Exercises to target belly fat loss

betsybruhn

I am going to really up my cardio over the next month to burn more calories and not concentrate so much on weight lifting and core work (I will still do some just not as much to give myself time for more cardio). I have good muscle tone and strength but I think I just need to burn more calories to lose the fat. It really comes down to calories in vs calories out. So build your core but also use cardio to burn the calories.

taso42

I am going to really up my cardio over the next month to burn more calories and not concentrate so much on weight lifting and core work (I will still do some just not as much to give myself time for more cardio). I have good muscle tone and strength but I think I just need to burn more calories to lose the fat. It really comes down to calories in vs calories out. So build your core but also use cardio to burn the calories.

Dial in your diet. Don't try to out-cardio it. That could be counterproductive as it may make you catabolic.

crazy4fids

First, google "wheat belly" and then eliminate wheat glutens and processed sugars from your diet. I know a few people that have targeted belly fat just by eliminating wheat and glutens from their diet.

Second, any exercise that will strenghten your core will help.

Unfortunately, we don't have a choice where our bodies melt the fat from. Just be satisfied knowing that you are loosing fat.

Hope this helps,

Linda

marvybells

Could you please explain HIIT cardio?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. I am sure there are a lot of ways of implementing HIIT training. In fact, I believe that Insanity, P90X, and a lot of other commercially available fitness programs use HIIT methodology. But here is how I do it. Pick 4 exercises. For example: purpees, pushups, jack knives, & assisted pull-ups. You are going to do 4 rounds with these three exercises. For round 1, do as many burpees as you can for a minute. Then with no rest immediately do as many pushups as you can for a minute. Then jack knives for a minute and then assisted pull-ups for a minute. NO REST BETWEEN EXERCISES. Then for round 2 you do the same only using 45 second intervals in stead of 60 second intervals. For round 3, use 30 second intervals, and for round 4 use 15 second intervals. Just as there is no rest between exercises, there is no rest between rounds. This should take a total of 10 minutes and should kick your @ss if you really go as hard as you can for every round & exercise. I like to do 3 HIIT "sets" using a different set of exercises each time with as little rest as possible for recovery time between "sets". Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Team BeachBody.com

For HIIT check out Insanity & Les Mills Combat for starters. There are others as well. Enjoy!

You don't have to buy a program, but I do use a tabata timer. I blog my tabata hiit, here's one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/allabtlm/view/5-16-2012-kick-butt-tabata-260567

my tabatas are 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 rounds (for a total of 4 minutes per exercise) go as hard as you can go when you're on and rest (not active rest) when you're off.

When I'm doing speed work on a treadmill I do active rest, so 30 - 45 seconds all out and 15 - 20 seconds walking. If I'm doing this I do it for a maximum of 20 minutes (mainly because I get bored and the treadmill hurts my legs).

If you would like a free routine to follow check out Fitnessblender.com (or search "fitnessblender" on youtube)
They have a tone of free videos, several of which are HIIT routines

Here's one, it is kind of long & tough but if that is what you are looking for it'll burn a lot of cals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocWjGpBrTjg

they have others of varying lengths & intensity if this one is not quite what you are looking for. For instance, this one is about 20 mins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpeN0xX1VVg

sigsby

I find that by changing up my exercises really helps. What single exercise seems to help me the most? Walking up the stars. My office is on the third floor and as of January 1st stopped taking the elevator. I keep score each day of how many trips up the stairs I take. I have noticed a trend. The more times I walk up the stars the more weight I lose. I don't count it in my exercises. I consider it to be a natural part of life.

psuLemon

First, google "wheat belly" and then eliminate wheat glutens and processed sugars from your diet. I know a few people that have targeted belly fat just by eliminating wheat and glutens from their diet.

Second, any exercise that will strenghten your core will help.

Unfortunately, we don't have a choice where our bodies melt the fat from. Just be satisfied knowing that you are loosing fat.

Hope this helps,

Linda

Eliminating wheat will do nothing to target body fat. And it will not help anyone unless they have a gluten allergy. Even eliminating processed sugars won't improve fat loss, it's all about a deficit. You can eliminate process sugars for health reasons but it won't improve fat loss to any area.

jzammetti

Everything I've been reading says heavy lifting is the best way to burn fat - and I see implications that weight lifting burns abdominal fat more efficiently than cardo exercise (although I am not sure this is true).

I used to just run - But today I am beginning a 6 month heavy lifing program to see if I can finally be rid of my squishy middle. Hoping it will work!!

ClassicStyles

Here's what I am going to say to this....

Everyone has a different body type, different places where fat tends to deposit.
So, since my fat tends to go to my belly - if I start to lose fat, I will see a difference in my belly usually first.

To help this reduction in fat, to be more visible.. I do toning and strengthening exercises that target the belly and then I see the results faster. (Note... I don't lose fat faster... I see the results faster....it is more visible with toning and strengthening in the area.)

Oh and your belly muscles will hurt like hell.... These work for me...

I lay on my back, with my hands under my bum for support and then I do leg lifts - one.. then the other....then both...it is hardest and most effective when the legs are straight. Another way, is for me to lay on my back and have my legs straight up in the air..(hands under the bum for support) .then my daughter will stand behind me...over my head, facing my feet, and then she pushes my feet & legs straight down to the ground.... I have to use all my belly strength to raise my legs straight back up (no leg bending) . Then she pushes the legs down again...It's tough and fun to have my daughter help me. (I have seen athletes do this on my son's football team and their abs are like rocks. Good Luck.

K_Serz

Could you please explain HIIT cardio?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. I am sure there are a lot of ways of implementing HIIT training. In fact, I believe that Insanity, P90X, and a lot of other commercially available fitness programs use HIIT methodology. But here is how I do it. Pick 4 exercises. For example: purpees, pushups, jack knives, & assisted pull-ups. You are going to do 4 rounds with these three exercises. For round 1, do as many burpees as you can for a minute. Then with no rest immediately do as many pushups as you can for a minute. Then jack knives for a minute and then assisted pull-ups for a minute. NO REST BETWEEN EXERCISES. Then for round 2 you do the same only using 45 second intervals in stead of 60 second intervals. For round 3, use 30 second intervals, and for round 4 use 15 second intervals. Just as there is no rest between exercises, there is no rest between rounds. This should take a total of 10 minutes and should kick your @ss if you really go as hard as you can for every round & exercise. I like to do 3 HIIT "sets" using a different set of exercises each time with as little rest as possible for recovery time between "sets". Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Team BeachBody.com

For HIIT check out Insanity & Les Mills Combat for starters. There are others as well. Enjoy!

You don't have to buy a program, but I do use a tabata timer. I blog my tabata hiit, here's one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/allabtlm/view/5-16-2012-kick-butt-tabata-260567

my tabatas are 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 rounds (for a total of 4 minutes per exercise) go as hard as you can go when you're on and rest (not active rest) when you're off.

When I'm doing speed work on a treadmill I do active rest, so 30 - 45 seconds all out and 15 - 20 seconds walking. If I'm doing this I do it for a maximum of 20 minutes (mainly because I get bored and the treadmill hurts my legs).

True. You dont have to buy anything. But for most people without a clue, it sure makes it easy. And the people complain about how expensive things are are dillusional. They probably have already wasted much more $$$ on other things that have got them nowhere. (eg Gym Memberships, Deal a Meal)

Its funny you reference Rockstar jumps and 1-2-3 Heismans in your tabata link. (P90x/Insanity) I would have to say that most people not familiar with working out would have no clue what these things are and would need a fair amount of explaining. Which is why for the majority of people watching a video is much easier. Monkey see, monkey do. :happy:

alanlmarshall

Everything I've been reading says heavy lifting is the best way to burn fat - and I see implications that weight lifting burns abdominal fat more efficiently than cardo exercise (although I am not sure this is true).

I used to just run - But today I am beginning a 6 month heavy lifing program to see if I can finally be rid of my squishy middle. Hoping it will work!!

A calorie deficit is the best way to burn fat. HIIT would probably come second. If by heavy lifting you mean "become an accomplished body builder," then yes, that will burn fat. A worthy goal, it's just important to understand the dedication it will take going in. A high rep, low weight workout a few times a week isn't going to make much of a dent. Neither will doing only bench press and looking in the mirror a lot.

Edited to add I am not saying that you are going to do that, it was intended as a general comment.

cheyy_nicoleee

Thanks everyone for the advice. Does anyone know any good workout routines (like jillian michaels abs) I could ad in?

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Could you please explain HIIT cardio?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. I am sure there are a lot of ways of implementing HIIT training. In fact, I believe that Insanity, P90X, and a lot of other commercially available fitness programs use HIIT methodology. But here is how I do it. Pick 4 exercises. For example: purpees, pushups, jack knives, & assisted pull-ups. You are going to do 4 rounds with these three exercises. For round 1, do as many burpees as you can for a minute. Then with no rest immediately do as many pushups as you can for a minute. Then jack knives for a minute and then assisted pull-ups for a minute. NO REST BETWEEN EXERCISES. Then for round 2 you do the same only using 45 second intervals in stead of 60 second intervals. For round 3, use 30 second intervals, and for round 4 use 15 second intervals. Just as there is no rest between exercises, there is no rest between rounds. This should take a total of 10 minutes and should kick your @ss if you really go as hard as you can for every round & exercise. I like to do 3 HIIT "sets" using a different set of exercises each time with as little rest as possible for recovery time between "sets". Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Team BeachBody.com

For HIIT check out Insanity & Les Mills Combat for starters. There are others as well. Enjoy!

You don't have to buy a program, but I do use a tabata timer. I blog my tabata hiit, here's one: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/allabtlm/view/5-16-2012-kick-butt-tabata-260567

my tabatas are 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 rounds (for a total of 4 minutes per exercise) go as hard as you can go when you're on and rest (not active rest) when you're off.

When I'm doing speed work on a treadmill I do active rest, so 30 - 45 seconds all out and 15 - 20 seconds walking. If I'm doing this I do it for a maximum of 20 minutes (mainly because I get bored and the treadmill hurts my legs).

True. You dont have to buy anything. But for most people without a clue, it sure makes it easy. And the people complain about how expensive things are are dillusional. They probably have already wasted much more $$$ on other things that have got them nowhere. (eg Gym Memberships, Deal a Meal)

Its funny you reference Rockstar jumps and 1-2-3 Heismans in your tabata link. (P90x/Insanity) I would have to say that most people not familiar with working out would have no clue what these things are and would need a fair amount of explaining. Which is why for the majority of people watching a video is much easier. Monkey see, monkey do. :happy:

If you think that BB programs trademarked those terms you'd be mistaken, that would be like saying the Gilead was the originator of the curtsey lunge and Jane Fonda was the first person to do a leg lift. Also, I didn't complain about the cost, I just suggested that purchasing a program is unnecessary, especially since you can get some really great workouts on youtube if you prefer videos or just by putting a question into google . . . or even by posting a question here.

I don't hate BB (my opinion on about 90% of the "coaches" on the other hand I'll leave to myself), as a Group Ex instructor (Les Mills Pump, Les Mills Step, and free style classes including tabata and core) I think that it's a great distribution machine when groups don't have the distribution power (like Les Mills) but the know how to get the job done and if that's the route a person wants to go there are some really good programs down that path . . . it's just not the only path.

sccet

http://www.trimmedandtoned.com/a-hiit-workout-routine-to-burn-belly-fat-fast

Commence puking.

AmandaJW1981

WOW! I thought all this was to help out others and instead its all negativity about the one who posted the topic. Glad I dont have any of you on my friends list. I think it was an awesome topic and I understand wheres shes coming from but looks like everyone read into it way to much and turned it all around. People shouldnt comment if all you have to say is negative stuff.

alanlmarshall

If everyone knows that you can't spot reduce, why do some keep recommending ab workouts? It doesn't burn much fat, and it doesn't help with the OP's goal to reduce the belly. From all I've heard it's mostly a waste of time. I'm open to reading any convincing evidence to the contrary.

LoraF83

Everything I've been reading says heavy lifting is the best way to burn fat - and I see implications that weight lifting burns abdominal fat more efficiently than cardo exercise (although I am not sure this is true).

I used to just run - But today I am beginning a 6 month heavy lifing program to see if I can finally be rid of my squishy middle. Hoping it will work!!

A calorie deficit is the best way to burn fat. HIIT would probably come second. If by heavy lifting you mean "become an accomplished body builder," then yes, that will burn fat. A worthy goal, it's just important to understand the dedication it will take going in. A high rep, low weight workout a few times a week isn't going to make much of a dent. Neither will doing only bench press and looking in the mirror a lot.

Edited to add I am not saying that you are going to do that, it was intended as a general comment.

There is a middle ground here - where people do heavy compound lifting, using programs like Strong Lifts, Starting Strength, Wendler, and NROLFW and lose weight and fat without becoming "accomplished body builders".

alanlmarshall

Everything I've been reading says heavy lifting is the best way to burn fat - and I see implications that weight lifting burns abdominal fat more efficiently than cardo exercise (although I am not sure this is true).

I used to just run - But today I am beginning a 6 month heavy lifing program to see if I can finally be rid of my squishy middle. Hoping it will work!!

A calorie deficit is the best way to burn fat. HIIT would probably come second. If by heavy lifting you mean "become an accomplished body builder," then yes, that will burn fat. A worthy goal, it's just important to understand the dedication it will take going in. A high rep, low weight workout a few times a week isn't going to make much of a dent. Neither will doing only bench press and looking in the mirror a lot.

Edited to add I am not saying that you are going to do that, it was intended as a general comment.

There is a middle ground here - where people do heavy compound lifting, using programs like Strong Lifts, Starting Strength, Wendler, and NROLFW and lose weight and fat without becoming "accomplished body builders".

If you sctrictly follow Starting Strength (and the others I assume) you are an accomplished body builder. If you play around with weights a few times a week, you're not. The later is more common than the former. That's all I'm saying.

LoraF83

Everything I've been reading says heavy lifting is the best way to burn fat - and I see implications that weight lifting burns abdominal fat more efficiently than cardo exercise (although I am not sure this is true).

I used to just run - But today I am beginning a 6 month heavy lifing program to see if I can finally be rid of my squishy middle. Hoping it will work!!

A calorie deficit is the best way to burn fat. HIIT would probably come second. If by heavy lifting you mean "become an accomplished body builder," then yes, that will burn fat. A worthy goal, it's just important to understand the dedication it will take going in. A high rep, low weight workout a few times a week isn't going to make much of a dent. Neither will doing only bench press and looking in the mirror a lot.

Edited to add I am not saying that you are going to do that, it was intended as a general comment.

There is a middle ground here - where people do heavy compound lifting, using programs like Strong Lifts, Starting Strength, Wendler, and NROLFW and lose weight and fat without becoming "accomplished body builders".

If you sctrictly follow Starting Strength (and the others I assume) you are an accomplished body builder. If you play around with weights a few times a week, you're not. The later is more common than the former. That's all I'm saying.

Well, Yay! I'm an accomplished body builder then. WHOO-HOO!!

LuLuSUPER

Okay first off I KNOW there's no such thing as spot reduction! I know there's no exercise to specifically burn belly fat and that diet is the main issue to lose belly fat along with cardio. That's not what I'm asking. I wanna know different exercises that are known, or you do, that are great for losing belly fat.

Um, you realize that in 3 sentences you managed to make a correct statement and then totally contradict yourself, right?

The best exercise I know to lose belly fat goes like this: open cupboard door, remove food scale, portion food, scan into mfp app, repeat until daily goals are met.

^^^^this- great abs are made in the kitchen honey.

rnprincess

Great you know you cannot spot reduce, so I suggest in addition to decreasing bad carbs some exercises my trainer had me do to work on my core:
1. Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and touch the bottom of your feet together so your knees are outward (simial to a frog) thenperform sets of 10 crunches.
2. Using the same position as above alternate your elbow to your opposite knee.
3.On your back with knees bent pull your elbows to your knees (traditional crunch), and then alternate sides.
4. Planks