Introduction
Isn't it amazing - and so frustrating! - how easy it is to gain weight? Our bodies are like magnets that seem to attract and pile up excess pounds as soon as our guard is down. All it takes is a couple of rich desserts, a few weeks on vacation or the Christmas holidays…bam! Our waistline has expanded in proportion to our indulgences.
Conversely, losing weight can be a grueling struggle. For some people, staying fit and maintaining a healthy weight is an unending cycle of diets, weight loss schemes and exercise programs.
However, everybody who has struggled to lose weight will unanimously agree on one thing: the most frustrating issue has got to be belly fat. Nothing is more unattractive. Nothing is more frustrating than that "spare tire" around your waistline.
Belly fat is that ugly layer of flab around our bellies and when we are trying to lose weight, it's usually the last to go.
Why do some people struggle with belly fat?
Whether you are generally overweight and have a big waistline or whether you seem to gain weight mostly around your middle, there are several common causes.
* Lifestyle: Naturally, lifestyle is the first culprit. Poor diet, smoking, too much alcohol and lack of exercise is the main cause of belly fat. Studies have found that the rise in obesity and weight issue is due to our increasingly sedentary lifestyles.
* Age: Belly fat and the loss of muscle tone is just part of the body's natural aging process. As some people age, they seem to gain more weight around their middle than anywhere else on their bodies. Women going through menopause are also prone to gaining belly fat due to hormonal changes.
* Trans-fats: The excessive consumption of trans-fats, found in fast foods and baked goods, are a major cause of belly fat and obesity.
* Alcohol: The term "beer gut" is an indication of the link between excessive drinking and belly fat.
* Stress: When our stress levels are high, our bodies release the hormone cortisol, which works to lower and alleviate stress. The
problem is that cortisol can slow down metabolism and fat-burning. In addition, in times of stress, many of us instinctively turn to food for comfort. These two factors combined are an ideal recipe for body fat.
* Genetics: Yes, studies have found that belly fat can be genetically inherited, making you more prone to gaining weight in this area. This is why some people, while being fairly slim and fit, will still have a little potbelly. This could very well be due to genetics.
* Poor sleep: A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found a correlation between reduced sleep hours and weight gain in general. Not getting enough sleep slows down metabolism and can lead to unhealthy eating habits, both of which contribute to the build-up of belly fat.
Reflect on these causes (even the genetic cause can be reversed) and identify which one or ones could be behind your belly fat. You can then choose to work on them along with the exercises for more effective results.
How can this book help?
There's only one way to get rid of belly fat and that is good old-fashioned exercise. There's no magic pill, no wonder diet or
miraculous "power drink" that will melt off that stubborn flab. Whether we like it or not, we need to work it off with exercise.
This book will help you bust your belly fat with seven easy but powerful exercises specially designed to tackle this specific area. They will give your abdomen a good workout and melt off that flab like nothing else can!
The great thing is that you don’t need to go to the gym to practice the exercises, nor do you need any expensive equipment. You can do them at home at no cost or trouble at all, except for some dedicated practice.
Chapter 1: Some Fun (and not so fun) Facts About Belly fat
Before we jump into the exercises, here are some basic facts about belly fat that are interesting for you to know.
1. In some cultures, a big belly and plump figure were something to be proud of. Belly fat was a badge of prosperity and "good" living and in fact, this mindset still exists in some Middle Eastern cultures today.
2. The scientific term for belly fat is "abdominal obesity" while the clinical term is "central obesity".
3. There are two classifications of belly fat. Visceral fat is the fat that's buried deep in the abdomen and surrounds various body organs. This type can be a potential health risk. The good news is that it responds very quickly to exercise.
Subcutaneous fat is the fat that accumulates between the abdominal wall and the skin. This type is generally harmless
except to your wallet when you may have to keep buying bigger sized pants! Subcutaneous fat is somewhat stubborn and harder to shed than visceral fat.
4. In one of the longest and most extensive studies ever conducted, a group of researchers monitored 360,000 European participants over a long-term period. They made a staggering discovery. The people with more belly fat were at a higher risk of dying prematurely than those with less or no belly fat.
5. Visceral fat has been proven to release chemicals called cytokines that increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even cancer. Studies have suggested that there is a link between belly fat and breast cancer in women.
6. Belly fat is metabolically active, which means that it releases inflammatory substances that can elevate stress levels, affect mood and cause hormonal imbalances.
7. Belly fat does not protect your bones. This is a common myth that has no basis in truth. Actually, the opposite is true. Studies indicate that visceral fat is associated with lower bone density and strength. A Harvard study conducted in 2012 even found a correlation between belly fat and osteoporosis in men.
While some of these facts are fun to know, the more serious ones are pretty scary. They are red flags indicating that belly fat can have some pretty serious health consequences. In addition to being unattractive, it could actually be shaving years off of your life. All the more reason to make the resolution to tone up your waistline ASAP!
"Try Smoothie Diet: Delicious, Easy-To-Make Smoothies For Rapid Weight Loss, Increased Energy, & Incredible Health!"
Chapter 2: The Seven Best Exercises to Bust Belly fat
These seven exercises are specially designed to bust belly fat and give you a great workout as well. They will work primarily on your waistline and abdomen to burn fat and tone the abdominal muscles. Now, while the steps are simple and easy to learn, the actual doing is going to require quite a bit of effort at the beginning.
These seven mini workouts fall under the category of resistance exercises, although not all of them require weights. However, they will powerfully work your core muscles to increase metabolism and fat burning, while lifting and toning at the same time.
Note: You will need a yoga mat for the exercises that require lying down on the floor.
1. Muscle Master Crunch
This exercise forcefully works those abdominal muscles, allowing your body to burn fat faster. An added bonus is that this awesome exercise works every muscle of your body as well.
Steps:
* Start the exercise by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
* With your arms held out also shoulder-width apart, bend downwards and rest your palms flat on the floor. Hold the position for 3-4 counts.
* With your palms still flat on the floor, kick both legs out behind you in one forceful push so that you assume a pushup position.
* Do one push up, pull your legs back under you and stand up with a jump.
* Repeat the exercise 10 times.
The secret of this exercise is in the fast-paced repetitions that pump up your metabolism to melt away belly fat.
Naturally, you may be a bit slow and awkward at first but when you get the hang of it, you should be able to do all of the steps in one fluid movement and increase your pace.
2. Mountain Climber Crunch
This exercise resembles a forceful climb upwards against the pull of gravity. It really puts your core into overdrive as you strive to keep your body straight when lifting your foot.
This exercise will be difficult at first, especially if you have not exercised for a while and are out of shape. Just keep practicing and hang in there. It will become much easier as your body gains strength.
Steps:
* This exercise requires a yoga mat.
* Assume the traditional pushup position with your body stretched out completely straight, hands in front of your shoulders with the palms down.
* Raise your body off the floor as if preparing to do a pushup.
* Raise your right foot from the floor and forcefully pull your knee up towards your chest.
* Tap the floor with your right foot and return it to the starting position.
* Repeat 20 times, alternating between both feet.
This crunch can be practiced as a conditioning exercise that ramps up your heart rate and burns some serious calories.
To make the exercise really effective, do as many crunches as you can for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and repeat for a total of 4 minutes.
Again, you will probably be a little slow at first but as you get stronger, you should be able to do the reps quickly.
3. Trusty Toe Touches
This good old exercise will never go out of fashion because it's one of the simplest and most effective exercises for busting belly fat and toning up the abdominal muscles.
Steps:
* You can start by either lying back on your yoga mat with your arms stretched straight behind your head or sitting down with arms raised straight above your head.
* If you are lying down, do a full sit-up, stretch forward and touch your toes.
* If you start in the sitting position, simply bend forward and touch your toes.
This exercise may not be as easy as it seems. Naturally, the more belly fat you have, the harder it will be to easily reach your toes. But as the fat gradually melts away, what an amazing sense of accomplishment you'll feel the more easily you're able to touch your toes!
4. Med-Ball Slam-dunk
This explosive exercise is great fun - and great for toning your belly because it requires the use of all the muscles between your neck ad hips.
Steps:
* You will need a one-kilo medicine ball for this exercise.
* Stand with your legs firmly planted on the floor, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
* Hold the ball straight above your head.
* Take a deep breath and slam the ball down with all of your strength, then quickly catch it when it rebounds.
* Repeat 2o times.
For this exercise to work, make sure to pack some real power behind that ball when you slam it down!
5. Planks
This exercise gets its name from the "plank" position, which works several groups of muscles but particularly the abdominal muscles.
Planks is an endurance exercise that will really challenge both your endurance and your focus.
Steps:
* Lie down on a yoga mat in the pushup position, then lift and support your body with your forearm and toes.
* Make sure that your back is perfectly straight and that your hips are not touching the floor.
* Hold this position for 15-20 seconds, while fully concentrating on keeping your body straight and balanced.
* Release the position and rest for 10 seconds.
Repeat the exercise 3-5 times.
6. Leg Curls
This is a great exercise for burning belly fat and
toning the thighs as well.
Steps:
* It's best that you use a high chair for this exercise, or some other elevated object such as a sturdy table,
* Sit on the edge of the chair or table and lean back with your legs stretched out. If using a chair, do not rest your back on the backrest when you lean.
* Bend your knees and raise them up towards your abdomen than unfold your legs slowly to their original position. Keep your muscles clenched tightly as you do the exercise.
* Repeat 8-10 times.
7. The Oblique Exercise
This resistance exercise is a great way to stretch and tone the abs. It involves the use of two hand weights.
Steps:
* Stand with your feet slightly apart, keeping your back straight and holding a weight in each hand.
* Begin the exercise with both hands holding the weights at your sides.
* Slowly lean to the right side as far as you can. Keep your legs straight and don't bend your knees.
* Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side.
* Do 1o repetitions, rest for 30 seconds and repeat two more times.
So, did you expect the exercises to be this simple? Well, they may be simple but they absolutely pack a powerful punch when it comes to busting belly fat. Just don’t forget to warm up before starting in order to prevent injury and muscle cramps.
Don’t worry if you are a bit slow at first, especially if you're a little bit out of shape. Don’t overexert yourself and rest between reps if you need to. It will get easier as your muscles become firmer
and you will gradually be able to ramp up the pace and the forcefulness required.
So, what can you expect from these exercises, when can you expect to start seeing results, and what is the best way to do them? Read on to find out.
Chapter 3: What to Expect
Your body will respond to these exercises if you follow the Three-P rule, which is Patience - Perseverance - Practice. These three factors combined are the key to your success.
Patience: Tough goals are not achieved overnight. And shedding stubborn belly fat is definitely not a walk in the park. Moreover, the more of it you have, the tougher it will be to get rid of it. The change will come but it will be gradual. That's why patience is crucial.
Don’t expect to notice any change before a minimum of two weeks.
However, this is just an average timeframe. Some people may start to see results as early as one week from starting their exercise routine. For others, weight loss will be slower but the average is in the range of two weeks.
How quickly or slowly you will see results depends on your lifestyle and your body's metabolism.
Likewise, the amount of fat you lose as you continue to exercise again depends on your body's natural propensity and metabolism. Some people will start to shed the fat very quickly while for others, more patience is required.
The bottom line? Be patient and give the exercises time to work!
Perseverance: It's going to be tough going, especially at the beginning. Be prepared to moan, groan and grunt your way through some of the exercises the first few times you do them. You're going to wake up so sore and stiff the next day that you may actually consider quitting. It will require every ounce of perseverance to keep going.
Just know that soreness and stiffness, especially around your midline, is a good sign. It means that the exercises are kicking in and that your body is responding!
Your only course is perseverance and your stubborn will to lose that unattractive flab. So, grit your teeth and let your mantra be, "I can do it. Quitting is not an option. I deserve to be fit and to look good." Positive self-talk will do wonders for your perseverance because it consistently sends the message to your brain that you are fired up and intent on a certain behavior. In
turn, your brain will boost your mental tenacity and physical perseverance.
The good news is that these exercises will get easier over time. And once you start seeing and feeling the results, this will be all the motivation you need to continue.
Practice: It will take some time to get the exercises down pat and decide how you will create your own exercise routine. Just make sure to read the steps carefully so that you do them correctly.
The most important thing you need to do is schedule a time for your exercises and stick to it just as you would an important meeting - or a hot date! Make your exercise sessions a priority and schedule other tasks around them. Never let them be the first thing you cross off your list when something unexpected comes up.
It's vital that you practice the exercises regularly so that their effects can gain momentum and start shedding belly fat. Falling off the wagon repeatedly will mean that each time you pick up again, you are actually starting from scratch.
How often should you exercise and in what order?
A minimum of twice a week for 15 minutes is required if you want to see any kind of result. Of course, if you want to schedule three, four or more sessions a week, or even do the exercises daily, go for it!
A good option is to start with 2-3 exercise sessions a week and add more days as you go along to really ramp up the workout.
There's no specific order in which to do the seven exercises, nor do you have to do them all. Just design a program that works well for you.
For example, you can choose to do the seven exercises one after the other in one session. Or, you can do three or four with more repetitions. You can even do just two with more reps during a 15-minute session.
Another option is to start with two or three of the exercises that appeal to you most for the first week and add more as you progress.
Remember, nothing is carved in stone here. The beauty of these exercises is that they allow you to be as flexible as you want or
need to be. Feel free to play around with different combinations until you are able to create your ideal exercise plan.
A word about lifestyle
Naturally, a healthy lifestyle will help you get the most out of the exercises. There's no need to go into details here. We all know more or less what a healthy lifestyle involves.
What's the point of sweating through the exercises if you're going to order fast food every night for dinner? Or going out for a pint of beer with the guys every day after work? To be perfectly
honest, trying to lose belly fat with these exercises is a waste of time unless coupled with some lifestyle modifications.
There's no need to go on a diet while practicing these exercises, thinking you will lose weight faster. In fact, strict calorie restrictions may actually weaken your body.
The beauty of these belly fat-busting exercises is that they will work great with a few lifestyle changes. These include eating a balanced diet, avoiding alcohol and carbonated drinks, drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep. If you're a smoker, it wouldn't hurt to cut down, either and hopefully, gradually quit altogether.
Your intention to lose that belly fat can be the perfect opportunity for you to break some bad habits. Let these exercises motivate you to develop healthier eating and lifestyle so that, your weight loss will be long-lasting and life-changing.
Support healthy weight loss with exotic nutrients and plants.
Chapter 4: Some Cool Tips to Keep you on Track
Staying motivated and on track is an important piece of the process. You may want to consider some of these ideas that you can incorporate into your exercise routine. They'll actually make busting belly fat an enjoyable experience!
1. Listen to a fascinating podcast or audiobook
Your exercise session can be the ideal way to catch up on your reading. If you're a busy career person, it's a great way to work on improving your mind and your body at the same time.
Here's an added bonus: if the content is especially riveting, you'll want to keep exercising to see what happens next!
2. Check out the app store for some awesome fitness apps
Fitness apps have been a popular trend for years and they're still going strong, with millions of users worldwide.
They can do anything from scheduling exercise times, tracking how many calories you burn and alerting you to start/stop/duration time of an exercise.
One app will actually gamify your workouts allowing you to challenge yourself and up your game through increasingly challenging levels! Another really cool app will play the music that matches your pace, right from your own playlist.
Whatever type of motivation or support you need, you can be sure that there's an app out there for you. Most apps are also customizable so that you can tweak them to suit your personal needs.
3. Wear suitable workout clothes
Exercising at home doesn’t mean doing it a beat-up pair of shorts and tattered t-shirt. Or, heaven forbid, in your underwear!
Think of it this way: if you're invited to a black-tie event, you wouldn’t show up in jeans and a denim shirt, would you?
Your exercises are serious business - and good quality workout clothes matter. After all, they're designed for working out!
The right workout clothes will make you feel streamlined and support your body so that you will enjoy exercising more. In addition, being well-kitted out in proper workout wear will subconsciously give you the mindset that exercise is important and beneficial enough for you to invest in the proper gear.
This may seem like a trivial tip if you're doing these exercises at home. But if you try it, you'll see that it makes a difference to your mindset and motivation.
4. Follow a strict schedule for the first month
It's crucial that you structure your first month of exercise with a strict schedule - and stick to it - why? Quite simply, because the first month is the hardest.
You might even want to enlist the help of a friend or family member to monitor you and hold you accountable.
As you start to gain strength and see tangible results, you will be motivated and eager to keep going without any help.
5. Keep a journal
Record the frustrations, challenges and breakthroughs of your journey on a regular basis. You should ideally make no less than two entries a week but if you feel like journaling every day, by all means, go for it!
Journaling is a great way to keep track of your progress and identify specific patterns that work especially well for you. A journal also makes for enjoyable reading a couple of years down the line.
Another good tip is to add before, during and after photos of your journey, photos of you exercising and so on.
6. Listen to music!
Create a playlist of your favorite music that lasts as long as your exercise session. Nothing will make the time fly and your workout more enjoyable than your favorite tunes keeping you company.
The music doesn't necessarily have to be fast-paced. If your passion is classical music or even hymns, awesome! Whatever works for you.
7. Don’t weigh yourself every day
Never fall into the frustrating and guilt-inducing trap every day. And don’t wake up and run to the mirror every day to check whether your waistline looks thinner.
Just continue with your exercises and don't obsess about your weight or belly fat. You will see and feel the changes gradually without needing to jump on the scale or check your figure in the mirror.
8. Don't beat yourself up about setbacks
Setbacks are a fact of life. If you encounter a setback. Beating yourself up about it will only discourage you more and may make you stop exercising altogether.
This is where perseverance comes in. Pick yourself up, keep going and tell yourself that you can do it.
9. Visualize your goal
Your goal is a trim, toned waistline. Take a few minutes every day to visualize how you will look when you have achieved your goal. Take a few minutes each day to engage in this visualization. Imagine what you will be wearing, how fit and energetic you will feel and how your friends will compliment you on how amazing you look.
Visualization is a powerful tool to keep your goal top of mind and boost motivation.
10. Celebrate successes
Celebrate successful milestones on your journey by doing something nice for yourself!
Your goal of getting rid of belly fat will be a process of trial and error as you grow and settle into your exercise routine.
Get creative and come up with your personal tweaks to help you stay on track and stay motivated.
Finally, don’t forget to warm up for five minutes before exercising and do some stretches when you are done.
Conclusion
As we have seen, belly fat can be a health risk and cause some pretty serious issues. Plus, it is unattractive, plain and simple.
The solution is in your hands with the seven exercises discussed here.
You can do them anywhere in your home, and even outdoors if you prefer. You can even do them in your office if you have enough space. No gym memberships, no expensive equipment is required, and no grueling, military-style workout routine; just seven simple exercises that will have you feeling and looking super fit.
Remember the Three Ps: patience, perseverance and practice as you begin your belly fat-busting challenge. Use some of the fin tips to make exercising more enjoyable.
You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to live a long, healthy and active life. Getting rid of belly fat will help you do that. And having a toned, trim waistline doesn't hurt either!
HAPPY EXERCISING!
Want To Take Your Fitness To The Next Level At Home?
>> CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED NOW! <<
Comments
Post a Comment