There are several different types of exercise that one can do to lose weight and tone the body. However, you may be trying to target one particular area of the body. Everyone has a troublesome area that seems to take longer to get in shape than the rest of our body. When this happens you may start looking for an exercise that keeps the rest of your body in shape while working extra hard on the problem area. There are exercises that help with the arms, exercises that tone the legs and buttocks, and there are exercises that can be done that help reduce belly fat as well.
If your problem area is your stomach then you may looking for some exercises that work to reduce your belly fat. When you think of losing belly fat your first thought may be that you need to do sit-ups and crunches. Although these exercises can increase your abdominal muscles, they will not eliminate the fat on your stomach. The only way crunches and sit ups will actually work is if the fat is already gone. By doing sit-ups and crunches without first eliminating belly fat you will just increase the muscles under the fat and end up pushing the fat out farther which will make your stomach look even bigger.
The best exercise that you can do to reduce belly fat is cardio exercise. Any type of aerobic exercise that burns excess calories will help reduce fat all over your body, especially in the stomach. Belly fat is one of the first parts of the body that slims down with cardio and aerobic exercise. Cardio exercise consists of running, biking, power-walking, using an elliptical machine, swimming, playing tennis, etc. There are plenty of cardio exercises to choose from. As long as you are getting your heart rate going and working up a sweat then you are burning calories that will melt off belly fat.
There is another part to burn belly fat as well and it comes from changes in your diet. First, you must limit your caloric intake. If you continue to consume calories beyond your recommended amount then they will continue turning into excess body fat. By sticking to a healthy and balanced diet you will notice the belly fat melting off. The problem is that the foods we eat often work against us. Eating foods such as refined grains and sugars make weight loss extremely hard to achieve. Instead, you need to start eating whole grain foods in place of the traditional refined grains. You will notice a difference in a short amount of time. By eating brown rice, whole grain pastas and whole grain breads you will be doing your body a favor and balancing out your insulin level which in turn lessens body fat.
Avoid eating foods that are high in sugar, including high fructose corn syrup and aspartame, which is a sugar replacement. Other foods to avoid while reducing your belly fat are foods full of hydrogenated oils and transfats. Instead, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. Eating foods with monosaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds, soy, and avocado are a healthier way to get fats that are needed by the body without causing unwanted side effects. Of course everything in moderation is the key and keeping a close eye on your calorie and fat intake is important.
Unfortunately there is not one magic exercise that will get rid of your belly fat but instead there are plenty of cardio exercises to choose from. By including cardio exercise regularly and watching the foods you eat, you will begin to notice your belly fat disappearing.
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Staying consistent with a well balanced diet and cardio routine is the best way to lose belly fat I have found. I have been consistently incorporating whole grains and soy protein in my diet for about a month now and the weight just falls off.