The Science of losing weight and belly fat 2

Continued of "The Science of losing weight and belly fat"

Part Three-Exercises for fat loss

What burns calories nonstop is actually the lean muscle mass underneath body fat that allows more intake of calories without weight gain. The body actually adapts to the changes it undergoes. Losing weight without exercising (only based on crash dieting or starvation) increases the risk of losing lean body mass, slowing the metabolism and putting the body into fat-storing mode. So to lose weight and belly fat and to enhance your overall health, exercises are necessary. If a special diet plan, a pill promises to help you burn stomach fat fast, its a lie, no matter which celebrity says it works. Remember! To lose weight, Diet plan and exercises are necessary.

Research shows that interval training or alternating short bursts of energy with brief resting periods can improve muscle and build endurance more quickly than traditional exercise. In fact Abdominal crunches and sit-ups should build strong muscles, but you might not see them much under belly fat. Youll need to do all sorts of exercises, in moderation, including weight bearing exercises, like brisk walking, jogging, and the like. Weight bearing and non-weight bearing exercises, combined with weight training and cardio, and some yoga thrown in for good measure, will give you a lifetime of fitness and good health. You absolutely cannot isolate one set of muscles and lose fat just in that one spot. Exercise in the morning. It burns more calories than any other time of the day.

Now let’s talk some stomach exercises:

• Bridge-
  
  Get into the position for doing a push up. Rest on your elbows with eyes on the floor. Pull your stomach muscles in tight, imagining them going to your backbone, your bottom should be down and your back straight. Stay at this position till comfortable. During this period, keep your back straight as much possible. You may allow your knees to form a resting platform, it it feels too hard. Aim to hold the position for 30-45 seconds and repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times.

• Side stretching-
  
  Stand up straight, with your feet hip-width apart. Put your right hand on your right hip, and lift your left arm straight up, so that your palm faces to the right. Keeping your legs cantered, lean to the right and "reach" over with your left arm, stretching your left side. Do 3 to 5 times on each side.

• Vertical Leg Crunch -
  
  Performing this exercise is similar to doing a leg crunch except that the legs are straight up, forcing the abs to work and adding intensity to the routine. To do this, lie on the floor with the legs straight up, knees crossed, and place the hands beneath the head for support. Contract abs lifting the shoulders off the floor and keep legs in a fixed position to crunch. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

• Long Arm Crunch -
  
  This is a variant of the traditional floor crunch where the arms are held straight behind you, adding a lever to the move and making for a challenging exercise. To do this, lie on the floor or a mat then extend arms straight behind, keeping them clasped and next to the ears. Slowly contract abs and lift shoulders off the floor carefully to keep the arms straight. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

• The Bicycle Exercise -
  
  best for targeting the six pack muscles and the obliques. To do this exercise, get into a supine position with hands at the back of your head. Bring knees to the chest while lifting shoulders off the floor. Slowly bring your right elbow towards your left knee as you straighten your right leg. Switch sides and continue in a pedaling motion. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

• The Captains Chair Leg Raise -
  
  This exercise requires a captains chair, a rack with padded arms allowing for the legs to hang free that is commonly found in gyms or health clubs. To do this exercise, stand on the chair and grip hand holds. Press back against the pad then raise knees to the chest to contract the abs then lower them back down. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

• Exercise Ball Crunch -
  
  For this exercise, an exercise ball is necessary. In this routine, the abdomen does more exerting but will still need the entire body to stabilize it throughout the routine. To do this exercise, lie on the ball with your lower back fully supported. Place hands behind the head. To lift the torso off the ball, contract the abs to pull the bottom of the rib cage towards the hips. Keep ball stable as you curl up, then lower back down to stretch the abs. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.

cardios : Anything that makes your heart pound hard, like jogging, aerobics, dancing etc. Here are some:-

1. Sprint. Run as fast and as far as you can for 20 seconds, then slow to a walk until you catch your breath. Repeat for 10 minutes.
2. Set a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike for interval training. Most modern exercise equipment can be set to an interval training mode, which significantly increases the difficulty of the exercise for short periods of time.
3. Take quick walks. Fit some exercise into your work day and take 5-minute power walks. Take long strides and keep a brisk pace, or try going up and down stairs.

Dont overdo it. When first getting into cardio, aim to workout 20 minutes, 3 days a week, then build up to 4 when youre able. Pushing yourself hard every day doesnt allow your body enough time to recover and build up muscle, and could lead to injury.

Part four- Measure your progress

Keep records of measurements of waist to hip ratio, your weight, a photo of you before the programme, your old jeans, your stamina and your visual mirror looks. Check them and compare with new results every week. It’s great to keep you motivated. But don’t rely on the scale too much. After a couple of weeks you might find that youre not losing weight or inches anymore. Dont give up! Thats just a plateau, a sign your body is adjusting to all of the positive things youre doing. Also may be your body losing fat but developing lean muscle. So keep going! Youre getting there.  You are now much closer to losing all that stomach fat.

Part five- Stay motivated

Losing belly fat doesnt have to be solely a cosmetic goal; understanding the health issues linked with belly fat can help motivate you.

Read this article: How to stay motivated