cardio for a flat tummy?

christinelast
christinelast Posts: 76
in Health and Weight Loss
i've been on youtube and saw some videos saying the best "form" of exercise to help rid of the belly pooch is cardio. is that true?

Replies

  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    You get a flat stomach from a combination of muscle retention and fat loss, which is best done by a higher protein diet, strength training, and a calorie deficit. Cardio allows you to eat more calories while maintaining a calorie deficit, but it does nothing special for your stomach.
  • jardimgirl
    jardimgirl Posts: 522 Member
    i thought it was cardio too, but seeing all the success on this site of what strength training does, i no longer believe that
  • quest67
    quest67 Posts: 94
    bump
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    You get a flat stomach from a combination of muscle retention and fat loss, which is best done by a higher protein diet, strength training, and a calorie deficit. Cardio allows you to eat more calories while maintaining a calorie deficit, but it does nothing special for your stomach.

    what he said :)
  • 17Delts
    17Delts Posts: 9 Member
    well stated, nothing more to add.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
    Here is a good forum post to read:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach?hl=nice+stomach
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    You get a flat stomach from a combination of muscle retention and fat loss, which is best done by a higher protein diet, strength training, and a calorie deficit. Cardio allows you to eat more calories while maintaining a calorie deficit, but it does nothing special for your stomach.

    ^Yes.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    i've been on youtube and saw some videos saying the best "form" of exercise to help rid of the belly pooch is cardio. is that true?

    The stomach is generally the last place that you're going to lose the excess, and that loss is all about eating less energy than you expend. If you do resistance training then you bias your weight loss towards higher proportion of fat as the resistance training helps you retain lean mass.

    Essentially a balance of CV training and resistance training in conjunction with your diet will do the trick.

    Lots of lifting zealots will tell you that CV isn't relevant, and whilst it doesn't have a huge effect on composition it does give you a lot more flexibility around what you eat. Resistance training has limited impact on CV health.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,338 Member
    Good example of what lifting and proper calorie consumption does. I love the fact that her weight is the same in the left and right picture, but her look is completely different

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1215004-the-long-awaited-bikini-before-after

Categories