. Combine stomach-crunch exercises with abdominal leg lowering and lying oblique exercises.

5. Improve your metabolism. Your metabolism is what causes your body to naturally burn fat. Exercising increases your metabolism, as does eating properly. Many experts recommend eating five small meals a day instead of three large meals.

6. Avoid eating before you go to bed. If you must, select protein sources only, such as cottage cheese, a sugar-free protein shake or skim milk. Eating late in the evening is believed to slow down your metabolism. A good rule of thumb is to avoid eating for three hours before you lie down for the night.

About the Author
Jim Sayih, MS, CSCS, is CEO of 9-1-1 Fitness Inc. Contact him via e-mail at jim@911fitness.com, or  visit www.911fitness.com.

Originally published in Public Safety Communications magazine, Vol. 76(12):20, December 2010.

Related Link

• “Managing Blood Sugar,” by Jim Sayith. Public Safety Communications. November 2010.