Does sit-ups get rid of belly fat? Do crunches burn belly fat? Discover the truth about visceral fat and its impact on your health.

The Hidden Dangers of Visceral Fat

When it comes to body fat, location counts. Unlike the subcutaneous fat that we can pinch on our hips and thighs, visceral fat is a more perilous type of fat that accumulates around our internal organs. Even if we don’t gain weight, this hidden belly fat can silently push against our abdominal wall, expanding our waistline and putting our health at risk.

The Endocrine Gland Within

Researchers have discovered that fat cells, particularly those of visceral fat, are biologically active and function as an endocrine gland. They secrete a host of chemicals and hormones that can have far-reaching effects on our body, triggering low-level inflammation and increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Measuring Visceral Fat

Measuring visceral fat is not as straightforward as stepping on a scale. While expensive techniques like CT scans and MRIs provide the most precise measurements, a simple tape measure can be a useful tool. By measuring your waist circumference at the level of your navel, you can get a good idea of whether you’re accumulating unhealthy visceral fat, even if your overall body weight is within a healthy range.

The Link to Chronic Diseases

Studies have shown that excess visceral fat is linked to a variety of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. For example, a large study of European women found that those with the largest waists had more than double the risk of developing heart disease compared to those with smaller waists.

Can Crunches and Sit-ups Help?

The short answer is no. Targeted exercises like crunches and sit-ups may help tone the abdominal muscles, but they won’t specifically target the deeper layer of visceral fat. To reduce visceral fat, a combination of dietary changes and regular aerobic exercise is typically more effective.

Taking Control of Your Health

While we can’t control where our body stores fat, we can take steps to reduce the amount of visceral fat. By monitoring our waistline, making healthier food choices, and engaging in regular physical activity, we can lower our risk of developing the chronic diseases linked to this hidden belly fat.

How can I measure my visceral fat at home?

A simple tape measure can be a useful tool for estimating your visceral fat levels. Measure your waist circumference at the level of your navel, being sure not to suck in your gut or pull the tape too tight. A waist circumference of 35 inches or more in women, or 40 inches or more in men, is generally considered a sign of excess visceral fat.

Does exercise like crunches and sit-ups help reduce belly fat?

Unfortunately, no. Targeted exercises like crunches and sit-ups may help tone your abdominal muscles, but they won’t specifically target the deeper layer of visceral fat. To reduce visceral fat, a combination of dietary changes and regular aerobic exercise is typically more effective.

What are the health risks associated with excess visceral fat?

Excess visceral fat has been linked to a variety of chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. This is because visceral fat acts as an endocrine gland, secreting hormones and chemicals that can trigger low-level inflammation and disrupt the body’s normal functions.

How can I reduce my visceral fat levels?

To reduce visceral fat, focus on a combination of dietary changes and regular physical activity. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and excessive alcohol consumption, and instead opt for a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or swimming, each week. Strength training can also be beneficial in helping to reduce visceral fat.

Is there a difference between subcutaneous and visceral fat?

Yes, there is an important distinction between subcutaneous and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the fat that lies just under the skin and can be pinched, while visceral fat is the fat that accumulates around the internal organs, within the abdominal cavity. Visceral fat is considered more harmful to health because it is metabolically active and can release compounds that contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

How can I tell if I have excess visceral fat?

One of the easiest ways to estimate your visceral fat levels is to measure your waist circumference. A waist circumference of 35 inches or more in women, or 40 inches or more in men, is generally considered a sign of excess visceral fat. However, it’s important to note that this may not apply if you have a large overall body size. Paying attention to whether your waistline is growing can also give you a good idea of whether you’re gaining unhealthy visceral fat.

Taking Aim at Belly Fat – Harvard Health Publishing

Unlike fat parked on the hips and thighs, fat around the middle produces substances that can create serious health risks.

No matter what your body shape, excess fat isn’t good for your health. But saddlebags and ballooning bellies are not equivalent. When it comes to body fat, location counts, and each year brings new evidence that the fat lying deep within the abdomen is more perilous than the fat you can pinch with your fingers.

In most people, about 90% of body fat is subcutaneous, the kind that lies in a layer just beneath the skin. If you poke your belly, the fat that feels soft is subcutaneous fat. The remaining 10% — called visceral or intra-abdominal fat — lies out of reach, beneath the firm abdominal wall. It’s found in the spaces surrounding the liver, intestines, and other organs. It’s also stored in the omentum, an apron-like flap of tissue that lies under the belly muscles and blankets the intestines. The omentum gets harder and thicker as it fills with fat.

Although visceral fat makes up only a small proportion of body fat, it’s a key player in a variety of health problems.

As women go through their middle years, their proportion of fat to body weight tends to increase — more than it does in men — and fat storage begins favoring the upper body over the hips and thighs. Even if you don’t actually gain weight, your waistline can grow by inches as visceral fat pushes out against the abdominal wall.

The trouble with visceral fat

Body fat, or adipose tissue, was once regarded as little more than a storage depot for fat blobs waiting passively to be used for energy. But research has shown that fat cells — particularly visceral fat cells — are biologically active. One of the most important developments [since the mid-1990s] is the realization that the fat cell is an endocrine organ, secreting hormones and other molecules that have far-reaching effects on other tissues.

Before researchers recognized that fat acts as an endocrine gland, they thought that the main risk of visceral fat was influencing the production of cholesterol by releasing free fatty acids into the bloodstream and liver. We now know that there’s far more to the story. Researchers have identified a host of chemicals that link visceral fat to a surprisingly wide variety of diseases.

Subcutaneous fat produces a higher proportion of beneficial molecules, and visceral fat a higher proportion of molecules with potentially deleterious health effects. Visceral fat makes more of the proteins called cytokines, which can trigger low-level inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic conditions. It also produces a precursor to angiotensin, a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise.

From fat to disease

Visceral fat can be measured in a variety of ways. CT scans and full-body MRIs are the most precise, but they are expensive and rarely available, so investigators often use estimates based on waist circumference or waist size in proportion to height (see “Gut check”). To ensure that they’re not just measuring overall obesity, researchers also check whether a person’s waist circumference is higher than average for her or his body mass index (BMI).

Visceral fat is implicated in a number of chronic conditions, including these:

Cardiovascular disease. Several studies have documented this effect. For example, a large study of European women ages 45 to 79 concluded that those with the biggest waists (and those with the largest waists in relation to their hip size) had more than double the risk of developing heart disease. The risk was still nearly double even after adjustment for several other risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and BMI. Even in healthy, nonsmoking women, every 2 inches of additional waist size raised the risk for cardiovascular disease by 10%.

Higher visceral-fat volume also has a deleterious impact on several other heart disease risk factors. It’s associated with higher blood pressure, blood sugar levels and triglyceride levels, and lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Taken together, these changes, known as metabolic syndrome, create a serious risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Dementia. Researchers at Kaiser Permanente found that people in their early 40s with the highest levels of abdominal fat, compared with those who had the least abdominal fat at that age, were nearly three times more likely to develop dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) by their mid-70s to early 80s. Dementia was not associated with increased thigh size.

Asthma. In a large study of California teachers, women with high levels of visceral fat (a waist circumference of more than 35 inches) were 37% more likely to develop asthma than women with smaller waists — even if their weight was normal. The risks were highest for women who were both large-waisted and overweight or obese. The investigators believe that belly fat raises the risk of asthma more than other poundage because it has inflammatory effects throughout the body, including in the airways.

Breast cancer. A combined analysis of several studies found that premenopausal women with abdominal obesity (the largest waist size in proportion to their height) were at greater risk for breast cancer. Large waists were also linked to breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women, but that effect was not significant once BMI was taken into account.

Colorectal cancer. People with the most visceral fat have three times the risk of developing colorectal adenomas (precancerous polyps) than those with the least visceral fat. The relationship was found after many other risks were accounted for. The researchers also confirmed that adenomatous polyps in the colon are associated with insulin resistance, which may be the mechanism that increases the cancer risk.

How lose (and prevent) visceral belly fat

Where you tend to gain fat depends on your genes, your hormones, your age, your birth weight (smaller babies more readily add belly fat later in life), and whether you’ve had children (women who have given birth tend to develop more visceral fat than women who haven’t).

As young adults, women on average have less visceral fat than men, but that changes with menopause. You can’t change your birth weight or your genes, and you can’t hold off menopause. But there are several ways you can minimize the accumulation of visceral fat. The good news is that because it’s more readily metabolized into fatty acids, it responds more efficiently to diet and exercise than fat on the hips and thighs. Here are some approaches that may help:

Keep moving. Exercise can help reduce your waist circumference. Even if you don’t lose weight, you lose visceral belly fat and gain muscle mass. Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace. Also create opportunities to add motion to routine tasks. For example, park farther from your destination and walk the rest of the way, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and stand while you talk on the phone.

Studies have shown that you can help trim visceral fat or prevent its growth with both aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) and strength training (exercising with weights). Spot exercises, such as sit-ups, can tighten abdominal muscles but won’t get at visceral fat. Exercise can also help keep fat from coming back.

Eat right. Choose a balanced diet that helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Avoid products that seem to encourage belly fat deposition, especially simple sugars like fructose-sweetened foods and beverages.

Don’t smoke. The more you smoke, the more likely you are to store fat in your abdomen rather than on your hips and thighs.

Get your sleep. Too little is bad. A five-year study found that adults under age 40 who slept five hours or less a night accumulated significantly more visceral fat. But too much isn’t good, either — young adults who slept more than eight hours also added visceral fat. (This relationship wasn’t found in people over age 40.)

Mind your mood. Middle-aged women who show more hostility and had more depressive symptoms tend to have more visceral fat — but not more subcutaneous fat.

Forget the quick fix. Liposuction for cosmetic fat removal doesn’t reach inside the abdominal wall.

Image: UserGI15994093/Getty Images

Which exercise burns belly fat? Here’s what the science says

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

Which exercise burns belly fat? It’s easy to understand why this is a frequent fitness query, with many people citing a firmer midsection as one of their main motivators to exercise.  

There are a lot of myths surrounding the subject that are in dire need of debunking. First and foremost among them: the majority of scientific studies show it is not possible to spot reduce body fat from one targeted area (such as the belly) at a time. 

However, you can lower your overall body fat percentage by increasing your activity levels and lowering your calorie consumption. We spoke to a physiotherapist and biochemist to find out the most efficient way to do this – and to clear up some falsehoods about reducing belly fat.

Can you lose weight just from your stomach?

No specific exercise, even those focused on muscles in the stomach, can be used to target belly fat. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo, of Deep Heat and Deep Freeze, points to several studies to support this.

“One study which targeted abdominal fat with exercise for 6 weeks showed no difference in belly fat. Another study in 40 overweight and obese women found that resistance training of the abdominals for 12 weeks had no effect on belly fat loss compared with dietary change alone.  

“A 12-week study in which 104 participants who completed a training programme exercising one arm only found that some overall fat loss did occur, but not on the arm being exercised. And several studies have confirmed that spot reduction is not effective for burning fat in specific areas of the body, including the arms and stomach.”

Chartered Physiotherapist

Sammy Margo has been a chartered physiotherapist for 32 years and has built up her clinic over the past 28+ years. She trained as a chartered physiotherapist and did a Masters in Physiotherapy (MSc) at University College and Middlesex Hospital. She’s also a qualified Pilates instructor and the author of The Good Sleep Guide. 

The reason for this, and the fat loss process, is far from simple, as Margo explains.  

“The fat in body cells is in the form of triglycerides which are stored in body fat that can be used to supply energy,” she says. “Before they can be used for energy, triglycerides must be broken down into smaller molecules – free fatty acids and glycerol – which enter the bloodstream. These smaller molecules are used to produce energy. 

“When you exercise, the triglycerides can come from any of the fat cells in the body, not only from the body area being exercised.”

Margo does say there are a couple of smaller studies that go against the grain, supporting spot reduction of body fat. She says that further studies into the subject are needed to draw a more definitive conclusion. 

Where do you lose and gain fat first?

Where you lose or gain fat will depend on contextual factors such as your genes, gender and age, as well as your stress-levels, hormone balance, genetics and lifestyle. 

For example, a 2012 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that “gluteo-femoral adipocytes of women are larger than in men”. Or, in other words, women were found to hold more fat around their hips and thighs than men.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

“Women tend to build up fat in their hips and buttocks; men usually build up fat in their abdomen or belly,” Margo says.

“Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting that genes may play a role. Genes may also influence the amount of body fat you have and where in the body it is stored”.

She also says age plays a role, as “older adults tend to have more body fat”.

Can you burn belly fat by doing ab exercises?

Even if you use the best ab rollers or perform ab exercises like planks, studies show you cannot spot reduce belly fat by performing exercises that target muscles in this area during exercise. 

Instead, working your core muscles with abdominal exercises like sit-ups should be seen as a way to build a stronger, more functional body. 

“These exercises can improve core strength, posture and balance,” Margo says. “They can reduce back pain and improve flexibility. The jury is out on whether they can reduce belly fat, and indeed fat in all areas of the body.”

Which exercise burns belly fat?

If your goal is to lose belly fat, the best way to achieve this is to lower your overall body fat percentage. To do this, you must expend more calories (through exercise and everyday activities) than you consume in a day to achieve a calorie deficit. 

“All exercise contributes to a calorie deficit,” Margo says. “Try high intensity interval training (HIIT) as it is time efficient. In a meta-analysis of 13 studies, HIIT – like most moderately intense training – was found to improve body fat mass and waist circumference. Aerobic or cardio exercise (such as a session on the best treadmills or exercise bikes) also helps to reduce body fat. But HIIT takes up less time.”

(Image credit: Getty)

Weight training, while more commonly associated with hypertrophy goals, is another strong option for those looking to lose weight. A 2021 Sports Medicine study on the subject found that “resistance training reduces body fat percentage, body fat mass and visceral fat in healthy adults”. 

The key to losing fat long-term is finding a form of exercise you enjoy so that participation becomes habitual. The CDC suggests that “people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about one to two pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off”. 

How to burn belly fat

If you want to efficiently shed body fat, you’ll need to take into account various factors such as your diet and daily activity levels (NEAT), as well as your time spent exercising.

“Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) describes the calories burned from all of the movement you do during the day that is not exercise, and it can make a difference in your weight loss,” Margo says.  “Examples of NEAT are cooking, shopping, walking and gardening – essentially day-to-day activities. 

Alongside increasing your exercise levels and NEAT, the third key component to burning fat is finding an appropriate diet. You will need to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn each day but (especially for those taking part in regular exercise) it is important this deficit is not so great that it’s unsustainable.

Margo has shared some tips on decreasing daily calorie intake. “Increasing protein intake may reduce appetite and hence reduce calorie intake,” Margo says. “It may also help preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

“…Make sure to get enough sleep (usually around 7 hours, although people differ in their sleep needs). Lack of sleep is linked with obesity in general and also lower fat loss on a low calorie diet.”

Biochemist Tim Bond, a researcher from the Tea Advisory Panel, adds: “Fill up on fiber as this has a prebiotic effect (increasing production of short chain fatty acids in the large intestine which communicate with hunger hormones and help to promote satiety.) 

“Also, emphasize whole grains rather than processed grains and focus on intake of fruit and vegetable and bean intake.”

Biochemist and nutritional researcher

Tim Bond is a chemist, natural health expert and researcher across food, beverages including tea and herbal infusions, and natural health sectors for 28+ years.   Tim has a national and international reputation, publishing peer review research papers across tea, herbal infusions and natural health and is a contributor to several books on the science and historical aspects of tea. In this role as a researcher, Tim covers all aspects of research and development for a diverse global base, including regulatory, health claims and sustainability issues. Tim also lectures at global food, beverage, and natural health events.

Another recommendation Bond proffered was to try and reduce your stress levels, as research shows “stress increases adrenal gland hormones like cortisol which increase habit and increase central fat storage”.

How important is diet for burning fat?

A 2007 study published in the Nature Clinical Practice Endocrinology & Metabolism found that diet is a more important factor than exercise levels when losing weight, but a two-pronged approach that combines diet with increased activity levels is more effective than either method used in isolation.  

“Both diet and exercise are important for weight loss,” Margo says. “For weight loss, it is necessary to create a calorie gap. That is, you must burn more calories than you consume. It is easier to create a calorie gap by eating less (eg. reducing your calorie intake by 500) than by exercising. 

“Exercise is important though. Strength training, for example, helps to preserve lean body mass (muscle) which can increase metabolic rate so you burn more calories even at rest. 

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Harry Bullmore is a fitness writer covering everything from reviews to features for LiveScience, T3, TechRadar, Fit&Well and more. So, whether you’re looking for a new fitness tracker or wondering how to shave seconds off your 5K PB, chances are he’s written something to help you improve your training.  

When not writing, he’s most likely to be found experimenting with a wide variety of training methods in his home gym or trying to exhaust his ever-energetic puppy. 

Prior to joining Future, Harry wrote health and fitness product reviews for publications including Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Runner’s World. Before this, he spent three years as a news reporter with work in more than 70 national and regional newspapers.

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exercises, nutrition, procedures to lose weight in the abdomen

Fat on the sides and abdomen is considered problematic, because even with diet and physical activity, it is not in a hurry to leave. First, the volumes melt on the chest, face and arms, and only then leave the waist and hips. But it is the excess visceral fat that spoils the figure the most. We share tips on how to remove the stomach at home.

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How to remove the stomach

Waist exercises

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Let’s agree right away, recommendations from the category “Exclude just one product and become slim overnight” will not be here. Alas, people do not yet know how to store fat in those places where they see fit. Let’s face it – how is this even possible from the point of view of physiology. But we still know something useful about how a woman can remove her stomach and sides. And we transfer information along the chain.

What is belly fat and why is it needed at all

Waist circumference is considered to be no more than 80 cm for women and 94 cm for men. If the waist circumference for ladies exceeds 88 cm, and for gentlemen – 102, we are talking about the risk of premature death from heart disease, carbohydrate metabolism disorders and some types of cancer. We are talking about health. And there is also the aesthetic side of the issue. It happens that I made every effort and lost weight, but it was not possible to remove the stomach.

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The good news is that you can’t completely remove subcutaneous fat, and it won’t work. The fat layer is needed, as it protects our stomach, intestines and other organs from mechanical damage. And it is used during the fasting period. It is also a source of energy for our body, as well as a tissue that provides us with warmth. The less fat you have, the more you get cold – only we are not sure if this is the effect you expect.

But too much fat is bad. It is important to remove a large belly for both a woman and a man, since it increases the risks of developing a number of diseases, the most common of which are cardiovascular and diabetes. There are two types of belly fat:

• Subcutaneous fat is distributed in front of the abdominal muscles. You can grab this fold with your fingers, it becomes especially noticeable in a sitting position. Such fat spoils the appearance, but is not dangerous to health.

• Visceral is located behind the abdominal muscles and surrounds the internal organs. Its excess can lead to serious diseases arising from the ability of this fat to release hormones and other substances.

How much belly fat is the norm

Again, you can’t do without fat at all. In search of an answer on how to remove fat from the abdomen, many do not think about its useful function. These deposits are needed, especially for women, since fat cells are involved in the storage of estrogen, an important sex hormone. The lack of a layer sometimes affects the problems in the reproductive system: the cycle can become irregular, and problems with conception are also possible.

20-30% of body fat is considered normal for a woman – this proportion can be approximately calculated by “smart” scales. In addition, there are surveys that are aimed at identifying this particular parameter in the body. So before you figure out how to quickly reduce the stomach, determine whether you really have excess fat.

The speed with which you will lose weight in principle and lose weight in the abdomen depends on many factors. Which method you choose also influences, as well as genetics, stress, age and health status.

Why fat appears on the stomach

Not only runs to the refrigerator and a sedentary lifestyle are to blame for the lush sides. Although these factors are the most obvious. Sometimes it becomes necessary to remove the stomach after a caesarean section or there is an underlying disease. Let’s name the most common causes of excess fat in the waist area.

• Nutritional errors. Sweets, fatty foods, pastries, fast food, and alcohol are all empty calories that push the scale up.
• Quality and quantity of sleep, stress. Activated as a result of these factors, the hormone cortisol protects the body by causing an increase in blood sugar levels. Because of this, we constantly want to eat, but we can’t get enough.
• Lack of physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle provokes a curvature of the spine, back pain. From this, the number of folds on the stomach grows, the abdominal muscles weaken, and the waist blurs.
• Hormonal failure. Because of this, dangerous diseases arise, as a result of which abdominal obesity is often diagnosed. Associated problems are a violation in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, bloating, accumulation of toxins and toxins in the body.

What foods to include in the diet to reduce the stomach

The most reasonable approach is to minimize the consumption of fast carbohydrates, switching to fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fish, and introducing cereals to the menu. It is advisable to cook for a couple, bake, stew food, but do not fry or smoke. Gradually reduce portions. In an effort to lose weight by 5 kg and remove the stomach in three days, many refuse everything at once. But you can’t change habits drastically, otherwise the chances of breaking loose increase. It is better to switch to proper nutrition gradually, introducing one new rule per week.

There are no products that burn fat while working for you. But there is food that saturates for a long time and brings complete benefits to the body. Instead of aiming for the impossible task of shrinking your stomach in a short time, introduce the following foods into your diet:

• Buckwheat and other complex carbohydrates and fiber that speed up metabolism. This also includes oats, whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, brown rice, cereals, non-starchy vegetables, fruits.
• Greens are important for the balance of the diet, they help the digestive system work better, provide the body with a whole complex of vitamins and enrich the cells with chlorophyll.
• Olive oil, as well as coconut or flaxseed oil in small quantities delivers the necessary vegetable fats to the body. They are involved in the secretion of hormones and promote rapid satiety, and also improve bowel function.
• Cinnamon, as well as cloves, ginger, turmeric are antioxidants and rid the body of free radicals, remove toxins and toxins, saturate cells with oxygen, vitamins A, B and E and minerals.
• Eggs are rich in protein, which increases the metabolic rate and promotes muscle gain.
• Salmon is a source of protein, rich in omega-3s, which makes the body work harder to digest it. Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce inflammation and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The latter just contributes to the accumulation of fat in the waist area.
• Water is essential for metabolism, lymphatic circulation and overall healthy weight loss. Based on the calculation of 30 ml per kilogram of weight and try to drink your norm.

What foods to cut out to lose belly fat faster

Here are a few more tips about your diet. We will not recommend a specific weight loss plan, how to remove a girl’s stomach by eating only carrots or cucumbers. But we will give a few recommendations that will help adjust the diet. So, what needs to be excluded and then the process will go faster.

• Refined foods: processed meat products, white flour baked goods, fast food. They seem tasty in the moment, but in reality they fill you up for a very short time.
• Alcohol: a source of excess calories and also a product that contributes to the accumulation of body fat.
• Foods that cause inflammation, such as sugar, which causes bloating and discomfort, and simply prevents weight loss.
• Prepared sauces and dressings: Most store-bought sauces are high in sugar, preservatives, and calories. You can make an alternative yourself, and more healthy and correct.

The best exercises to lose belly fat

The crunches and sit-ups may seem perfect alone to get abs on your stomach, but they just don’t get the job done. Yes, they will strengthen the core muscles, but they will not help burn calories in the waist area. We will tell you what exercises should be performed to remove the stomach.

According to fitness instructor Chris Slenz, the best option for those who want to lose weight in the waist is circuit training or free weights. They will help both lose weight and remove the stomach, eliminating unnecessary volumes evenly and gradually reducing the fat layer. Muscle mass will increase, replacing fat, and calories will be effectively burned.

It makes no sense to just pump the press even in hundreds of sets. The more physical activity in general, for all muscle groups, the more likely it is to eliminate fat deposits in different parts of the body. For example, cardio training should last at least thirty minutes with a regularity of 4-5 times a week. Strength training is better to start with two times a week with a smooth transition to five. It will be possible to remove a woman’s stomach at home with the help of energy-intensive exercises. These include lunges, squats, deadlifts with extra weight.

Exercise 1 “Arms and legs extension on all fours”

Your task is to stretch opposite limbs. Is it possible to quickly remove the stomach with the help of such a simple workout option? It is unlikely to work quickly, but the exercise is well suited for beginners.

• Get on all fours, straighten your arms, knees are under the pelvis.
• Extend one arm, and take the opposite leg back and lift it up.
• Put the arm and leg back in place, repeat with the other leg and arm.
• Run within 30 seconds.

Exercise 2 “Twisting”

This option is considered safe, it can be used to remove the stomach both after childbirth and simply to get toned muscles.

• Lie on your back, hands behind your head, bend your knees, rest your feet on the floor.
• Raise the body so that the lower back does not come off the floor.
• Perform the exercise for 30 seconds.

Exercise 3 “Touching the legs with hands”

• Lie on your back, bend your knees, rest your feet on the floor, place your hands along the body.
• Reach with the right hand to the right foot, then with the left hand to the left.
• Lift shoulders and back slightly off the floor.
• Do the exercise for 30 seconds.

Exercise 4 Lying Leg Straightening

If you are looking for a way to get rid of a protruding lower abdomen, try the following.

• Lie on the mat, bend your legs at a right angle, put your hands along the body.
• Tighten the abdominal muscles while exhaling, pressing the lower back against the support with force and stretching one leg forward.
• Return to starting position while inhaling, repeat 20 times.

Exercise 5 “Rock Climber”

• Stand up in lying position.
• Bend the left leg and pull it towards the body, return it to its place. Likewise with the right foot.
• Run within 30 seconds.

Exercise 6 “Plank with abdominal retraction”

• Stand up in lying position, keep your back straight.
• Inhale deeply, draw in the stomach and round the back.
• Get into the starting position.
• Run within 30 seconds.

Exercise 7 “Raising the knees to the stomach”

This simple home exercise allows you to reduce the stomach gradually, strengthening the muscles every day.

• Lie on your back, bend your knees, stretch your arms straight in front of you.
• Raise the bent legs to the hands, bringing the knees between them.
• Lower legs into place.
• Do within 30 seconds.

Exercise 8 “Turn the body”

• Sit on the floor, bend your knees, rest your feet on the floor.
• Keep the body on the weight, fold the arms on the chest.
• Do shallow twists to the left and then to the right.
• Run within 30 seconds.

Many girls make a mistake when they hope to find the answer to the question of how to get rid of their belly in a week in search engines. Keep in mind that training too intensely will not help you deal with fat faster, it is better to choose a softer integrated approach that combines everything: healthy habits, nutrition, and physical activity. Even if you just start walking more, it will be much more useful than doing nothing at all.

In addition, when we clean the stomach and sides at home, it is important to remember about nutrition. If it is far from ideal, it will be difficult for any physical activity to outdo the harm of extra calories. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit – consume fewer calories than you expend.

How to get rid of the belly with cosmetic procedures

Various cosmetic procedures promise both improved skin condition and promise to easily get rid of the belly, especially after 40 years, when the metabolism starts to slow down. But massages and body wraps can’t make the centimeters at the waist disappear. These procedures do not burn fat, but only increase blood supply to the abdomen and help redistribute fat cells. Only they do not disappear anywhere, but wander around the body, then settling in unnecessary places.

Without physical activity, it is just a pleasant pastime and a waste of money. You need to know what exercises clean the stomach, and perform them. Also at home, you can massage the body with a dry brush with wheat germ oil. The process improves skin tone and stretch marks become less noticeable.

According to endocrinologist Carol Shively, it can take six months or a year to get rid of the stomach for a long time. This is due to the fact that you can not immediately load the body with heavy physical activity or a strict diet. It is also important to act comprehensively, from different angles, taking into account four components – training, nutrition, sleep and lack of stress. But if we could only afford one of these things, exercise would be the most beneficial, because it works on the muscles, helps to get rid of excess weight and stress.

Will squats help you get rid of belly fat? – Drink-Drink

Many athletes wonder if squats burn belly fat. If you’re like most frustrated athletes, you’ve been doing countless squats and seeing little gain. This may make you question the purpose of squats.

Well, don’t be surprised anymore. Here is a summary of a popular exercise. Find out what squats can and can’t do for your stomach before spending more time or energy.

Belly fat

You can measure your waist circumference to decide if you want to reduce belly fat. Reducing the amount of fat in the middle part of the body can help reduce the risk of disease. But most people also find that it makes them look better. And most people feel better when they lose excess weight.

Belly fat can be especially difficult to reduce. For many people, the belly area is where most of the excess fat is located. Getting rid of belly fat is impossible, but you need to be patient.

Unfortunately, you cannot reduce belly fat by only doing squats. Spot reduction or exercise to get rid of fat in the target area is not effective. When you exercise, you don’t get to choose where to lose fat. And fat loss is more effective when exercise is combined with a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.

Benefits of using GPR

Abdominal exercises such as sit-ups or crunches are very important. These exercises strengthen the abdominal muscles. This area is often referred to as your core. This is the area of ​​the torso below the chest but above the hips.

Of course, there are many different exercises that can strengthen the abdominal muscles. But compared to other exercises (including the plank and other static core exercises), the squat has proven to be especially effective at engaging the rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs vertically along the front of the torso.

When you strengthen your core, you improve your body movements throughout the day. Your posture improves and daily activities (like lifting weights) become easier.

Building muscle with squats can also help improve the appearance of your belly. But if you’re wearing belly fat, the muscles won’t be visible. Instead, they will be buried under a layer of fat.

To get a flatter belly, you need to do squats along with your weight loss program.

Correct Form

To do a full squat, start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Clasp your hands loosely behind your head. Lift your torso completely off the floor, keeping your buttocks and feet anchored. Keep lifting your torso until your belly almost touches your knees. In a controlled manner, reverse the movement, returning the torso to its original position on the floor.

When doing this exercise, be careful not to pull on your head to start the movement. Try to keep space between your chin and chest. Also, avoid using momentum to lift your chest off the floor. If you notice that your feet are lifting off the floor, you may be using momentum.

Easy Ways to Do More Squats

Alternatives to Squats

While squats help strengthen the rectus abdominis, there are other exercises that target this and other core muscles.

Abdominal crunch

A simple and effective abdominal exercise is the classic crunch. To perform this exercise, lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees. Clasp your hands loosely behind your head. Slowly raise your shoulders off the floor to a 30-degree angle (approximately).

It should feel like the top of the ribs have come off the floor. Make sure you don’t pull or strain your neck. Hold for a second and then lower. Start with two sets of 8 reps and work your way up to 12 reps.

How to do the perfect crunch

Abdominal plank

Crunches and squats are dynamic abdominal exercises. This means that they cause muscle activation when moving. Both of these exercises are effective for activating the rectus abdominis muscles. static abdominal exercises also activate this muscle, although to a lesser extent.

Static exercises engage muscles without movement. Static abdominal exercises also target the deeper abdominal muscles, specifically the internal obliques. In fact, abdominal locking and tummy tucks have been shown to be more effective than squats in targeting these deeper muscles.

The Ab Plank is a static exercise that requires you to use your abdominal muscles. To perform this exercise, lie on the floor in a prone position (belly down). Raise your body into a plank position, putting your weight on your elbows (bent under your shoulders) and toes.

Your body should be fully extended in one straight line from your heels to the top of your head. Try not to sag over your hips or lift them high into a downward dog position.

How to plank to improve core strength

V-sit

V-sit is a challenging abdominal exercise that engages multiple core areas and challenges your balance. This is another static exercise that requires you to tighten your core muscles.

To perform the V-squat, start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Raise your legs off the floor, keeping your torso elevated so that your body forms a V-shape. You can use your hands for balance when you are in position.

Once you feel balanced, raise your arms and extend them in front of you so that they reach your feet. Hold this position for a few seconds, then release and repeat.

How to do V-Sit Ab

Pelvic Tilts

Pelvic Tilts are a good exercise for those who are uncomfortable doing planks or squats. This is a great exercise for beginners. Deepening into the core has also been shown to be effective in engaging the abdominals.

To do a pelvic tilt on the floor, lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor next to you or on your stomach. Now tilt your hips so that your lower back rests on the floor and your buttocks are slightly off the floor.