Beer belly, tummy fat, love-handles,muffin-top; indeed simply mentioning these nicknames brings a knowing smile to most peoples face. These days’ controlling the waistline has become such a pervasive issue that we’ve developed many nicknames (and ‘quick fixes’) for the issue. So what is the real solution to this problem that many of us are facing?
Studies have shown that excessive fat around our mid-section is even a medical indicator to a long list of illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Even though many of us want to trim for beauty we should also understand that there are some serious health risks associated with an overgrown belly, giving us even more reason to trim down!
We are regularly bombarded with an array of fitness gadgets to help us shape up, such as the vibrating tummy belt (for tummy spot reduction) to mechanical galloping machines. We are told that if we sat sedentarily on our couch (even while sipping on soda) and had our abs massaged by a machine, we’d develop solid washboard abs. The lesson here is: if you don’t physically exert yourself, there is no way to a beautiful six-pack.
To slim down our stomach, we need to engage in aerobic exercise in order to eliminate overall body fat. Crunching it out and doing hundreds of sit-ups will work on toning the abdominals but will unfortunately do nothing to the rest of the surrounding muscles or the fatty tissue (adiposity) that is just sitting on top. Think of your midsection as a corset, to pull it in tighter we want to focus on all the muscles surrounding that area. The abdominals are just one part of a plethora of postural and superficial muscles that are all working together synergistically. That’s why spot-reduction isn’t physiologically possible. Your body is a kinetic chain rather than a division of sections you like and dislike. So, get your whole body moving! The more muscles you involve and the higher the overall intensity - the more calories burned.
If you focus on your whole body by strength training large muscle groups and getting on a continuous cardiovascular routine, you will be able to tighten it up and increase your metabolism rapidly! Muscle naturally increases your metabolism while a higher fat percentage decreases the overall calories burnt throughout a day. For every 1 lb. of muscle gained, you naturally burn 60 calories a day. If you gain 3 lbs of muscle you burn 180 calories a day (that is better than doing 100 sit-ups daily). Do a functional fitness program that includes core strengthening and follow a balanced rather than focused fitness approach.
The most important component to a naturally stunning stomach is your diet. In one study it was shown that a healthy and balanced diet counted for 65 percent of the health of your midsection. Exert more energy than you take in on a daily basis and keep a food-log to keep you on track. If you can shed 500 calories per day through exercise and healthy eating, you can lose almost 1 lb of body fat a week. Remember to keep your blood sugar constant and don’t starve yourself. When your body goes into starvation mode (basically when you start feeling moody from hunger) your body actually holds on to fat because it thinks you are not going to eat. The best gift you can give your tummy is to never overload it. Graze throughout the day, consuming 5-6 small, healthy meals while avoiding sugary drinks (remember that 1 soda roughly equals to 12 tablespoons of sugar). Alcohol also slows down your metabolism and fills you with empty but hefty calories, similar to those of fatty foods. In other words, stick to the lean protein, the greens, the natural and flush out the toxins with plenty of water.
If you want to flaunt your midriff in some hipsters, twelve weeks is the average time it takes to see dramatic changes. Cardio it up, get your metabolism under control, eat healthy and feel the burn!
For Questions/Advise and interest in personal training: ns@theartofbody.com / 08123 89 09 99
