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How to Lose Belly Fat - 3 Simple Steps…
One specific subject that often comes up in fitness is how to lose belly fat. Whether you need to lose a spare tire or get rid of a little poochy belly, the prescription is just a different degree of the same formula. First though, I must tell you that losing fat is not a selective process. You don’t get to choose where it comes off. However, chances are that the first place it will come off is the place it needs to come off the most. So if you really need to lose belly fat, that will likely be where you notice your first results.
To keep things simple and still get results, here are three basic elements of a plan to lose fat.
- Eat fewer calories.
- Burn calories with cardio.
- Keep and tone your muscle with resistance training, with emphasis on your abs.
As simple as that “plan” sounds, the devil is in the details - always is. It’s simple, but not easy. It takes discipline, but set your mind on your goal and you can do it. Let’s take a quick look at each element one by one.
Eat fewer calories.
Come on, you know this already, it’s a no-brainer. The key to losing fat is burning more calories than you’re taking in, that part is just math. Look at a normal day for you and pay attention to what you eat and drink. One of the easiest ways to cut calories is to drink more water instead of other drinks - especially sodas and juices. Pay attention to the calorie count in what you drink. You can drink lots of calories and not even know it. If you drink one soda a day at around 150 calories, you’re adding over 1,000 calories a week to your diet. If that’s your routine, cut out that soda and you’re now losing that 1,000 calories a week. That adds up (or takes off) a pound in less than four weeks! Just from removing one soda a day. What else do you drink in a day? Not drinking your calories is just one simple way to change your diet for the better.
Burn calories with cardio.
Adding calorie-burning exercises to your efforts to drop calories from your diet will speed up your results in your quest to lose belly fat. If you remove 150 calories a day by cutting out that soda, then burn another 150 calories a day through exercise, you’ve effectively doubled your efforts. Now, it’s not quite that simple, but the principle is sound. Keep in mind we’re talking about burning an extra 150 calories (or whatever) above and beyond what you burn in your day-to-day activities. You can do this by jogging, walking, jumping jacks, or of course, kettlebell swings or snatches - just to name a few. The point is, get up and move your body.
Keep and tone muscle with resistance training, with emphasis on your abs.
This is one that I believe is too often overlooked. If you take steps one and two above but neglect this one, chances are you’ll still lose weight. However, you’ll likely lose muscle along with the fat, and you won’t end up with the muscle tone you want. You want muscle tone, so you need to give your body a reason to keep the muscle. You send your body that message with resistance training. You’re effectively telling your body, “Hey, I’m using this muscle so hang on to it.” If you don’t do this, your body will use some of your muscle for energy. You don’t want that, you want it to use as much fat as possible for its energy source. Regarding ab training - don’t try to make it your primary focus, but be sure not to neglect it. If you’re going to lose belly fat, you want some tone in what’s underneath.
So there you have it. Simple, maybe slightly oversimplified, but it will produce results. Again, it’s not easy to actually do all the time, but certainly simple principles to learn and apply. There are also many more steps and details to help you dial in your results. Never stop learning. I hope to make this site a helpful resource.
And folks, if you cave in a drink that soda or eat that bowl of ice cream, don’t beat yourself up! That can start a cycle you know you don’t want to be in. So you drank the soda, ate the cake, cookie, whatever… just get back on track. You’re not going to “blow your diet” by indulging in a few sweets. Just make sure you regain control and get back with the program. You can do this!
For a fun and unique alternative to mainstream exercise programs, I encourage you to look into kettlebells. I’ve honestly gotten better workouts with kettlebells than any other workout tool I’ve tried. For kettlebells themselves, check out the Authentic Russian Kettlebells or for a slightly smaller investment, the Russian Reds. Only the finish is different.
To learn how to use them, the best resources I’ve used are the Enter the Kettlebell book (DVD also available) and From Russia with Tough Love, or the Kettlebell Goddess Workout DVD - both available from Russian Kettlebells. I discuss kettlebells often here, but for detailed instructions you’re best off to check out one of the books or DVDs.
For some detailed information about what kettlebells can do for you, check out the Russian Kettlebells site.
You also might want to check into getting a Fat Tester or Heart Rate Monitor.
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