Combine weight training, aerobics to combat belly fat

 

This is an article from Citizen Times by Brian Lawler which gives a good perspective of losing fat.

Question: What is the best way to tackle belly fat? Is it doing abdominal crunches, Pilates or following a particular diet?

 

Answer: Excess belly fat is a common problem that can effectively be tackled by taking a sensible approach to exercise and by making important changes in your diet.

Forget about doing hundreds of crunches, sit-ups or all the different types of abdominal exercises that you have seen on late-night infomercials.

Strengthening your core is helpful for your overall health, especially for protecting your back, but abdominal exercises will not help you in reducing unwanted belly fat. It is impossible to get rid of flab from just one specific area in your body. When fat is used for energy, it is drawn from all areas of your body. Unfortunately, the first place that you tend to put it on will also be the last place that it will come off.

Your best way to tackle belly fat is by participating in an exercise program that includes weight training and aerobic exercise. A recent research study found that this combination of training resulted in almost three times greater losses in subcutaneous abdominal fat than aerobic exercise alone, even though both groups exercised for the same number of minutes.

To get better and faster results, choose weight training exercises that utilize multiple muscle groups such as squats, dead lifts, chest presses, rows, military presses and lat pull downs. Aerobic activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical training and stair climbing are also excellent ways to burn fat.

You will also need to eat the right foods. Ultimately, losing weight and belly fat requires that you take in fewer calories than you burn. Eat foods that are natural and that are also low in fat, sugar and calories. Try to eat smaller portions and eat frequently throughout the day. This will help to increase your metabolism and subsequently help you burn more calories.

Protein requirements will also increase while you are restricting your calories, so it will be important to include a lean protein source — chicken, turkey, fish, skim milk, etc. — with each meal. Protein will help make you feel less hungry and more satisfied.

Although losing fat can be difficult, do not give up hope — it can be done. To effectively lose fat and to keep it off permanently, make exercise and eating right a normal part of your life and not just something that you do only occasionally.