If you’ve been putting a ton of effort into working your core but still find that belly fat is holding on for dear life, you might want to take a good look at your diet.
Poor eating habits coupled with ab workouts usually result in some increased muscle, but it’s all hidden behind that stubborn abdominal fat.
A study conducted by the Department of Kinesiology & Health Education at Southern Illinois University revealed that six weeks of abdominal exercise training alone, which included full ab workouts performed for five days a week, was not sufficient to reduce abdominal subcutaneous fat and other measures of body composition. In fact, participants in the study didn’t lose any belly fat, or fat anywhere else on their bodies.
The participants did improve muscular endurance, meaning their muscles would have become more defined if they had lost the layer of belly fat first.
What do you need to do to lose belly fat?
About 80 percent of your body’s ability to reduce excess fat is determined by what you eat; the other 20 percent includes a combination of things like exercise and overall lifestyle factors.
This means that, for most people, even if you’re a dedicated workout fanatic, if your diet is based on processed foods and other unhealthy foods, you’ll probably never achieve the flat stomach you’ve been envying.
Add healthy fats
Many people who are dieting cut down on eating fatty foods, which is a good thing if you’re cutting out unhealthy fats that come from processed foods and baked treats, but adding healthy fats is also important. Eliminating all fat is actually one of the worst things you can do.
A diet that is rich in monounsaturated fats, including avocados, coconuts, nuts and seeds and olive oil, helps to melt that stubborn ab fat. Foods that contain these healthy fats work to send a signal to your brain that your stomach is full, ultimately resulting in eating less and feeling satisfied longer.
Restrict carbohydrates
You should severely limit or eliminate all processed foods, which are typically a major source of carbs. They also contain harmful toxins in the form of artificial flavors and colors, preservatives and a long list of other ingredients that can negatively affect your ability to lose body fat; this is because your body holds onto or stores additional fat as a way to protect its organs.
Limiting all types of sugars is also recommended and you might want to consider limiting grains, as well. Some health experts believe that consuming wheat is a big factor in the skyrocketing obesity epidemic as well as chronic illness.
Wheat contains a compound that is converted to blood sugar, which increases blood sugar levels; when blood sugar levels spike and then plunge, this results in more hunger and cravings for more wheat-based products. Removing wheat is a great way to shrink that unsightly belly bulge.
Maximize your workout time
Of course, exercise is still an important factor in decreasing overall body fat, including belly fat. High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is one of the most efficient ways to boost fat burning and lose stubborn ab fat. It involves short bursts of exercise at maximum effort followed by easier recovery intervals.
For example, you might pedal on a stationary bike at an easy to moderate speed for two minutes, followed by an intense speed for 30 seconds, continuing this cycle throughout the workout. This can also be done on an elliptical machine, treadmill, or when running outside by alternating sprints with your normal jogging speed.
We never said achieving that firm, flat stomach would be easy, but by addressing all of these important factors for losing that unsightly belly roll, you’ll enjoy better health and look amazing, too!
-The Alternative Daily
