Belly fat !!!

chatal36
chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
What do you think is the best cardio activity? The elliptical is doing nothing for me?

Replies

  • lordofultima
    lordofultima Posts: 293
    The best cardio activity is anything that gets your heartrate going, for a prolonged period of time. Simple as that!
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    For me, running is. I burn the most calories doing that than any other cardio exercise (that I've tried so far). Bonus is, I enjoy doing it.

    I love the elliptical too though. Have you tried increasing the resistance and incline? It will make it more challenging. I like doing intervals too during cardio so it's not so boring, going at the same pace for 30 minutes straight or however long I work out. Try it out. 2 minutes at one level and then up it up to a more difficulty resistance for 1 minute or 2 minutes and then repeat.
  • msbutterflyjess
    msbutterflyjess Posts: 20
    ive had a few people tell me that when you are trying to get rid of fat, not to do weights, but i disagree. i do circuit training and cardio and although the weightloss has been a slow going process, i have seen a big loss in inches, especially in the belly. i would say to start w your biggest muscle groups first, as they are the ones that will give you a boost in your metabolic rate all day long, which will in turn burn more fat all over.
  • FemininGuns
    FemininGuns Posts: 605 Member
    Just like poster above - Any cardio that gets your heart rate up works. Could be that you aren't working hard enough on the elliptical... You shouldn't be able to carry a conversation... If you have no one to talk to to gauge... Try singing a tune... If you can carry it along, kick it up a notch!
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
    aerobic yoga. Seriously hardcore.
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    Zumba is great - I do the DVD's and a class. Bike riding and water aerobics too. Lost 8 inches off my tummy - so far!
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
    Try interval training.
    Get on a treadmill, or and elliptical trainer and do 1 minute a casual jog with a low incline, and then 1 minute on a much higher level sprinting (you should be gasping for air at the end of this minute), then one minute casual, and repeat for a minimum of twenty minutes. Your heart as to work hard with the changing speeds and it's great for burning fat and improving fitness, plus I think it makes the time go faster coz you are so focused on the hard minutes and trying to recover in the easy ones.

    Also remember Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym! Your diet has the biggest effect on belly fat. how much salt and alcohol are you consuming?
  • ginnyroxx
    ginnyroxx Posts: 763
    zumba! :)
  • gracienkaidens_momma
    gracienkaidens_momma Posts: 379 Member
    Pilates (most notably the Teaser series) is great for flattening the abs too!
  • TaraMaria
    TaraMaria Posts: 1,975
    Kickboxing and Zumba are my saving graces! Kickboxing is amazing as far as the versatility. My DVD has an AB routine that knocks me out. As far as Zumba goes, I feel like all of it has me moving my hips and tucking my tummy! But they have a 20 minute ab workout that is awesome too!

    The elliptical and I are just getting reacquainted but so far so good! I've been doing all interval. Its amazing and challenging. And I love running! Its been amazing! The couch 2 5K program is talked about a lot and might be something to check out!

    I notice the most results with my stomach however when I do something that specifically targets it, like my kickboxing ab routine or the zumba ab routine.
  • blueelephant1212
    blueelephant1212 Posts: 100 Member
    Zumba is great - I do the DVD's and a class. Bike riding and water aerobics too. Lost 8 inches off my tummy - so far!

    wow! that's great! i can't wait to get the wii zumba game now! :D hope it arrives fast!
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I agree that the best cardio workout is one that raises your heart rate and could be anything.

    Adding to that, just pick the one that you like the best and that you will stick with!

    Right now, I am doing Insanity and burning an average of 600 calories per workout...but I simply LOVE athletic type moves and plyometrics. Other people might hate that kind of workout, so it wouldn't be right for them. They would most likely not workout as hard as they could because they don't like it, and that means that with lowering the intensity, they have ultimately lowered the effectiveness.

    Try lots of different things until you find something that you really love and will stick to! And better yet, something that you enjoy adding more intensity to because it is this intensity which brings down the house when it comes to calories burned in a workout.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    Running! It works the core and tones extremely well. Cycling or Spinning is my close second. I burn more calories cycling, but the workout feels tougher when i run.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    Does your gym offer a core class? Doing core and weight training always make my stomach look smaller! I can do all the cardio I want but it won't budge my stomach like core and weight training!
  • fxst78
    fxst78 Posts: 221 Member
    You need to lift heavy weights with you biggest muscles. That will boost your metabolism. Weighted Squats and Dead lifts. Heaps of cardio will have you lose fat but you will also lose muscle. If you lose muscle your Lean Muscle Mass goes down and your metablism will go DOWN. That is a bad thing!!!!
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    You need to lift heavy weights with you biggest muscles. That will boost your metabolism. Weighted Squats and Dead lifts. Heaps of cardio will have you lose fat but you will also lose muscle. If you lose muscle your Lean Muscle Mass goes down and your metablism will go DOWN. That is a bad thing!!!!

    Completely agree!!
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
    What was said above -- anything that gets your heart rate raised. I am doing Turbo Fire right now and am loving it.

    Do cardio for 6 times a week and weight training 3 times a week.
  • Krimicri
    Krimicri Posts: 38
    Due to arthritis in my lower back along with a hamstring injury I've been spending a lot of time on a recumbent bike. It keeps my heart rate up and I can do it for an hour with a book and I feel great after. :) Sweaty, but great.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    No workout can cause spot reduction. Your body looses fat as it was put on.

    First on, last off. Last on, first off....
  • T_R_A_V
    T_R_A_V Posts: 1,629 Member
    Mix it up....do some inteval training at the gym....run for 2 mins and walk for 1 min and repeat it

    Try insanity...it will kick your *kitten* and you will love it
  • Unknown
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  • 1Steph1
    1Steph1 Posts: 145
    ive had a few people tell me that when you are trying to get rid of fat, not to do weights, but i disagree. i do circuit training and cardio and although the weightloss has been a slow going process, i have seen a big loss in inches, especially in the belly. i would say to start w your biggest muscle groups first, as they are the ones that will give you a boost in your metabolic rate all day long, which will in turn burn more fat all over.

    Who on earth said that! LOL the best way to lose fa is to build muscle. The more muscle you have the more fat and calories your body uses to maintain it. So you turn your body into a fat burning machine! I do resistance training at least 3 times a week and cardio 5-6 times and I see really good consistent results.
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
    The variety of responses is great. I've done quite a few different things and feel like what impacts my stomach area the most/best/quickest is zumba! Like above posters said, it involves a lot of tummy flattening and hip twisting - plus, your heart rate is up at the same time. I feel like it requires a similar flattening of the stomach as pilates, yet it has a cardio element.

    Pilates is SUPPOSED to be really effective as well, but I have yet to keep focus with the routine long enough to see results in my stomach. I do notice quick results in my legs, however, when doing Pilates. Hmmm.

    Good luck and have fun!
  • chatal36
    chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
    Thank you all very much. I know that i am consuming too much sodium and alcohol. I have decided to cut out alcohol all together it just doesnt fit in with my life goals right now. I just quit smoking so drinking tempts me to smoke.. not good. I tried runing intervals last night..note to self make sure to warm uo at least 5-10 minutes beforer starting that or else it will be painful

    Your right, diet is were its at.
  • kmahly
    kmahly Posts: 39 Member
    The best cardio activity is anything that gets your heartrate going, for a prolonged period of time. Simple as that!

    ^
    |

    This.

    And I would also add by saying make it something you enjoy (or at least can tolerate), something that doesn't aggravate any previous issues, and is something you know you could maintain for the duration of the workout session. :)
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