Belly fat is not typically a good news story. However, there is some good news if you want to lose that stomach fat which sits front and centre on your body. But it’s not some radical, extreme, quick fix solution.
To transform your body you must also transform your mind. Extreme answers are not healthy and they are not sustainable, yet with some targeted exercises and smart nutrition choices, you can truly lose belly fat permanently.
It’s time to be smart about the best way to burn belly fat.
Belly Fat and Visceral Fat are Not the Same
Not all fat is not created equal.
90% of body fat is typically subcutaneous, which is the layer of fat that lies just under the skin. It’s the pinchable layer of wobbly fat that forms part of the connective tissue, protecting deeper structures within the body, particularly around the midsection or belly.. A small amount subcutaneous is necessary and not harmful, however, present in significant amounts it becomes dangerous to your health.
Visceral fat makes up the other 10%. This intra-abdominal fat surrounds the organs and is not noticeable to the touch. Visceral fat is a dangerous type of fat because, unlike subcutaneous fat, it secretes hormones and inflammatory substances that raise the risk of chronic diseases. Excessive visceral fat is the predictor of Type 2 Diabetes, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
The good news is that with a little focus and small corrections to nutrition and exercise, belly fat can be burned, which contributes to overall weight loss and the reduction of life-threatening fat visceral fat.
Boost Your Metabolism
Your metabolism is the biochemical process of taking the calories you consume and turning them into the energy your body needs to function. Boosting metabolism is a way to improve your body’s energy burning abilities, because stored energy is simply another term for fat. The more efficient your metabolism is, the more fat you burn.
Nutrition plays a vital role in reducing belly fat and should be addressed if you’re serious about losing the jiggle. The following behaviours are beneficial for losing belly fat.
- Stop snacking – eating makes you hungry. When we eat, we spike insulin and the insulin spikes ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone. Eating 3 macro-balanced meals per day will satisfy your hunger. Remember food is fuel and not your partner, therapist, or entertainment centre.
- Start the day with lemon water – the vitamin C and antioxidants promote good digestion and the diuretic properties aid in detoxification which burns fat. Your kidneys and your sweat flush the toxins from your body.
- Reduce the salt – high blood pressure can decrease resting metabolism
- Reduce your portion size – you can get too much of a good thing
- Don’t eat late at night – these calories basically head straight to fat storage
- Exercise before breakfast – morning workouts are ideal for burning fat
EPOC or The “Afterburn” Effect
EPOC or Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption refers to the spike in metabolism post workout, more commonly known as the “Afterburn” effect. A high intensity exercise routine results in additional calorie-burn hours and even days after you’ve finished your workout.
Belly Fat Burning Exercises
All exercise contributes to overall health and weight loss, however, these are the supercharged workouts that give you maximum results and turn you into a fat burning machine if you dedicate yourself to them.
HIIT
The inclusion of aerobic exercise such as HIIT is ideal for losing belly fat. It is the smart way to burn maximum calories in minimum time. The logic behind HIIT is to get that heartbeat up. You perform exercises at your maximum intensity for a short period of time and then recover for a short period of time. This process is repeated, ensuring you can elevate your heart rate for an effective burst of activity, building
Strength Training
Strength training or resistance training is another great exercise routine for losing stomach fat. Building muscle contributes considerably to the “Afterburn” effect because increased muscle requires more energy. And of course, strength training is foundational because it increases muscle mass, bone density and reduces the risk of injury and encourages fat loss.
Boxing
If you really want to get the heart muscle pumping, duck and weave with a boxing class. Constantly changing your balance from leg to leg while swivelling your torso and throwing (safe) punches is the perfect combination of aerobic, HIIT and strength training. Boxing training is amazing for burning belly fat and it also keeps the cogs spinning in your brain too. Why are we still sitting here? Ding! Ding!
Lose Belly Fat the Authentic Way
The personal trainers at Authentic Health Studio, Essendon, are fitness experts, but we take a holistic approach to our coaching. Health is as much about mindset as it is about physical fitness. The best way to lose belly fat is to address both. With a few small dietary tweaks and some smart moves in the gym, you will be stunned at the results you can get, which will inspire you to live your best life.
Life is better when you’re fit, don’t ever forget it.
PS: Whenever you’re ready… we have results-driven, no-nonsense programs to improve your health and fitness:
1. Join Us For Semi-Private Personal Training – Semi-private personal training is a signature service running both morning and night. What makes it our most popular service? It’s personalised, cost-effective, and gets great results. Contact us now with ‘Semi-Private Offer’ in the subject line to learn more.
2. Join Us For 1:1 Personal Training – We realise some people want to do the work on their own, we also know many of you have goals that are personal to just you and that you might want a program written specifically for you. Contact us now with ‘Personal Training Offer’ in the subject line to learn more.
