The

Complete Belly Fat

Burner

Copyright 2012, Kimberly James, All rights Reserved. No part of this

publication or the information in it may be quoted from or reproduced in any
form by means such as printing, scanning, photocopying or otherwise without
prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Effort has been made to ensure that the
information in this book is accurate and complete, however, the author and the
publisher do not warrant the accuracy of the information, text and graphics
contained within the book due to the rapidly changing nature of science,
research, known and unknown facts and internet. The Author and the publisher
do not hold any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of
the subject matter herein. This book is presented solely for motivational and
informational purposes only.
Summary
Most of us look pole, table and cabaret dancers and we marvel at their poise,
charm and sex appeal. Their flat bellies look gracious, enabling them to strike
wonderful sexy moves that we all admire. We all look with awe and amazement,
wondering whether we can ever get such flat, sexy tummies. This normally
sends millions of men and women to a frenzy of fad diets, starvation trips, or
hundreds of other dubious methods of trying to eliminate belly and tummy fat.
Perhaps the secret lies with trying to learn the secrets of these dancers and the
lifestyle they live which enables them to manage sexy stomachs. You want to
learn how you can get the perfect posture that will give you a trim appearance.
You also want to enjoy the benefits associated with having a slim body as well
as the admiration that is going to follow. Take time to read this e-book and you
will learn the best kept secrets on getting your sexy back. Reignite your waning
sex appeal by getting the easy and practical ways that are not only effective but
whose results are also permanent.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction

It all starts here

Tummy topography
Anatomy of belly fat
Why you have a potbelly
Where the rubber meets the road
The weight loss mindset
Tools of trade
Wrong reasons for losing belly fat
Why you should lose that paunch
Why some people fail
Your action plan
Diet discipline
Diet and weight loss
Discipline your fork and knife
Discipline your tongue
The place of proteins
Increase the consumption of raw foods
The best eating plan
Consider permanent changes
Avoid these pitfalls
No emotional eating
Eat with your mind
Fiber rich foods
A little bit of indulging
Create your food environment
Make lifestyle changes
Exercise extravaganza
Exercise and weight loss
Aerobics
Abdominal workouts
High intensity interval training
Yoga
Cat cow yoga
The cobra pause
 The Boat pose
The sun salutation pose
The stomach lift
The standing side stretch
The locust pose
The bridge pose
Yoga crunches
Abdominal fitness ball workouts
Reverse crunches on ball
Stability ball crunches
Full ball sit-up with twists
Lateral flexing on ball
Alternating crunch on ball
Alternate arm swing and leg raise on ball
Squeeze twist and crunch
The arm rollout on ball
Points to ponder
Need for a personal trainer
Importance of pairing up
Dancing to lose belly fat
Flush out toxins
Conclusion

Introduction
Take a walk to any beach and you will be sure to see some physically fit
lifeguards strolling along waiting to offer a helping hand to anyone in trouble.
You will notice that not a single one of them has a potbelly and most of us
simply admire them. In our childhood and teenage we resemble them, but sooner
or later, you realize that you are no longer free to expose your once sexy belly.
Anyone looking at you realizes that your love handles are so big that they rival
the waves in the ocean. You can no longer undress in front of your lover for the
unsightly waves on your tummy.

Your mind goes on frenzy and you realize that you just must
do something about the emerging belly fat. Anyone who has tried losing belly fat
knows that this is one of the toughest parts of the body to workout, unlike the
thighs and buttocks where the muscles are big and easy to work out. You want to
regain a flat sexy belly, but you don’t want to join millions of men and women
who are on a wild goose chase. You want to get a practical style but you don’t
know how to separate the wheat from the chaff. This e-book is going to assist
you to shatter some of the most popular myths about losing belly fat.
Perhaps you are wondering whether there are any benefits associated with
having a flatter sexy stomach, its time to wake up and smell the coffee. I am
going to prove to you how you are going not only to increase days in your life,
but plenty of life that has been missing in your days. You want to avoid all the
risks associated with being overweight but you lack the motivation – you just got
it in this little book. You are reading this book because you cannot afford to die
young as a result of the poor and uninformed choices that you have been
making.
Belly fat is an issue of great concern nowadays and every one is talking about it
across the globe. The current easy lifestyle where everything is instant has
played a great role in creating the existing problem. We are a generation where
everything is brought just at the doorstep. We no longer exercise because there
are computer games we can play; we can afford to avoid shopping trips because
of e-business. We can afford not to avoid cooking because pizza can be
delivered at the doorstep with all our favorite fatty spreads. Something must be
done differently.
This e-book is about learning the correct way to lose belly fat. Forget about fad
diets and uncoordinated exercise programs that don’t deliver any results. We are
going to share practical programs that are going to aid you cut your tummy fat,
but it’s going to take more than just desire. There is going to be some little work
involved but the good news is, you will see results that will motivate you in just
about 30 days. The program is available and the best kept secret is – this is not
rocket science. As long as you are willing, we will guide you to the perfect
Shangri-La of a flat tummy.
It all starts here
Tummy topography
If you are among the millions of men and women who stand before the mirror
and see the equivalent of a spare tire around their midsections, you must be
wondering whether there is anything you can do to get rid of it. The health and
beauty industries are pumping guilt into many people even as they advertise their
products. Every advertiser who wants to sell anything from breakfast cereal to
underwear uses flat sexy bellies as the medium to pass their information across.
We live in a generation that has an obsession for flat stomachs, and this has a
number of psychological consequences as well. Everyone wants to ‘belong’ in
order to fit into a certain social circle. Anyone with a potbelly feels ugly and
unwanted. The truth of the matter is, beyond those bad feelings, you own health
and longevity will greatly depend on the shape of your belly. A healthy belly is
not simply about looking good; your entire future depends on it somehow.
A healthy belly is an integral part of good health. Our abdominal muscles play a
leading role in our ability to do a large number of activities. Abdominal muscles
are largely responsible for the ability to breathe deeply, align our pelvis, keeping
our torso erect, the ability to move, rotate and flex the entire trunk, supporting
your spine and of course supporting the digestive organs. This should tell you
therefore, that the fitness obsessed buffs know something that you also need to
know. Learning the different ways you can work to regain a flat stomach is one
of the best ways to get perfectly toned core muscles that will support your body
and also promote good health.
Anyone who wants to leave for a journey needs an accurate map in order for him
or her to arrive at the destination without having to keep on guessing. Going
without one because you are ‘in a hurry’ to arrive is disaster personified. You
will not only waste your few resources but will also burn up that time you were
trying to save and much more of it. It is therefore a wise thing for you to ‘waste’
some little time looking for an accurate and dependable map that will guide you
on your journey.
Before we begin shedding off belly fat, it is therefore in order that we spend a
little time in order to understand the topography of the belly. With just a simple
knowledge of the anatomy of the belly, you will be giving yourself a mental map
of what you are dealing with. We are going to take a mental scalpel and peel
away a few layers of belly skin so that we take a peek at the belly and everything
that lies just under the skin.
One interesting thing that the scientists are discovering about the skin around
your abdomen is that it is relatively different from skin on the rest of the body.
The skin on the belly has a form of subcutaneous tissue that seems to be in love
with fat cells. This is the reason why this skin has the ability to hoard several
inches of body fat. Another important fact about belly fat is that once there is an
accumulation of it around the tummy, it is not extremely easy to melt it away,
unless you learn the correct process of doing it.
In most cases, what we see when we look at models with flat stomachs, are not
people whose fat cells have disappeared but people whose fat cells have been
starved and shrunk. Most of these fat cells will just be hanging around there
waiting for chance to fill up and bulge again. The best belly fat loss programs
therefore are those that will go beyond the fat cells and go much deeper. The
challenge is that when you work to eliminate the fat cells alone, you actually
expose yourself to other related problems.

Instead of dealing with belly

fat alone, I will show you how to move deeper and deal with some core muscles
that provide a protective shield all over the internal organs. You will learn how
to deal with abdominal muscles: the rectus abdominus that extends from your
pubic bone to the sternum; the external oblique coursing diagonally from the ribs
to the rectus; the internal obliques lying just below the externals and the
transversus that run horizontal to wrap up your torso which is the innermost
muscle. This is the muscle that you flex any moment you pull in your belly.
The type of fat that covers the midsection and these muscles can be hard to deal
with but must be eliminated in order for you to enjoy good health. Researchers
are discovering that belly fat finally becomes another organ that has its own
proteins, hormones and can move to other internal organs. When such fat goes
deep inside to organs like the liver, it impairs the liver’s ability to eliminate
cholesterol placing you at a higher risk of getting heart diseases. It is the same
type of fat that reduces the effectiveness of insulin, increasing your chances of
developing diabetes.
Research has discovered that your stomach fat cells can produce proteins and
hormones that will easily interact with the rest of the body. Apparently, they
actually behave like an active body organ that sends signals to the rest of the
body making you susceptible to other diseases such as heart diseases and several
cancers. Burning belly fat therefore is not just about looks, there is more to it
than that. The good health of your body depends greatly on it.
The anatomy of belly fat
While flaunting your waistline is a good enough reason to motivate you to deal
with belly fat, the truth of that matter is that there should be stronger incentives
to do that – and good health is the chief among them. Body fat, and especially
the fat around your belly, plays an important role regarding whether you will
remain healthy and it is also vital in determining our risk level for different
chronic diseases. While it is true that we all need a small amount of tummy fat
so as to cushion our internal organs and maintain body temperature, the main
problem is a particular type of belly fat and where it is located that normally
leads to the related health challenges.
Types of belly fat

There are basically two types of tummy

fat; the subcutaneous and the visceral fat layers. Subcutaneous fat is normally
found under the skin and this is what is normally visible and can actually be
pinched. This is what we see when we are standing in front of the bathroom
mirror. While this is unsightly, we should perhaps be more afraid of the visceral
stuff that we cannot see. Visceral fat is related to the internal body organs and is
found deep inside our abdomens surrounding tissues such as the kidneys, liver,
pancreas and intestines. The latter is the fat that gives your tummy the potbelly
we all love to hate.

The subcutaneous fat can be described as a passive form of fat because it is
basically used as a form of storage or repository. With a little bit of metabolism
from other systems of the body, this form of fat is easily and quickly converted
into energy to be expended by the body. Visceral fat, on the other hand is
considered an active form of fat because it becomes a form of an organ in and of
itself. When it breaks down it releases a number of fatty acids and other
hormones which get to be metabolized by the liver.
According to researchers, the fatty acids produced by this type of fat get directly
into the liver where they produce an adverse metabolic environment causing the
liver to do some things that impair good health. Too much visceral fat in the
system can enhance the blood sugar levels which increase the amount of insulin
which also increases inflammation, creating a perfect set up for the development
of diseases such as diabetes, stroke and several types of cancers. While visceral
fat is located deep inside our abdomens, it is actually related to damages that it
causes in different other parts of the body. Since no other type of fat in the body
does these things, this is a perfect motivation for everyone to keep belly fat
under lock and key.
Failure to take charge of this type of fat gives rise to fat packed pot bellies which
you see everywhere as a protrusion on the tummy. The little amount that is
visible on the surface is bad enough but is only deceptive. Doctors surmise that
when you are carrying visceral fat you are like someone carrying stuff weighing
between 7 and 10 pounds in a bag that is meant to carry no more than 5 pounds.
Since there is no more room for growth, it creates tightness in the system.
Why you have a potbelly
Looking for a single answer regarding the origin of potbellies in some people’s
midsections can be one difficult task. This is because there isn’t a single answer
to this question. There are different contributing factors and among them are
heredity, eating habits, stress and hormonal changes.
Heredity

The first part of beginning to understand the reason

why you have belly fat has to do with understanding hereditary factors that
determine the shape of your body:
Apple: There are people who have the ‘apple’ body shape who have a natural
inclination to accumulate weight in the upper body region and the stomach.
Pear: On the other hand, people with a ‘pear’ body shape are naturally inclined
to accumulating weight in areas such as the buttocks, the waist, the thighs and
the lower legs.
Your waist hip ratio (WHR) can help you determine where you belong. You can
get your WHR by dividing your waist measurement with the hip measurement.
You can accurately measure your WHR by measuring around the navel when
your stomach is relaxed and the hip around the bony part. If you are a woman
whose WHR is below 0.80 then you qualify to be pear shaped and anything
higher than 0.80 indicates that you are a pear shaped. Men’s cut off point is 0.9
but in most cases, men are apple shaped and they are almost always inclined to
accumulate visceral fat. WHR can give better indicators of disease risk because
some people with lower BMI can actually be at risk of diseases caused by belly
fat.
Eating habits
Another common cause tummy fat, just like most other forms of fat is the
consumption of more calories that the body can be able to expend. Our bodies
cannot very easily dispense with the type of high calorie diet that we are used to
in the current generation. The plain truth is that millions of people are eating in a
way that is contrary to their bodies’ basic needs. Most of the ‘foods of affluence’
that are so easily consumed by many of us urban dwellers are out of sync with
the way our bodies are designed. The type of adverse belly fat we are dealing
with currently was not a problem a few generations ago. The combination of
sedentary lifestyles and an unlimited food supply has become our current day’s
Achilles’ heel.

Apart from the fact that in most cases food is more

accessible these days, we have processed our food so much that the bodies
hardly recognize it anymore. The metabolic processes of the body were actually
designed to process the natural food diet. The current trend of eating sugary,
salty and fatty snacks and drinks which are full of chemicals and preservatives
do not allow the body the opportunity to process and utilize them efficiently.
All the food that cannot be utilized is therefore stored up as in places like the
midsection with capacity to do more harm than good. The other reason that
potbellies are also called beer bellies is because they are also associated with the
amount of alcohol a person drinks. The body processes alcohol in much the same
way as sugar is processed in the body, which exerts pressure on the liver and it
finally undermines its ability to process fat cells.
Stress
It is an open secret that stress also contributes a great deal to the increase of belly
fat. When it comes to gaining tummy fat, while heredity can be blamed for
loading the gun without our consent, the environment we create does the action
of pulling the trigger. Scientific research has constantly concluded that people
who experience high stress levels not only suffer mental and physical
consequences but their waistlines also become indicative.

It is normal to experience some level of stress

in our lives which may be annoying but can be managed. Such includes the
stress of finding yourself held up in a traffic and you are rushing for an
important appointment or waiting in a long line at the supermarket. However,
there are other forms of stress that can be classified as chronic such as that which
results from a long term illness, a poor marriage or an annoying career. This is
the type of stress that stimulates that production of higher doses of cortisol
which can create a huge appetite that causes some people to overeat when they
are stressed. In most cases, weight gain triggered by cortisol tends to settle
around the abdominal area.
Hormonal changes
As we grow older, the level of sex hormones in the body begins to decline in
both men and women causing the development of some of those unsightly
paunches. While apple shaped women are normally more prone to developing
the paunch, at the onset of menopause, pear shaped women, whose body
chemistry is normally protected by high estrogen levels begin losing estrogen,
thereby increasing the health risks associated with belly fat. When such women
gain weight they will more often than not gain visceral fat which can actually
transform them to the ‘apple’ shape.
No matter what the cause of your belly fat is, it appears like this has become a
modern day epidemic. The bad news about tummy fat is that there is no quick fix
approach to dealing with it. The tummy area is one of the trickiest parts of the
body for anyone to exercise. On the flip side, the good news is that, while
visceral fat is actually stored deep down inside your belly, it is normally the first
type of fat to burn of when the right strategies are employed. Since the visceral
fat is normally metabolically active, this works in your favor when you decide it
is time to get rid of it.

Where the rubber meets the road

The correct weight loss mindset
One important thing that most people fail to realize is the fact that getting a sexy
flat belly is never simply about eating well and sweating it out at the gym.
Anyone who wants to succeed at losing tummy fat and keeping it off must
develop an effective weight loss mindset. Anyone who ever achieves anything in
the world manages as a result of having the right mindset and an effective goal
program. Multi billionaire gold medalist athletes are never lucky enough to win;
they work on an effective mindset that is supported by achievable goals and
deadlines.
 If you are going to get into a proper weight loss
mindset, it is only in order that you try to link your current lifestyle with the
deadly consequences that await you if you continue on the same path. You must
begin by developing a mental picture of how unattractive you are likely to
become if you continue with any of the habits that brought the belly fat in the
first place. You may also want to try and imagine what your significant other
thinks about you when you get undressed and ready to hit the sack.
Take a mental picture of a summer where everyone else is in the beach wearing
bikinis and swim suits but you dare not. Imagine when you decide to be brave
and stay in a bikini or short skirt and everyone turning to look at you while
giggling. It is important to be blunt with yourself on this matter because as we
have seen, the consequences of tummy fat go deeper than that physical
appearance we all get concerned about. Visualize going to the doctor and he tells
you that you have more days behind you than you have ahead of you even
though this could have been avoided.
I guess that this is not the direction you would love your life to take. You should
therefore start visualizing life on the opposite side of the coin. Imagine yourself
feeling healthier, more energized and your looks beginning to improve. Look at
how the change you anticipate is going to improve your relationship with your
spouse and other social friends. Imagine yourself never getting ashamed to
undress before your sexual partner because of some unsightly paunch. Look at
yourself breathing easier and thinking clearer because you have a great amount
of self-confidence. I want to surmise that this is how your life should actually be
lived. I am pretty sure that you want to live a life where you feel good about
yourself, you look as good as you should be and you also perform to your level
best.
Besides aiding you to lose belly fat that would have accumulated, a good weight
loss mindset is what will help you in keeping the excess weight off your body
for good. The difference between your success and failure depends on what kind
of mindset you are going to start with. The following simple steps will assist you
to create the correct mindset that will make all your tummy fat weight loss
efforts sail easily:
Step #1: Develop a strong desire
Desire should always build a strong foundation for anything you want to achieve
under the sun; a strong desire is what normally ignites the growth process. A
strong desire is normally built when you have a clear picture of exactly what you
are looking for. You must take some time off and list down that reasons why you
want to lose belly fat and also include the ways in which the weight loss is going
to improve your life.
Step #2: Develop the belief that you can do it
The next step is creating the state of mind that tells you that without an iota of
doubt you can actually attain your desire. Tell yourself that you have everything
that you need which will enable you to lose the belly fat you intend to lose, as
well as maintain the changes that will have taken place. You must also leave the
mind open for the creation of new beliefs that will continue supporting your
belly weight loss plans as and when there is need.
Step #3: Develop a deep commitment
In order for you to remain focused on your belly weight loss program, it is
completely essential that you develop and keep a deep commitment. This kind of
commitment will continue to provide you with inspiration and support anytime
your resolve tends to wane. Perhaps it is in order for you to find an
accountability partner who will assist you to keep your commitment stronger.
Step #4: Develop your self esteem
Avoid having yourself worth and self-esteem getting tied to how your pot belly
makes you look. You must avoid making your journey more difficult by getting
depressed every moment you look at your reflection in the bathroom mirror and
realize that you actually have an unsightly bulge. Don’t allow any negative self-
talk in your mind but instead focus on visualizing the results you going to see at
the end of the period.
Step #5: Live room for flexibility
You must remember that life will not stop going on as you are trying to achieve
your sexy flat belly. You must therefore realize that sometimes things will not
happen as planned. You must have the resolve to soldier on even when it appears
that it doesn’t make sense to go on.
Step #6: Realize that it will not be easy

You must tell yourself in advance that things will not be

all easy. Whatever method you are going to choose as your preferred tummy fat
loss method, it is going to require some hard work and determination. There are
many times you will feel like eating stuff that you know you should not and you
just won’t feel like attending the gym. You will be better off when you are
mentally prepared for periods like that.
Step #7: Look at the end from the beginning
There are going to be a few setbacks in your belly fat loss program. It is possible
that you will lose some 5 pounds this week but discover that you have gained 2
the following week. It is very possible for you to get terribly disappointed by the
second week’s happenings and decide that the plan is actually not working. You
must remember that weight will fluctuate occasionally and, as such, you need to
give your body time to stabilize as time progresses. Your mind must be fixed on
the big picture.
Step #8: Always use positive affirmations
Last but not least, use positive affirming sentences and images so as to
strengthen your resolve. Positive affirmations are used as ways of portraying the
reality that you are looking forward to accomplishing in order to make your
desires a reality. Every day, you must spend some amount of time visualizing
yourself without that bump on your tummy and as a healthy well contented
person. You could also try to use affirmations such as ‘I can accomplish this’.
Many successful people normally use positive affirmations so as to turn their
desires into reality.
Your tools of trade
This is perhaps where the rubber finally meets the road. You have made up your
mind to lose belly fat and regain the once sexy body that you have desired time
and again. However, you begin entertaining lame excuses and procrastination
that don’t allow you to actually take off. Procrastination and lame excuses are
some of the biggest thieves of success in anything a person may desire to do. We
all encounter it one time or another and it can be quite difficult to shake it off.
The good news is that with the right set of tools, you should be able to shake off
procrastination once and for all.
The following tools are what you need in order to deal procrastination a body
blow:

a) A diary: You need a diary that you are

going to dedicate to your belly fat loss program. You should be able to
deliberately spare an uninterrupted portion of time when you are going
to practice all your goals. Whether you are trying to tone your
abdominal muscles or shed off belly fat, the most important thing you
must do is to allocate a specific time slot for the activity. Most people
find that sparing some four times weekly slots of half an hour is good
enough to make an impact in their program. Setting the time apart is
one thing while making it happen is a completely different one. Most
people find it easier to spare time for workouts first thing in the
morning while they are still full of energy and before they get
enveloped in their daily activities.
 b) Motivational poster: You also need to write up a motivational

slogan on a poster and place it in a place where you can look at it

daily. Alternatively, you can place a pin up poster of somebody who
has the size of flat belly that you are working towards. This will serve
as a great motivation towards achieving your goal.
c) Acquire a timer: If you are going to do your physical workouts, it is

important that you do them for the amount of time that you have set
apart. You must set your timer for every activity you have put on the
program so that you move on to the next activity after your time runs
out.
d) Don’t stop learning: After you have started with your belly fat loss

program, you must strive to keep on learning newer and better ways to
reach your goal. Even the world’s leading athletes are never content
with what they know. They keep on sharpening their edge in order to
get fitter, better and faster. You must spend every effort you have to
keep on searching for new ways of burning belly fat always.
Wrong reasons for losing belly fat
One of the best motivations for losing tummy fat is perhaps the reasons why you
truly want to have a flatter stomach. Among all the millions of men and women
who attempt to lose belly fat, all their reasons can be put into two basic
categories. People lose belly fat either for acceptance or for health motivated
reasons. While most people trying to lose tummy fat do it for the purpose of
appearance, you should remember that the health reasons are an overriding
factor.
Out of the many reasons that people give for deciding to lose belly fat, there are
good ones as well as bad ones. Among the reasons that people give as
motivation for losing belly fat include:
Weddings
To fit into a new swim suit
For a holiday
For the summer months
For a photo shoot
To please others
To feel better about yourself worth
Be happier
To feel sexy
Increase self esteem
Charity event to raise money
To look similar to models or movie stars
To gain admiration from others
To fit into a social group
To avoid being laughed at
To have courage to look naked into mirrors
To feel more attractive
For prom night

If you going to attempt toning your tummy for the simple purpose of looking
good, that is a good reason but it may not be good enough. Those who try to
burn belly fat in order to fit in with peers, avoid being laughed at etc. will most
likely be having problems with their self-esteem. It may be important to deal
with your self-esteem issues first, otherwise you will very easily find yourself
spiraling deeper into your negative mindset should you fail to see results as
quickly as you expect.
Looking good is important for everyone but it can be risky if you base your
entire happiness on the fact that you look good and have a flat tummy. Many
people who don’t have very good reasons for losing belly fat almost always
renege in their plans and can very easily slip back to their old habits and actually
gain more belly fat than they had originally. It will be in your interest if you also
looked at the health aspect of belly fat loss. The healthy aspects of belly fat loss
will give you a longer term solution and is actually a more powerful motivation
for attempting to lose that paunch.

The best person you need to focus on as you plan to lose

belly fat is you. While changing your diet plan and getting into and strict
exercise regime will help you feel better, look pleasant, increase your energy
levels, increase your self-confidence and give you a better night’s sleep; the
focus should be on you. We all have our different reasons for joining the
bandwagon, but the greatest incentives for aiming to get a flat toned flat belly
has to be for the overall health benefits you are going to achieve.
You must also avoid the negative thoughts of comparing yourself with another
individual and thinking that you will never look like that person or that you are
too big to look like them. Such negative thoughts will only help in discouraging
you. Your best frame of mind should be to assess your current position and write
down your personal goals before you start working towards them. You will only
need to remind yourself that a flat tummy will not happen instantly but
specifically designed goals will help you achieve what you are working for.
Why you should lose that paunch
While there are several factors that cause belly fat to accumulate, it is important
for you to realize that there numerous health risks associated with carrying
visceral fat in your belly. That you are reading this book is a good enough reason
that you are concerned about why you must do everything possible to shed off
that paunch. While most people are concerned about their appearance, we have
already seen that it is not only the fat that you can feel that needs to be dealt
with; the one that is unseen is actually more dangerous.
You may rightly be concerned that you are being forced to purchase newer
clothes due to the accumulation of belly fat; however, your concern should be
that you are actually exposing yourself to a number of debilitating diseases and
conditions. We have also seen that visceral fat cells are not dormant and they are
very active producing hormones that impair your good health. Some of the
problems associated with this type of fat include risks to diseases such as
diabetes, breast cancer, gall bladder disease, cardiovascular diseases as well as
colorectal cancers.
The following are the health risks you will be preventing when you decide to
shed off belly fat:
Diabetes
The accumulation of belly fat increases the level of blood sugar and it can be
caused by the consumption of large amounts of fat, carbohydrates and proteins
in excess of what your body really requires. The pancreas is then stimulated to
produce more insulin into the system in order to regulate the large amount of
blood sugar. This stresses the pancreas which leads to the production of
insufficient levels of insulin and an increase in blood sugar levels which leads to
Type 2 diabetes.
Heart disease
Anyone who is obese, overweight or has excessive fats deposited around the
abdomen is normally at a risk of having high cholesterol levels. While
cholesterol is a type of fat produced by the liver to help in normal body
functions, too much of it is known to be responsible for a number of serious
cardiovascular diseases such as:
Heart disease – caused by the failure of the arteries in the heart not

being able to provide sufficient blood and oxygen to the heart.

Arteriosclerosis – refers to the narrowing of arteries which cuts

down on the amount of blood and oxygen thereby increasing blood

pressure
Heart attack – refers to the formation of clots such that blood and

oxygen cannot go through which can lead to the heart stopping which
could end up causing the death of some heart muscles
Stroke – refers to the formation of a clot in the arteries that could

lead to the cessation of blood and oxygen supply in the brain. The
result is normally the death of brain cells which leads to the cessation
of motor functions or even premature death.

Lower back pain

Having an enormous amount of fat around the abdominal area normally puts a
lot of pressure on the lower back. Over the course of time you are likely to
discover that your posture is getting bad and you could also begin experiencing
some lower back pain. You know that lower back pain will prevent you from
performing some very basic skills such as lifting, walking or even standing.

Breast cancer
Research has found that women who are overweight normally have very high
levels of estrogen, which is an essential hormone in a woman’s reproductive
processes. When a woman is overweight and inactive and has a high level of
estrogen she risks getting breast cancer.
If you think you are at risk of these and any other problems caused by belly fat,
don’t imagine that your life is now all gloomy and dark. There is an option you
have which is taking a positive step and shedding off that tummy fat. The best
news is that most of the risks involved can actually be reversed as soon as you
enter into a belly fat reduction program.
Why some people fail
Nothing is more annoying than the simple realization that you can no longer
wear your chic cocktail dress because your midsection is bulging and will not
just allow you to attend the party in your best. The quickest thought is normally
how to get a surefire way of losing that belly fat fast. While there may not be an
instant solution to getting a slimmer belly, the secret lies with your willingness
and ability to adopt some serious lifestyle change. Most of those who try and fail
may not have taken sufficient time to really understand the real causes of belly
fat in order for them to successfully reverse the flab that is already piling around
their belly. Scientific research shows many reasons why people fail to lose belly
fat in spite of their efforts and some of those reasons include:
An obsession with quick fixes
In many cases people are so much in a hurry to get done with their belly fat that
they go out to look for a quick fix miracle. The one thing you must remember is
that when it comes to any form of weight loss there is nothing like a quick fix.
You don’t spend all your time looking for quick solution to an extent that you
actually lose all sanity. There is no amount of weight that was gained overnight
and as such you cannot expect that you will lose it in one week or so. Sometimes
when you use fat burners, the body’s system does not recognize those changes as
permanent and as a result it waits for you to finish before it gets back to its
original condition.
An accumulation of toxic waste

Unknown to most people, your fat cells

actually act as a reservoir for toxic wastes, especially those that your body
cannot possibly break down. These fat cells are especially stored in the area
around the stomach and this is the reason there is normally an accumulation of
flab that won’t just go away around your midsection. The liver, which is situated
around your midsection, scatters any poison filled fat cells in the area
surrounding it and because these fat cells are bereft of blood vessels, they are
basically not in touch with the rest of the body so that no matter how hard you
exercise they remain intact. This means that unless you detoxify your body in
order to get rid of these accumulated poisons, all your belly fat loss efforts will
almost always end up failing
Poor lifestyle choices
It is an open secret that belly fat accumulates over the course of time and by the
time you want to do something about it, you have become so used to your poor
lifestyle habits that it is almost impossible to stop them. The trouble with habits
is that it is made up of small things here and there that we do every day to such
an extent that they become part of our being. These habits can become too
embedded in our lives because they have been repeated over the course of time
stretching into months or even years. In most cases you will struggle with a
tough exercise regime, while still leaving these habits which continue to undo
every effort you are making. Perhaps it is those late dinners, skipping breakfast,
comfort eating, the beer you gulp without thinking, your sedentary lifestyle, lack
of sufficient sleep and etc.
The diet trap
This is a common problem faced by many people who desire to develop a flat
stomach. While you may well admit that your diet is not a bad one, it may be
possible that you do not take the best weight loss diet possible. While you don’t
necessarily have to go to extremes in diet, you need to develop a healthy well-
structured diet plan that will not add more calories than you need daily. Perhaps
what you need is a healthy mindset that will cause you to enjoy any diet plan that
you adopt without feeling like it is a chore.
Lack of focus
Many of the time some people wake up one morning and decide they want to
lose belly fat and without realizing what it is going to cost them they jump into a
program they can’t really support. It is important for you to have a clear goal
whenever you begin a weight loss plan. You must set a clear measurable goal
that will give you and your trainer clear direction and you can measure whether
you are making any progress.
Your action plan
You are now ready to begin your workout and diet plan in order to start losing
your belly fat, the following five step action plan is going to help you to set the
ball rolling:
Step #1: Set your goals
Pull out the diary you bought in order to set the exact goal that you require to
achieve. If you intend to lose so many pounds, you may want to indicate that
down in your diary. In this case, if you are planning to tone your stomach
muscles you must indicate exactly what you want to achieve, making sure to
indicate an achievable deadline but it must also be specific.
Step #2: Allocate your days
In the diary, plan the exact activities you are going to do on each specific day. It
may be in your interest if you made the people you live with aware of these days
such that they respect them and where possible they can support you. Place the
poster you have or a specific motivational slogan at the place where you will be
doing your workouts.
Step #3: Invade your kitchen
Invade your kitchen and do the necessary changes. Eliminate all the fattening
foods in your kitchen replacing them with whole foods. You may want to
become generous and donate any foods you are not going to eat such as sugary
snacks and drinks, salty snacks, and junk foods to your buddies, neighbors or
perhaps just dump them in the trash can. Head to the grocery store and purchase
a fresh supply of fruits and vegetables as may be necessary. You may also want
to buy fish, turkey, chicken, pasta, eggs and brown bread. Don’t forget to buy
seeds, nuts, yogurt and low fat milk.
Change you eating plan to eating your largest meal during breakfast

and also take 4 – 6 meals per day instead of the regular 2 – 3 meals
Plan to eat a rich protein filled breakfast every day after your

workout including eggs and dairy products, always avoid eating before
going for a workout
Step #4: Decide daily workouts
Plan every day what you are going to do the following day in terms of workouts.
Write down how many repetitions of every activity you are going to be doing.
Step #5: Step out and do it
After doing all the plans, it is finally time to step out of the comfort zone and do
the actual workouts that you plan to do. You must always remember to start with
a warm up before totally plunging yourself into the exercises you are going to do
every day. The results you are going to get will be determined by the intensity of
your workouts. Remember to begin slowly, especially if you have never been
involved in exercise before. Work hard enough in order for you to sweat
profusely and when you combine the various exercises with a diet plan, you can
wait for the results you have always yearned for.

Diet discipline
Diet and weight loss
You have come this far in this course because you are really interested in
burning off that belly fat that is not only ugly but is also a major health risk. A
diet plan is one of the best ways you can reduce belly fat, lose excess weight and
of course improve your entire overall health. When deciding on a diet plan to
lose weight and belly fat, it is always important to make choices that can easily
become part of your lifestyle. You must create the mindset of not looking at the
diet plan as a chore but as a healthy lifestyle choice that is going to benefit you a
great deal.
There are a few basic core principles that you may want to consider even before
you select a diet plan that is supposed to an appropriate one. Some of the core
principles of the belly fat loss diet include the following:
Any diet plan that you enter should aim for proper nutrition where

proteins, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are included

liberally
It is recommended that you include plenty of drinking water in your

diet plan, where 8 – 10 glasses should be drank daily

It is extremely important to plan to get sufficient rest every night,

aiming at 7 – 8 hours every day

Cardiovascular exercises in combination with your diet plan will

give you fast and longer lasting results

You will also require to include some amount of weight training

exercises in order to build up and tone your belly muscles which will
in turn assist you to burn belly fat faster
Most people get confused about what they should include in their belly fat
burning diet. As a result of this confusion, such people end up getting trapped
and consuming the wrong type of diet which eventually backfires. While
knowing what you are going to consume is important, I guess it is more
important to also take note on what you cannot just consume. Fad diets will not
give any results and as a result you must know how to avoid this trap
completely.
 Fad diets are basically concerned with the
reduction of calorie intake and they use any unscrupulous method to make sure it
happens. In most cases, they encourage you to eat only specific types of foods
which may not be generally wholesome which in itself is a major problem. The
trouble with these fad diets is that they lie to the body. When sufficient food is
not arriving, the body goes into a panic and switches on the starvation mode
which ends up slowing down your metabolism. The resultant effect is that the
slowed metabolism encourages the storage of fat leading to what is normally
referred to as yo-yo dieting.
Discipline your fork and knife
The last half century has seen a great shift in our general dietary styles with
general food choices quickly shifting from the natural to highly processed foods.
Many of the staples that were generally fresh natural foods are no longer
considered fashionable and almost everything is now packaged and processed.
Apparently, it is during the same period that we have experienced major
outbreak of obesity, belly fat and many lifestyle diseases that are directly or
indirectly related to our lifestyle choices. Majority of the foods that are
processed are loaded with chemicals in the name of preservatives and artificial
flavors all of which have a negative impact regarding weight gain.
Most people’s diets today are composed of highly processed foods that are
nutritionally wanting while at the same time packed with Tran’s fats which are
deadly, fructose and large amounts of sugar, all of which are known to be major
contributors to excess weight gain. Things are not becoming any better because
in the developed world, even manufacturers of baby foods are beginning to
package some junk baby food in order to increase their market numbers.
Many of these foods being sold as baby foods are filled with preservatives and
other chemicals and I guess babies will be growing up addicted to junk. Their
availability is made easier because there are vending machines at every nook and
cranny, not forgetting our children’s schools. In most cases, the caloric content
and nutritional value is such that by the time these children grow they will
actually be battling child obesity and belly fat problems.

It has always been an open secret

that the best diet is one that is composed of fresh fruits and fresh green
vegetables since they promote good health and weigh loss practices. Fruits and
vegetables are essential because apart from their vitamin, mineral and
antioxidant content, they also provide your body with fiber which is essential in
weight loss programs. It is therefore important to make sure that you eat at least
10 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
It is sad that very few adults eat sufficient fruits and vegetables daily and you
can therefore understand why children will find it harder. Research studies
indicate that in the past decade, only 26% of grownups admitted that they ate
vegetables at least three times every day. Manufacturers of junk foods and
processed foods spend millions of dollars advertising and this seems to have
been extremely successful.
Natural vegetables are jam packed with all the vital nutrients that promote the
growth of cells to a safe level that easily reduces our risk of deadly diseases
while at the same time enhancing natural weight loss. Junk foods, on the other
hand, are filled with chemicals that are added during the manufacturing process
and which are normally released into the body, thereby creating a situation that
overloads the system with toxins day in day out.
When these toxic chemicals get broken down by the body, the body ‘hides’ them
in fat cells so as to prevent the immediate outbreak of disease. These chemicals
will accumulate over the course of time to such an extent that they reach
extremely dangerous levels where they create conditions that are ripe for
diseases such as diabetes, cancer and a number of heart conditions. This
chemical overload that is caused by the consumption of too much junk food
disrupts the body’s metabolic functions leading to a rise in blood sugar levels,
resistance to insulin and finally weight gain especially around the abdomen.

It is no secret that there are serious health hazards

that are associated with the consumption of junk foods, which are being
consumed by millions of unfortunate unsuspecting people. It is fact that millions
of people are committing slow suicide with their knives and forks. It is no
wonder that there has been an explosion of obesity and related diseases such as
metabolic disorders and cardiovascular complications. If you are going to
succeed in burning off that extra weight in your belly, you must make a
deliberate decision to discipline your knife and fork. Try as much as possible to
eliminate all manner of processed foods from your diet. You must choose your
diet for longevity and not necessary for the artificial taste that junk foods are
truly known for.
Discipline your tongue

Majority of the people trying to lose belly fat normally

concentrate their energy on reducing the amount of fatty foods they consume.
The only problem with this approach is that they always forget another major
culprit that is refined sugar. There is plenty of refined sugar in our diet that
contributes very greatly to the bulging waistlines that you are seeing all over the
place. A lot of the sugar is normally consumed unconsciously because most of
the time it is hidden in a number of foods and drinks we consume innocently.
The truth of the matter is that there are not too many people who don’t truly
understand how refined sugar plays a role in increasing belly fat and general
excess weight. Consider the following facts about refined sugar especially as it
relates to weight loss matters:
Refined sugar comes under different names on food labels such as

cane sugar, brown sugar, palm sugar, corn syrup, fruit juice
concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, glucose, dextrose,
maltose, raw sugar, molasses, table sugar, sucrose, syrup etc.
While all sugars contain about 4 calories per gram, refined sugars

have no nutritional value. It is only okay if your sugar intake

constitutes only less than10% of your entire energy intake
On average, research discovered that most people consume at least

40 kg or 90 pounds of sugar annually, which literally translates to

about 22 teaspoons of sugar daily; in terms of calories this translates to
440 calories daily.
So how does the consumption of sugar affect your weight gain and weight loss
programs? The truth of that matter is that the consumption of sugar has
numerous negative effects as far as weight loss is concerned on the bodies which
include:
 An addition of empty calories

Raises blood sugar and insulin levels which in effect causes the

body to start storing body fat and nit burning it

Causes a serious drop of

insulin which leaves an individual feeling exhausted and hungry with a
craving for more sweet stuff
Since vitamins and minerals are required for the digestion of the

excess sugars, the body has to draw them from the reserves and this
reduces the amount available for burning fat and building muscles
Reduces the intake of other nutritious foods that are filled with

minerals and vitamins

While it is true that many of us don’t add any sugar to our cooking, we never
realize that that refined foods and beverages we consume have a lot of sugar.
This is basically how most people find themselves consuming more sugar than
they can imagine and since it is addictive, we continue to consume it
innocently.
It is therefore important that you try to gradually reduce the amount of sugar you
consume every day to some level that can be considered healthy. This is the only
way you will succeed in cutting down your weight as well as dropping the
measurement of your waistline. There are a few simple things you can do in
order to reduce the amount of sugar you will be consuming daily.
a. Try as much as possible to consume and enjoy foods that are

naturally sweet without the addition of sugar

b. Reduce the amount of sugar recommended in any recipe by 1/3 or

¼ which you can replace with some nonfat dairy products so as to

enhance their nutritional value
c. Make your own sauces and toppings at home because they are

likely to have less sugar

d. When baking, you can replace sugar with frozen fruit concentrates,

fresh juice or dried fruits

e. Read food labels when shopping so as to find out whether there any

hidden sugars
f. Avoid buying foods and snacks that are naturally filled with sugar

such as soda, baked goods, chocolate and biscuits

g. Don’t replace high sugar foods

with high sodium and fatty foods
h. Avoid buying sweetened drinks but instead buy 100% fruit juices

and drink pure water when you are feeling thirsty

i. Avoid drinking sweetened beverages such as coffee drinks and

milkshakes since they are always full of sugar and empty calories
j. Eat fruit that is in season since it will not have any added sweetness

k. If you find that you really must take a soft drink, choose the

smallest can that is available. Most people get shocked to learn that a
normal 600 ml bottle of soft drink contains between 12 and 25
teaspoons of sugar.
l. Avoid foods that have a combination of sugar and fat such as

biscuits, cakes and chocolate because you will be increasing the

amount of fat that you will be gaining eventually.
It is important for you to remember that while sugar will contribute only four
calories per gram, there are foods that have more concentrated calorie sources
than others. You will get 16 calories from one teaspoon of sugar; 22 calories
from a teaspoon of honey. A teaspoon of applesauce may have only four calories
but it has fiber, vitamins and minerals making it a better choice.
Salt and weight loss

While salt does not contain any calories in and of

itself, word on the street is that it is actually associated with weight gain. People
who consume high amounts of salt temporarily cause water retention which
causes a temporary weight gain. It is in this regard that people who consume less
salt have their bodies expel a lot of water which generally leads to loss of
weight. Many weight loss diets that restrain you from taking any salt or a large
amount of it will mostly help you to lose weight that is associated with water.
The problem is that as soon as you begin taking salt, you will end up losing the
same amount of weight that you supposedly lost.
The truth of the matter is you still need to be concerned about the amount of salt
that you consume because of it song term effects on your belly fat loss program.
Diets that are full of salt are normally associated with blood pressure diseases
which are somehow tied with how we gain weight. The major problem comes
with the consumption processed foods that are normally high in their salt content
but extremely low in their fiber and calorie content. Most of these foods are
found in supermarket shelves and fast food restaurants.
The tricky thing regarding salt is that we add it during our cooking or at table in
order to improve the food’s taste. Manufacturers of refined foods on the other
hand have to add greater quantities of the same salt so as to return the food’s
flavor and also enhance its preservation. However, when you read the packaging
you will not see the mention of salt but sodium. Most people normally use the
terms salt and sodium interchangeably but in actual they are slightly different.
Sodium is a natural mineral that occurs in many foods which also accounts for
up to 40% of the content of table salt. This means that we someone adds salt to
any food they increase the food’s sodium content by about 40% of the amount
added through salt.

The place of proteins
One of the best ways to increase your metabolic rate through diet is by making
sure that your foods contain a large amount of proteins. There are many ways
that high quality proteins influence belly fat loss programs. Proteins are
responsible for the development of your muscle mass; they improve your
antioxidant functioning as well as your immunity, increased insulin function and
HDL cholesterol, all of which play a role in enhancing your weight management
programs.
There is sufficient scientific evidence that proves that the consumption of higher
levels of proteins significantly contributes to weight loss. However, this works
especially well when it is combined with the reduction of the consumption of
carbohydrates. Under ideal circumstances, you need to make sure that your
protein consumption comprises of up to ¾ of your ideal body weight in grams
every day. A person who weighs 200 pounds but whose ideal weight should be
200 pounds should consume between 120 to 150 grams of proteins daily.
When you are trying to lose any form of weight, it is important for you to make
sure that you are consuming sufficient proteins so as to avoid withering away.
This is what normally enhances your metabolic function which is directly related
to your body’s muscle function. You need to take sufficient protein in order to
preserve your muscles which will in effect facilitate the burning of fat cells in
your body.
Proteins are usually composed of a number of amino acids and where weight
loss is concerned, scientists are in agreement that a line of amino acids known as
leucine are best placed in assisting you in that direction. When you get your
protein content from foods containing this line of amino acids, there are
chemical processes that occur to stimulate a sluggish metabolism whose effect
will be an automatic loss of weight.
 Some of the best sources of
leucine amino acids are the consumption of animal proteins together with dairy
based proteins. Among the leading sources are red meat and cottage cheese; the
other foods in this group include as eggs, cheese, milk, fish, chicken, legumes,
nuts, peanuts and other seed based foods. Most people who don’t take milk
products or red meat may find it hard to get leucine but they can make it by
consuming whey protein. Contrary to popular belief, you can boost your belly fat
loss efforts by up to 65% by eating two eggs for breakfast when compared to
eating an equivalent amount of carbohydrates.
Eating a diet that is rich in leucine rich protein and some low carbohydrates is
one of the most effective natural ways of supporting your weight loss program as
well as improving your metabolism, blood sugar and cardiovascular function.
Leucine actually works by preventing the loss of muscle during any of your
weight loss workouts. When you are on a high protein diet therefore, you will
end up losing fat and not muscle as opposed to a high carbohydrate weight loss
diet where you lose a large amount of muscle during exercise.
The other advantage of a rich protein diet as far as weight loss is involved is that
it also supports the functions of insulin in the body. A diet rich in protein also
reduces the amount of triglycerides which in turn stimulates the brain to make
you feel satisfied sooner with fewer calories. Once a product of the amino acid
known as leptin enters your brain it gives your metabolism a message to speed
up. Whey protein is also important because it enhances the brain’s ability to feel
satisfied, thereby regulating your appetite and the amount of food you are going
to consume.
 The other benefit related to eating high protein
breakfasts is the fact that it stimulates the liver and gives it some work to do. The
liver is basically the body’s metabolic center and when you consume a high
protein breakfast you actually enhance your metabolic rate by an entire 30% and
for duration of approximately 12 hours. This means that you will be able to burn
calories equivalent to a person who has had a five mile jog. Since fats and
carbohydrates are easy to utilize, they only enhance the liver’s metabolism by
4%. When it comes to protein, the liver must split it and then struggle to
reassemble it so that it can then be used by the body for different functions.
A diet that is rich in protein also becomes a form of a natural diuretic. Most
people with any form of extra weight are naturally sluggish because they hold
lots of water in their bodies. Apart from increasing blood pressure because the
heart works harder to eliminate the stagnation, the large amount of water
impedes any weight loss program you may be trying to participate it. However,
with the introduction of a higher protein diet, the body receives an increase in a
protein known as albumin. Albumin uses an osmotic process to rid your body of
fluid retention and thereby supporting your belly fat loss efforts.


Increase the consumption of raw foods
Perhaps this is one of the simplest ways to lose belly fat; the consumption of raw
foods. In a world where people have abandoned some of the best diets for the
sake of convenient diets otherwise known as fast foods, raw foods can play a
significant role in your belly fat loss program. Apparently, raw food diets are not
necessarily competing with cooked foods, the greatest competitor of any healthy
diet is the so called convenient diet.
Foods are naturally filled with life giving enzymes, but our current lifestyles
work very hard to destroy these enzymes. The main reason we have become an
enzyme deficient generation is as a result of cooking our foods too much in
addition to the addition of food additives and preservative as well as pollution,
all of which appear to be in a conspiracy to destroy our food value.
People who turn to raw food diets soon realize that they are consuming foods
that are actually alive and full of enzymes on top of the fact that they aid in belly
fat loss programs. Once you get used to raw foods, you can actually get to enjoy
them extremely and you will become healthier and happier. The truth of the
matter is that as long as you have got a healthy digestive system, you can easily
maintain health and lose all unwanted belly fat by consuming raw foods that are
whole and alive.
The most interesting thing about a raw food diet is that you can actually eat as
much as you want without necessarily adding an ounce of weight. The only
exceptions would be for people who have some digestive disorders; such people
will still be better off consuming raw foods. When you get into a raw food diet
for belly fat loss, you will be cutting on weight and fat while at the same time
cleansing your system and detoxifying it as well as rebuilding your digestive
system which will thereafter take care of your belly fat loss program.
Like any healthcare provider will tell you, all the body parts are somehow
interconnected such that when you have excess belly fat, your entire body
system will be affected somehow. Your bulging midsection is a clear indication
that there are challenges in other body systems such as the elimination processes,
emotions, glandular system, liver, colon, lungs as well as energy levels.
 When you consume raw foods, you
will be addressing the weight problem in a holistic manner. You must realize
that while enzymes are naturally responsible for food digestion, they are also
responsible for every other body process at the cellular level. Every herb,
vitamin or mineral you consume cannot function at all save for the presence of
these enzymes. A diet full of enzymes from raw foods will therefore play a
leading role in improving your entire body function.
When it comes to belly fat loss, enzymes play a big role here. A good example
of an enzyme that splits fat cells is one known as lipase. Lipase is found in great
quantities in raw foods, but the problem is that majority of the people don’t
consume sufficient lipase to burn even a small amount of fat cells, leave alone
the large amounts normally found in our diets. Lipase functions by breaking
down and dissolving fat cells throughout the entire body. When we lack
sufficient lipase, the fat is going to stagnate in numerous places such as the
thighs, hips, midsection and buttocks.
Another important enzyme is known as protease and which is quite important in
the maintenance of a healthy body. Protease is quite significant in the breakdown
of proteins in addition to flushing out of toxins. We have already indicated how
the flushing out of toxins from the body assists in your weight loss efforts. The
body has the habit of hiding any toxic stuff in the fat cells and when you begin to
burn the fat the toxins very easily get released and they can flow into your
system leading to bloating and water retention. When you get protease, it
actually attacks the toxins and flushes them out, which shows why you need to
have plenty of protease when doing any belly fat loss program.
Anytime you fail to get sufficient nutrition from the food you are eating, as it
normally happens when you consume junk foods and cooked foods, your body
goes into panic mode and begins storing fat in order to prevent starvation. The
brain actually signals the body that you are actually hungry and you decide to
eat, which finally creates a vicious cycle so that you eat, feel hungry and eat
again. When you combine this terrible state of affairs with the issues such as
insufficient enzymes in the diet and poor digestion you have in yourself a good
setup for increasing belly fat.

When you decide to eat a large

amount of raw foods as a form of belly fat loss program, you will also be making
sure that you are getting proper nutrition and sufficient enzymes to aid in proper
digestion. Eating all cooked foods means that your body must scavenge for
enzymes from other body processes leading to a waste of resources and energy.
Raw foods will eventually help in restoring your energy and rebuilding a healthy
metabolic rate which will lead you to feeling physically and emotionally better.
When it comes to belly fat loss and general weight loss, raw foods is the way to
go. With a raw foods diet you will regain desired results without too much effort.
This is perhaps the simplest way for anyone to lose the paunch because raw
foods such as fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients but low in calories.
When you have eaten these foods and they have been properly assimilated, you
will begin to lose the craving for junk foods and you can be sure that this will
solve more than half of the problems that most people have with belly fat loss
diets. Most of the times these cravings are not usually as a result of hunger but
rather that the body feels like it has been deprived.
The benefits of the raw food diet in belly fat loss can be compounded by
combining it with a good exercise program. The diet itself will provide you with
so much energy that that you will simply want to go out and do something.
There is a very nice feel good factor that accompanies the raw food diet that will
compel you into action and transform you from the couch potato that you always
were.
Everyone loves desserts and perhaps this is where many people consume sweets
and other sugary snacks. There is nothing that can be more appealing than a raw
dessert because it can actually be eaten at any time, any day and anywhere. This
is a dessert that you won’t have to cook and because it is raw you can eat as
much as you want without any fear that you will put on any weight. All you may
need to invest in is a blender and a food processor and you will be on your way
to losing belly fat through a raw food diet of fruits and vegetables. You may also
want to include some nuts and legumes that can actually be eaten raw after they
have been soaked.
If you are wondering whether it is going to be possible to stay warm while eating
your raw food diet, the answer is that it is very possible. Some of the simple tips
you can employ include:

The use of warm spices such as ginger, garlic or cayenne pepper

Warming your soups slightly

on the stove but only to a temperature where you can still have
your finger inside without getting hurt or perhaps placing it on
warm bathing water.
Drinking herbal teas which even though they are not quite raw,

they are healthy enough to keep you warm without ruining your
health
Eating and drinking your foods and drinks at room temperature

The best eating plan
Your plan to lose belly fat is going to require a very specific balancing act
because what, when and how you eat is what makes all the difference. The truth
of the matter regarding your eating habits is that: When you consume more
calories than you can burn you end up adding weight; when you eat a smaller
amount of calories that you can burn you will end up losing weight.
Most people approach their belly fat loss plans with extreme dieting plans that
end up making the entire exercise look difficult. These diets are not healthy and
they end up leaving you starving and cranky, two things that fully undermine
your belly fat loss efforts. The trouble with these emotional eating habits is that
at the end of the day, you discover that it is roller coaster that leaves you exactly
where you started from, if not worse. The end result is that most people end up
feeling miserable and they give up. The good news is that there is a better eating
plan that will not only leave you feeling satisfied but will also assist you to
achieve your weight loss goals.
When dealing with belly fat, you are dealing with fat that is not only stored
under the skin but that which also goes into your body and covers some of your
internal organs. This is the type of fat that is linked to problems such as insulin
resistance which ends up predisposing you to diseases such as diabetes. Since
there is no single belly fat loss plan that is going to fit everyone, the following
important guidelines will lead you to begin your eating plan that will definitely
assist you to remove the bulge in your midsection.
Consider permanent changes
If you are going to lose belly fat permanently you will need to stop thinking
about getting a quick fix diet plan and instead decide to adopt a lifestyle change.
Permanent weight loss is only achievable through the adoption of a pleasant
lifestyle change that can easily be maintained. While you may try some diet
change plans that are going to help you jump start the entire process, it is
important to note that a lifestyle of healthy food choices is what will work
permanent results at the end of the day.

Social support
You may want to get social support so that you get the
encouragement and motivation that will push you on. It is
important to get the support of close family members and friends
since you intend to make these changes a lifelong lifestyle
program. Family, friends and support groups can be very
effective and can make a great contribution towards your success.

Don’t be in a hurry
You must avoid trying a crash program because in most cases, it
actually becomes a recipe for failure. The best way to go about
belly fat loss is to take it slowly at a pace that is comfortable. The
trouble of losing weight very fast is that it will be exhaustive to
the body and mind and you may not get to enjoy it, thus failing to
make it a lifelong program. Most people who lose weight fast end
 up losing muscle mass and water instead of the fat that is the real
problem.
Set achievable goals

You will get lots of fun losing the paunch if you set short term
goals that are realistic and achievable. You don’t want to set goals
that are meant to please other people, but when you combine long
term health and fitness goals you will have the motivation to
move on even when there are small disappointments.
Keep a food journal

It is also important to start by keeping a food journal as well as

measuring your tummy so as to see the progress you will be
making. A journal helps you to keep track of your progress as
well as encouraging you to make any changes that may be
deemed necessary to make a whole lot of a difference.
Experimenting

We all have different body styles and shapes and, as such, there
may not be one straight forward prescription for everyone. You
may want to allow yourself some time for experimentation until
you find an eating plan that will actually work for you
individually. Since there are many healthy diet plans, it may take
time for you to finally land the right one for you.
Tip #1: Avoid these pitfalls
There are many people who are intent on losing belly fat who end up indulging
in emotional eating especially when they find themselves attempting fad diets.
Remember that quick fix plans in belly fat loss are bound to fail due to the
following reasons:
a. Feeling deprived: When you get into an impractical eating plan that

eliminates whole food groups such as fats and carbohydrates, you will
simply be short circuiting your efforts. A plan that eliminates
important food groups is not healthy and will cause more harm than
good because of the nutritional deficiencies it is going to create.
b. Can’t keep off the weight you lose: Far diets that completely cut off

calories without a good plan due to food restrictions can only work
 short term results because they are impractical. This means that as
soon as you stop the program you will regain all the fat that you had
lost. The reason for this is that when you deny yourself food, the
body’s metabolism will slow down automatically because you are on a
fast. However, as soon as you begin eating again it bounces back. It
also becomes easy for you to cheat yourself and break that fad diet
when you get overwhelmed by appetite.
c. You lose more money than weight: Many fad diets include the

purchase of special meals, shakes and many other ridiculous programs.

Some of these programs are quite expensive, especially if you want to
keep the fat off on a long term basis and, as such, you will be losing
more money than belly fat.
d. Unrealistic: Many belly fat loss programs are quite unrealistic and

as a result you could end up feeling discouraged because the guy on

the commercial seems to achieve things you are not getting at all. It
also becomes a burden because you can no longer socialize with
friends and family when they attend parties, cocktails, weddings and
other social events when people are going to be dining.
Tip #2: No emotional eating

There many times people eat for other

reasons other than hunger. If hunger was the only reason people ate, we would
not be having an epidemic of obesity. Food has ended up being a stress relieving
object for many people and this is especially the one time that people pack up
lots of pounds leading to bulging midsections. It is therefore important for you to
realize what things in your life are likely to trigger emotional eating. This can
make a difference in your eating plan and aid you in your belly fat loss efforts.
You may want to make a special observation in order to know what, when and
where you eat. You will discover that you probably eat the wrong foods when
you are stressed, when watching TV, when you feel lonely or when you are
bored. After you identify the culprit that triggers emotional eating, it becomes
easier for you to work out a strategy that will assist you to combat the problem.
There are simple strategies you can use in order to combat emotional eating
some of which include:
Try to find a different way to relax at the end of a long day as a way

of rewarding yourself instead of reaching for a snack. You may want

to read an interesting book or take a sip of some nice soothing herbal
tea or even soak yourself in a hot bath.
Try something like walking around the block when you feel low on

energy instead of reaching for that bar of chocolate. You may also try
something else such as taking a nap or listening to some soothing
music.
Reach out to other people if you are the kind of person who ends up

eating snacks when you feel lonely or unloved. You may want to call
up a friend or a relative and have a hearty laugh together, find a fun
activity to do, go for a jog, or take your dog for a walk.
Try some stress management exercises such as meditation, yoga or a

number of deep breathing exercises when you find yourself

overwhelmed by stress if that is the time when you end up indulging
unhealthy foods.
Tip #3: Eat with your mind
We live in a generation that is very fast paced and as a result, it is very easy to
do everything almost on autopilot. People are normally in a hurry such that there
are always deadlines to meet every time and sometimes it is impossible to leave
your desk so as to go for a decent meal. As a result of this, most people end up
eating mindlessly, without really thinking about or even enjoying what they are
eating.
You can make a difference by beginning to practice ‘mindful’ eating in order to
replace ‘mindless’ eating. You need to take time to carefully select what you eat
and take your time to enjoy each and every bite. When you take time to carefully
think about what you are going to eat you, will enjoy it more and of course aid
your belly fat loss program. There a few ‘mindful’ eating tips you may want to
consider which include:
a. Pay attention: Take time to savor the environment from which you

are eating as you take in the taste,

smell and texture of your food. Concentrate your mind on the current
activity without letting it wander off to anything else as you enjoy the
taste and feel of food in your mouth.
b. Eliminate distractions: It is important to avoid eating while you are

working, reading, using your computer, or even watching TV. Most

people almost always overeat during times like this when they are
distracted by other activities.
c. Chew thoroughly: It is important to take your time to thoroughly

chew the food you are eating. It is recommended that you try to chew
every mouthful of food at least 30 times. Apart from assisting you to
enjoy your food, you will end up eating less than you normally do.
d. Mix up utensils: Try using different forms of cutlery in order to

help yourself concentrate on your eating. You may want to try using
chop sticks instead of a fork or once in a while try holding the fork
with the non-dominant hand for a change.
e. Stop eating earlier: The body usually waits for a signal from the

mind to tell you that you need to stop eating. However, it takes a bit of
time before this signal is sent and received. It is therefore advisable
that you try and stop eating just before you clear up your plate or feel
satisfied.

Tip #4: Fiber rich foods

The best way to lose belly fat is making sure that you are eating fewer calories
all the time. You can actually manage to eat fewer calories without necessarily
depriving yourself of the right amount of food. Choosing your diet correctly will
assist you to fill up and still remain in a healthy diet program. The secret is for
you to find the type of food that can keep you satiated without necessarily
adding any pounds at all.

Fiber rich foods provide a credible

solution to this problem. Foods that are high in volume can give you the feeling
of satisfaction for a longer time without adding excess calories. These foods also
take a longer time to chew and as a result they assist you to feel satiated sooner.
They also take a longer time to get digested and as a result you will feel fuller
for a longer period of time.
Some of the leading fiber rich foods include:
a. Fruits and vegetables: When choosing fruits and vegetables try to

choose a rainbow; they come in a variety of colors which is more

pleasant to more than just the eyes. Try fruits such as apples, plums,
oranges, nectarines and all manner of berries. You may also want to
eat all types of cruciferous green leafy vegetables
b. Legumes: Try all manner of legumes including split peas, lentils,

black beans, chick peas and pinto beans among others. It is a good idea
to add these to your soup, entrees and salads or perhaps make meals on
their own.
c. Whole grains: You may need to change to whole grains such as

brown rice, high fiber cereals, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal and bran
muffins.
Concentrate on fruits and vegetables
a. Deliberately deciding to pour out a slightly smaller amount of

breakfast cereal every morning in order for you to create room for an
extra fruit so as to reduce your calorie count.
b. Reducing the amount of eggs you use for your breakfast meal with

some vegetables such as spinach, tomatoes etc.

c. Replace the meat in your sandwich with a favorite vegetable

d. Eat more vegetables in your main course and try especially stir

fries instead of the heavier meals

e. Use a low density vegetable salad as your starter or some vegetable

soup

Tip #5: A little bit of indulging

Human nature is such that when you consider some

things ‘off limits’; you somehow create a big craving for them in your mind.
You don’t want to create a situation where you feel like a total failure when you
even but get a bite of the ‘bad foods’. It is therefore recommended that you can
take a small bite of the ‘bad food’ once in a while without necessarily indulging
in them heavily.
You must avoid being in a totally restrictive diet plan that will soon become a
burden. You can do this by succumbing to temptation for a bite of chocolate, a
small bit of ice cream, a cookie once in a while without over stuffing yourself.
Any type of diet that makes you deprive yourself completely will almost always
end up in failure. You must avoid starving yourself until you get to appoint of
snapping, as long as you are conscious of what you are doing so as to avoid over
doing it to your own detriment. The secret of indulging once in a while can be
accomplished by following these simple guidelines:
 Combine it with a healthy food: It is possible to still enjoy a small

bit of your ‘bad food’ if you become clever in the way you are doing
to do it. The secret is to take just a small amount of it in combination
with your selected low calorie food. You may want to take a scoop of
your favorite ice cream once in a while as long as you combine it with
your fruits and vegetables so that your system doesn’t feel deprived.
Program the treats: You may want to create a program for those

times when you are going to be indulging so that you look forward to
the weekly treat. You can draw it up in your diary what times you are
going to indulge as well as the amount of the treat you are going to
take. You could indicate that and then decide that those are the only
times you are going to take a small amount of the ‘sinful food’.
Temper down your indulgence: While it is okay to indulge once in

a while, you can do yourself a favor by making the indulgence less

indulgent. If you are going to do your own baking you can actually
reduce the amount of sugar and fat. You can also replace the sugary
ingredients with healthier ones such applesauce etc.
Make it a special moment: Instead of only trying to engage your

sense of taste, you can plan to prolong the experience by trying to

engage all your senses. Set your table attractively and if possible play
some soothing music and light candles so that you get to total pleasure
and relaxation. Consume your delight in small pieces taking time to
enjoy each piece as you chew it thoroughly.
Tip #6: Create your food environment
One of the best and easiest ways to manage your eating plan is to make sure that
you create a perfect food environment that you are personally going to be in
charge of. You must set up the times when you are going to eat as well as what
you are going to eat at those times without forgetting the amounts. Your
important guidelines are going to include:
Always take breakfast: It has been proven that one of the best ways

to maintain healthy weight is to make sure that you begin with a

healthy breakfast. When you start the day with breakfast you are able
to jump start your body’s metabolism and keep it going throughout the
day such that you will not feel like indulging later in the day.
Reduce your portions: You should also reduce your portion size by
trying to always use smaller cups, plates or bowls when serving. When
you use smaller utensils your portion will actually appear to be bigger
and your eyes will be satisfied. You must avoid the temptation of
eating directly from the package, food container or the larger bowl
because that will make it impossible for you to determine how much
you will have truly eaten.

Plan all your meals: It is extremely

important that you plan all your meals ahead of time in order to avoid
any form of indulgence. If you are going to have any snacks between
your meals you may want to make sure that they are healthy ones and
as such you will plan to have them available well in advance. When
you eat on schedule you will also avoid eating when you are too
hungry because that is what normally creates the avenue for
overeating.
Prepare your own meals: When you prepare your own meals you

will have control over the amount and type of cooking oils that will be
used as well as all the other ingredients. Many of the prepackaged
meals served in restaurants normally have a large amount of sodium
and fat which only makes the matter of belly fat worse than it already
is.
Avoid shopping when hungry: If you are going to shop for your

groceries, you must avoid doing it when you are hungry. You should
especially deliberately avoid going by the aisles that stock sugary,
salty and fatty snacks and other fast foods.
Limit available foods: The old adage that says ‘out of sight, out of

mind’ plays especially true when it comes to eating. You must make
sure that there are no ‘sinful foods’ lying around in your refrigerator
unnecessarily or anywhere around your kitchen. You want to avoid a
situation where you will see some foods in your kitchen cabinet and
 you begin salivating for them.
Early dinners: You must try as much as possible to eat your last

meal of the day much earlier in the evening and try to ‘fast’ for the
next 14 or so hours. It is important to learn to eat only when you are
going to be extremely active as one of the ways you can keep belly fat
down. You must avoid eating any after dinner snacks because in most
cases they are normally fat filled and will only add unnecessary
calories into your body.
Avoid self-sabotage: Most people who are on any form of diet

normally forget to remember that soda is one of the worst drinks

possible. On average, a single can of soda contains between 10 – 16
teaspoons of sugar which provides close to 150 calories. You may end
up taking your calorie intake too high by taking just a few drinks.
Instead of indulging in soda you may want to try healthier option such
as unsweetened ice tea or water with a lemon.


Tip #7: Make lifestyle changes
While eating and drinking related choices can contribute a great deal on how
much belly fat you can gain or lose, there are several other lifestyle choices you
must make in order to fortify your resolve to reduce the size of your paunch.
These changes may appear to be totally unrelated to belly fat for the casual
observer but the truth of the matter is that they make a great deal of a difference:
Sleep well: Studies have indicated the existence between weight

gain and the amount of sleep that an individual gets. Lack of sleep has
been shown to have a direct link to overeating, hunger and weight
gain. When you are too exhausted your judgment is normally impaired
and as a result you could end up making poor choices regarding the
choice of foods. You should aim to sleep for at least 8 hours every
day.
The TV: It has been realized that you actually burn more calories

when asleep than you do while watching TV. You may do yourself a
great favor by learning to turn off your TV every once in a while. If
there is a program that you cannot afford to miss out on, perhaps you
can try watching while you do some little exercise or general
movements. You could try exercises such as using the treadmill, the
use of hand weights or even resistance bands.

Drink plenty of water: Studies

have always indicated that drinking water can play a great role on your
weight reduction program. Sometimes people end up confusing their
thirst with hunger and they ended up indulging unnecessarily. You can
avoid taking extra calories by drinking enough water.
a. Replace any high calorie drinks such as soda and

sweetened juices with pure drinking water. These high

calorie drinks will add to your waistline because of the
amount of sugar they carry and they will also increase
your craving for the wrong types of food. If you don’t
enjoy drinking plain water, the best thing you can do is
to add some little mint leaf of lemon so as to disguise
the taste.
b. You could also try to take more foods that contain

water so that you don’t have to drink water all the time.
You may want to eat some apples, tomato juice,
chicken soup, milk, water melons or any other foods
that have plenty of water in them.
c. You can reduce the amount of food you are going to

eat by taking a glass of water just before taking your

meal so as to have the feeling of being satisfied.
However, you must make sure that you don’t take too
much of it during the meals so as to avoid diluting your
digestive juices and interfere with the digestive
processes.
Exercise extravaganza
Exercise and belly fat loss
It goes without saying that regular exercise is an effective part of your belly fat
loss regime that cannot be ignored. A good workout plan is one that will help
you to burn extra calories, failure to which they will get converted to fat and
stored around the midsection among other places. The other reason you must
love physical activity is that it actually helps you to ward off a number of disease
and other related health complications. You will also end up feeling better
because your mind will become clearer and you will also sleep better.
The weight that you keep is normally determined by the amount of calories you
consume every day after deducting what you are going to expend. Most about
everything you consume contains some calories which are then consumed by
every activity you are going to undertake; these activities can include breathing,
sleeping, digestion, working and even thinking among others. When you engage
your body in any extra physical activity you create an opportunity for the body
to burn off any extra calories that were consumed.
Belly fat loss through exercise therefore requires a balance between your caloric
consumption and the physical activities you are going to engage yourself in so
that you achieve the correct weight. You can accomplish a successful belly fat
loss program my making sure that you develop an elaborate workout program
that can become part of your daily lifestyle.
The benefits of exercise
There are enough research studies that have been conducted to indicate that there
exist massive health benefits when you combine a good eating plan with an
efficient workout plan. The combination of the two is your best guarantee that
you can actually shed off some belly fat and become healthier. Apart from
assisting you in your weight loss and belly fat loss program, a regular exercise
program can also assist you to prevent numerous health conditions and lifestyle
diseases. With a perfect workout program you are going to protect yourself from
the following conditions:
Stroke and cardiovascular diseases: A good exercise program will

basically protect you from strokes and heart disease because it will
strengthen the muscles in your heart, reduce your blood pressure,
increase the amount of the ‘good cholesterol’ while at the same time
lowering the amount of the ‘bad cholesterol’, enhance the flow of
blood in your body and also enhance the capacity of your heart to
work well.
Hypertension: People with high blood pressure can find relief by

participating in a regular exercise program.

Diabetes: Regular exercise helps you to reduce the amount of body

fat in your body and therefore plays a role in the prevention of insulin
resistance and diabetes.
Lower back pain: By enhancing physical activity through regular

workouts you will strengthen your back muscles so that you will have
an improved flexibility, a good posture as well as stronger bones; all
these play a role in preventing lower back pain.
Osteoporosis: A good workout program stimulates proper bone

formation and this protects you from problems associated with loss of
bone volume later in your life when age is catching up with you.
What exercises you can do
The benefits of a good exercise program go beyond just physical aspects of your
good health because it also assists in improving your general mood. When you
participate in regular workouts you will even reduce chances of ever getting into
anxiety, stress and depression. The good news is that there really is no restriction
regarding the type of exercise you are going to perform. You can decide to get
involved in team sports, working at the yard, household chores, planned
exercises or different job related tasks all of which are beneficial.
There are many forms of simplified exercise plans that can be used effectively
for the purpose of weight loss and especially tummy fat loss. While some people
believe that you only need to have specific machines in order to manage to
exercise well, the truth of the matter is that you can do simple exercises without
any need for machines as well. However, if you have access to any of the simple
machines, you will find it much easier to exercise some parts of your abdomen
that can easily be forgotten. It is important to contact a qualified physical trainer
or healthcare worker in order to determine what exercises will best help you in
burning tummy fat.
As a rule of the thumb, it is beneficial for you to remain active and participate in
at least 30 minutes of physical activities for at least 5 days every week. Health
experts normally suggest a mixture of moderate intensity aerobic and strength
training exercises as well as some form of anaerobic exercises. Since most
people desirous of this program have not been active for a long time, it is
important for you to begin with simpler exercises that are less strenuous and
move on as your body gets used to the new lifestyle. As you proceed, your body
will continue to get into shape and you can increase the intensity of the activities
accordingly.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercises refer to physical activities that work on the larger muscles and
that can be done over a long period of time so that your heart and lungs are
pushed to work harder and longer. Apart from the weight loss benefits that you
will get from participating in aerobic exercises, you will be pleased to know that
they also help in the improvement of cardiovascular health.
Anaerobic Exercise
This refers to numerous resistance exercises that are normally employed for the
purpose of increasing your muscle mass. The most popular form of anaerobic
exercise is weightlifting.
Moderate-Intensity Activities
There are also a number of simple moderate intensity activities that most people
are normally already doing even without realizing that they are a form of
exercise. Such activities include things such as household chores and gardening
among others. These are activities that you can decide to start doing deliberately
in short spans of about 10 minutes. The good news is that each and every one of
these activities will create an impact on your overall health plan. If you are able
to accumulate a total of 30 minutes of this type of exercise you can be sure that
you are going to reap great health benefits in the process.
Some good examples of these low intensity activities include:
Walking around the block
Raking leaves in the compound
Activities such as playing around with your kids
Walking up and down the stairs in your office instead of taking the

elevator
Mowing your lawn instead of hiring someone
Parking your car at the farthest point of the car park so as to

encourage some little bit of walking

Taking a break from your activity and doing some little walking

around
The most important thing to remember is that you must always consult with your
doctor before you get engaged in any physical activity in order to rule out any
diseases that would limit your performance as well as advice on the best plan for
you.
Aerobic exercises

Different research studies have indicated that

aerobic exercises are among the most effective ones in dealing with belly fat.
While resistance training will also work out, you will be better off starting with
aerobics before you later move on to other forms of exercise. When your tummy
is protruding, that is an indication that you are actually keeping more body fat
than you ought to be keeping around your midsection.

There are many types of aerobic exercises that you can participate in. anytime
you get into aerobic training you can remind yourself of the huge health benefits
that you are going to get as the true motivation to boost your going out for then
every day. Some types of aerobics you can participate in include the following:
Brisk walking

Walking, apart from being an Olympic sport, is one of the easiest exercises that
will not only benefit your belly fat loss program. There are many other benefits
that you will get which include:

A stronger heart: Studies have indicated that walking as a form of exercise

strengthens your heart

Stronger bones: Women who walk a mile a day reduce their chances of
developing osteoporosis

Boosts your brain: walking also boosts the cognitive functions of your brain

Walking is therefore a good exercise for your mind, soul, heart and body. Go out
of your way and walk as much as you can.
Running

Running outdoors is an important form of exercise even though it requires some

dedication before you can finally succeed. While running outdoors can be more
challenging than running on a treadmill, you can always succeed if you are
dedicated. Sometimes people find it more boring to run on a treadmill because of
the lack of a physical environment and of course they find it harder to maintain
their pace because the machine does it for you automatically. If you don’t have
the privilege of having a place where you can run outside, you can of course opt
for the treadmill but you will miss the great outdoor experience.
Water aerobic exercises

You may also want to try your hand doing some water aerobic exercises which
are extremely good for children, the aged as well as anyone else in between. This
is a type of exercise that actually includes lots of fun as you continue with your
workout program. This form of exercise is normally done in some shallow
waters such as swimming pools and they are also referred to as aqua aerobics.

When you participate in aqua

aerobics you will not only be burning belly fat but when done during summer
months you will be killing two birds with one stone; keeping fit as you fight the
summer heat. Basically, these are your typical every day exercises but which are
performed inside water. Some basic aqua aerobics can include things such as
jogging on the spot or walking, jumping and hopping, numerous arm movements
or perhaps some imitation of cross country skiing; nowadays, people are
beginning to incorporate some strength training exercises in aqua aerobics as
well. The advantages of water aerobics include the fact that you will have
reduced the possibilities of muscle injuries and by performing the exercises
inside water the body gets a lot of support and , as such, there is limited
stretching which allows for a wider range of motion. Aqua aerobics can be very
good especially for seniors because of the reduced risk of muscle injuries.
Cycling for exercise

So long as the weather is conducive, cycling is also another important form of

aerobic exercise that will help you stay fit and also burn off tummy fat. This is a
very good alternative for those who want to enjoy the outside world and avoid
heading the gym. Apart from exercising your muscles you will also be getting a
large dose of fresh air. You may want to program a weekly routine of cycling at
least once as you reduce belly fat, increase energy and also eliminate a number
of health risks.

Cycling is associated with a number of health benefits that include:

A reduction of the risks associated with heart disease

Increases circulation to all body parts thereby increasing health and

longevity
Improves the strength of your bones and muscles

Gives your entire body an energy boost because you will end up

feeling more energized and relaxed as you explore the outdoors

Promotes weight loss

and especially burning fat around the midsection. When cycling, you
really get to engage the muscles of the lower body and as your lungs
pump in more oxygen to the body, it aids in combustion that burns
down belly fat.
Cycling also has a lower impact on your joints and it actually lets

you do a great deal of aerobics without really exerting too much

 pressure on your feeble knees.

The most important thing for you to remember when cycling for exercise is to
make sure that you acquire the correct size of bike for you or one that can easily
be adjusted. Of course you will remember to take simple safety tips, most of
which require simple common sense in order for you to minimize the risk of
injury. You must always wear a safety helmet to reduce the risk of head injury
and potential death in case of a fall and always to remember to follow traffic
rules if you are cycling on the road. For those who are just beginning, you will
be better off if you avoided overdoing anything; begin slowly and build up as
your body gets accustomed to cycling.
Abdominal workouts

When doing abdominal workouts, you need to remember that while they may
not necessarily burn any fat around your belly, they will help you to get a strong
core which will not only protect your spine but will also keep you healthy. You
may want to start with an exercise such as ‘bicycle’ which will target the muscle
known as ‘rectus abdominis’ as well as the obliques or the waist.
Bicycle
Bicycle is the most effective of all abdominal workout exercise ever known.
1. Begin by lying on your back on a mat, placing your hands behind

you back and use your fingers to support it lightly

2. Pull your knees towards your

chest and then pull up your shoulder blades from the floor without
lifting the neck
3. Start by rotating to the left as you bring your right elbow in the

direction of the left knee while straightening the other leg

4. Switch the sides and try bringing your left elbow in the direction of

the right knee

5. Keep on alternating the sides like you would pedal a bicycle in

three sets of about 15 repetitions.

Exercise ball crunch
The exercise ball crunch is also another effective form of exercise for the
strengthening of your abdominal muscles. The reason this exercise is another
favorite is because the legs are also involved in the paces. When you do it on the
exercise ball the abs are given more work to do and you can actually involve the
entire body in the process. This is an additional benefit that is rarely found with
the other types of crunches.

1. Start by positioning the exercise

ball under your lower back and lying on it
2. You can either place your crossed arms over your chest or behind

your back
3. Try contracting the abs in order to lift your entire torso from the

ball as you try to pull the ribcage in the direction of your hips
4. You should try and avoid the ball from rolling as you are curling up

5. Bring your back down as you stretch those abs; try to do a set of 3

with an average of 15 repetitions.

The long arm crunch

If you don’t have access to any form of equipment you may also want to try the
long arm crunch; this is a variation of the traditional floor crunch with the
difference being that your straightened arms are going to be behind you. This is
a little more challenging than the traditional one. The moves that you make here
will emphasize the upper abdominal area as well as the rectus abdominis which
encompasses the entire lower chest and the pelvic area.

1. Start by lying down on a mat as

you extend your hands out and clasp them behind your back just
adjacent to your ears
2. Try contracting the abdominal muscles as you lift your shoulder

blades from the ground

3. You must remember to keep the arms straight so as to avoid injury

to the neck, you can remove one hand from the back if you feel any
discomfort on the neck
4. Repeat the lowering exercise about 3 times with about 12

repetitions
5. Holding a light dumbbell should be able to add the intensity

The reverse crunch

The reverse crunch normally focuses on the rectus abdominis and will work out
your lower parts of the abdominal muscles. You must attempt to avoid swinging
your legs as you raise your hips. This may be a small move but it is an extremely
subtle one.

1. Lie on your back on the floor

and place your hands behind the floor and an your back
2. Pull your knees in the direction of your chest with feet together so

that they reach and angle of 90 degrees

3. Contract the abdominal muscles as you curl the hips from the floor

as you reach the legs up towards the ceiling

4. Go back down for 3 sets of about 12 repetitions

Try as much as possible to use the abs to lift your hips instead of swinging the
legs for momentum.
The No-Crunch Crunch
1. Begin by lying down on the floor with bent knees but feet firmly

on the ground
2. Place your hands below just beside your belly button and then use

two fingers from each hand to press your lower abdomen

 3. Start drawing your
abdomen towards the floor as is there was a string pulling on your
navel; do this without moving your pelvis, or raising your chest or
even holding your breath
4. As soon as you feel tightness in the stomach you can stop drawing.

You don’t require too much pressure to move the abdominal muscles;
you want to avoid going too far until you get to the obliques which are
not your target in this exercise
5. Stay in this position for about 15 positions or perhaps until you get

tired
6. Do about 10 repetitions of this exercise

Scissor kicks

1. To start doing this exercise

you will need to begin by lying down on the floor and out your hands
under your buttocks and the back firmly held against the floor
2. Lift one leg for close to 10 inches from the floor and then return it

back to position slowly, raise the other leg while the first one is
 coming down
3. You may to at least ten repetitions of this exercise

Pelvic Tilts

1. You begin this exercise by

lying down on the floor with your back tightly on the floor as your
bend your knees upwards with your feet firmly on the ground
2. Raise your pelvic are slowly and hold briefly in position before

you slowly lower it back to the ground. While you are doing this your
upper body needs to remain on the floor
3. You need to do at least fifteen repetitions of this exercise

Lifted leg push ups
This particular exercise is extremely good because apart from your abs it will
also strengthen your upper abdominal muscles because it actually encourages
some multi-tasking.
1. Begin by getting yourself into the push up position with your legs

wide apart
2. Lift one leg as high as you can go and then try doing a normal push

up before you switch legs and repeat the exercise

3. Since this is a tough nit of exercise, you can only do as many as

your body can accommodate comfortably

However, you may want to try this easier version

1. Get down on the floor

with all your fours while your hands are positioned about a shoulder
width apart and your elbows bent just a little bit. You may want to
make it more challenging by trying to place the knees just behind you.
You toes should be curled up on the floor without having the heels
touch the floor
2. Tighten your abdominal muscles by trying to draw your belly

button inwards toward the spine. Try to raise your knees off the
ground in smooth motion while your upper body remains intact
3. Try to hold in that position for a single breath before lowering

yourself down
4. Try and do three sets of ten repetitions

High intensity interval training
High intensity weight training or high intensity interval training is an extremely
popular form of exercise that is very good especially for people who don’t have
all the time to spend at the gym. This form of exercise involves a mixture of long
interval and short interval cardiovascular exercises. These exercises are meant to
increase your heart rate and thereby improve your metabolism. It is possible to
include any form of cardio exercise in the HIIT program; you can learn how to
combine exercises such as swimming, running, walking and even jumping the
rope and if you have equipment there is a way you can include the use of a stair
stepper, elliptical trainer and the treadmill.
The high intensity interval training is popular because of the many benefits that
it provides. The most popular benefit is the fact that you don’t have to spend too
much time to do all the exercises in the schedule. A typical HIIT session can
take between 15 – 20 minutes and much will be determined by your fitness level.
Studies have indicated that you can actually burn more belly fat by doing intense
cardio activities than doing other activities over a long period of time. Compared
to the normal cardio exercises where fat is burned only during the duration of the
exercise, HIIT boosts your metabolism such that belly fat is burned continuously
for a period of 24 hours.

The other advantage of HIIT is that you

will only be losing fat while your muscles remain intact as opposed to the
regular cardio workout where some amount of muscles is actually lost due to the
long time duration spent doing the exercise. Under normal circumstances, the
level of glycogen normally goes low after a strength training exercise but when
you do HIIT, the body reverts to the stored fat for extra energy in order for you
to complete the workout.
Example HIIT Workout
There is no standard formula for HIIT because much will depend on your fitness
and energy level. A simple HIIT workout could roll in such a simple example:
5-minute warm-up at a slow, easy pace
30-second maximum-intensity interval
90-second low to moderate-intensity interval
Repeat 6 to 7 times
5-minute cool down
While this is a basic style of HIIT, you can learn to adapt a particular for of
workout even as your body becomes stronger. The secret is learning to continue
increasing the intervals of maximum intensity to about one minute and minimum
intensity to four minutes. The best practice is to schedule these HIIT exercises
for about 2 – 3 days every week.
A High intensity weight training circuit

Circuit training is a way of combining different exercises that progress from one
level to another. It is possible to include weight training in order to increase the
effectiveness of this form of exercise. Weight training combines well with other
forms of exercise in order to burn sufficient amounts of fat where it is
interspaced with lighter exercises and a small amount of rest. This is a popular
way of keeping your heart rate high as you rest before getting back to higher
intensity exercises.
 Since there are different levels
of weight training circuits, you need to know how to start slowly in order for you
to progress slowly. You must patiently put in your time and effort in order for
you to realize results in this form of exercise.
The following are some of the exercises you may want to combine with weight
training for the ultimate circuit training program.
Squats with dumbbells
This is a version of squats that is quite popular and which can be done while
holding two dumbbells. You may decide to hold them over your shoulders or
perhaps hold them at your sides. While there are many weights you can carry
while doing squats, most people find holding dumbbells an easy way of building
muscles in the lower abdomen, hips and thighs all at once. Doing this exercise is
quite simple as well:
1. Begin by standing with your feet a shoulder width apart

2. Pick up medium weight dumbbells

on each of your hands and hold them just outside the thighs or if you
choose just over your shoulders
3. Squat by bending your knees lower and stop when your knees

reach the 90 degree level or just slightly before that

4. You must ensure that you take your hips backwards as if you are

trying to sit on a chair and avoid bending the knees so that they extend
beyond your toes
5. Contract your abs, glutes and legs while seeking body stability

with you torso

6. Rise back slowly while you avoid locking your knees for up to

three sets with between 10 – 15 repetitions

Push ups
The simple push up is one of the perfect exercises for toning your muscles and
burning belly fat that you cannot quite ignore. If pushups are done perfectly you
will definitely use your chest, triceps, shoulder, lower abdominal as well as leg
muscles:

1. Begin by getting on
the floor and positioning your hands wider than a shoulder width apart

2. Rise on your toes so that you create a balance on your toes and

hands

3. Your body must be in a straight line from the head to the toe

without arching or sagging somewhere in the middle

4. You can decide to put your legs wide apart or close together

depending on your comfort

5. Contract the abdominal muscles and tighten the core, pulling the

belly button towards your spine before you begin doing the exercise

6. Your core must remain tight throughout the exercise

7. Breathe in slowly as you lower your elbows and the entire body till

the elbows reach the level of 90 degrees

8. Breathe out as you push yourself back to the original position

9. Keep your elbows slightly bent so that you don’t lock them

10. You may repeat the exercise as many times as you manage

comfortably
Planks

The plank is another important exercise that helps to build abdominal endurance
while stabilizing your core muscles. You can use the plank as you build up for
pushups which are a little bit harder than planks but it requires some strength in
your core.

1. Start by lying face down on a mat with your palms and forearms

resting on the floor

2. Try pushing off the floor by raising your toes while you rest on the

elbows

3.
Your back
must remain flat so that your body is in a straight line from the heels to
the head

4. You can tilt your pelvis while contracting your abdominal muscles

so that you prevent your butts from protruding into the air or sagging
down the midsection

5. Hold in position for 20 to 60 seconds while lowering and repeating

for between 3 and 5 repetitions

Burpees

Burpees are among some of the most popular exercises for burning tummy fat
because with only just a few movements you will be working out a large group
of muscles; they deliver results that are similar to an intense cardio program.
You only need to perform a minimum of 10 burpees and you will realize that
your heart will be pumping and you will be breathing heavily. If you are strong
enough to perform 75 of them in duration of close to 5 minutes, you will be as
tired as a boxer.

The effectiveness of burpees is that fact that they combine vertical leaps,
pushups and squats, which mean that the entire body will appear like it has
moved a long distance. In effect you will have burned quite a number of calories.

1. You start in a standing op position

2. Go down in a squat position and let

your hands be on the floor

3. Extend the feet backwards in a fast motion so that you assume the

front plank position

4. Get back to the squat position

 5. Once again get back to the
upright position

Another variation is known as the bodybuilder burpee

1. Squat with your hands on the ground,

2. Kick your feet back,

3. Kick your feet out to form a Y shape,

4. Bring your feet back together,

5. Down into a push-up,

6. Up part of the push-up,

7. Bring your feet back under you,

8. Jump in the air.

Yoga
People are now beginning to realize that yoga can actually be used as a method
of reducing tummy fat and fat deposits in many other parts of the body. There
are numerous yoga positions which have been specifically developed to deal
with belly fat; these are basically variations with twists of the basic yoga
exercises.

When yoga is done correctly it

improves your ability to breathe in a specific manner and the end result is a fat
free stomach with toned muscles and an entirely fit body. Your yoga instructor
will assist you to learn the different poses and motions in this form of exercise
that will burn fat and cholesterol even in the deepest parts of the human body.
Yoga is basically a combination of poses and deep breathing exercises that will
help to burn fat in the deepest parts of your body including your internal organs.
Apart from aiding you to burn belly fat, yoga will also pump you up with energy
and zeal for other duties. You can learn other moves such as up and down
stomach lifts that are very effective and the results are seen in a short span of
time.
There is another form of yoga known as the bow pose which is also effective in
belly fat burning especially for the fat deposits in the region of the stomach
which can be easily done on daily basis. In order for anyone to get and keep the
benefits of yoga, it is important that you continue doing the poses over the
course of time.
The other important aspect of yoga that you will need to take care of is of course
the issue of diet. While yoga is effective, you must realize that you need to keep
off foods that are quite high in cholesterol or else you may not get the expected
results. Good results in yoga are more of a holistic approach than basically
depending on meditation and breathing exercises.
Cat cow yoga pose
This yoga pose is also referred to as the cat pose and is among the leading poses
when dealing with belly fat. The best thing about the cat cow pose is that even
novices can perform it and they will remain with a feeling of being stretched and
open. The cat cow pose of yoga is so safe that it can actually be performed by
pregnant women without any danger. You will learn how to move your body in
sync with your breath in order to get the best results in this exercise.
1. Start by getting on your hands and knees while your wrists are

below your shoulder and the knees are below your hips. Your spine
must be kept straight while the neck remains in its natural position as a
natural extension of your spine.

2. Take a deep breathe

while curling your toes under, drop your tummy as you try gazing at
the ceiling. In trying to move the spine your objective should be to
begin at the tailbone so that you finish the move at the neck.
3. Breath out slowly as you rest the top of your feet on the floor, try

to round your spine as you slowly drop the head until you can see your
 navel.
4. You can learn to repeat the cat cow pose with each inhalation and

exhalation while trying to move your body as you breathe. Try to do

this motion for five breaths as you attempt to move the entire spine
only returning to the starting position with your last breathe.

The cat cow yoga position is among the best yoga exercises for your belly fat
problem because apart from toning and conditioning your muscles, it will
definitely increase your spine’s flexibility. It also tones your abdominal wall
while massaging your internal body organs. Perhaps the best benefit is that the
exercise also assists in clearing any of your emotional baggage.
The cobra pose

For the cobra yoga pose,

start by lying on the ground on your tummy with your hands under the
shoulders. Bring up your entire upper body using the strength of your back
muscles with your head held up. You must desist from seeking the help of your
hands as you let them remain on the ground or perhaps try to hold them over the
hips at your back.
This form of exercise will aid in keeping your dorsal spine flexible and strong
while preventing backache that can come from straining. You will also be
helping in reducing large amounts of belly fat at the same time.
The boat pose

The boat pose is one

exercise that can easily be done with or without the props that come with yoga.
Begin in the seated position; try lifting your legs and the entire upper body so
that your body forms a V-shape. If you feel like you need to bend the knees that
can also be okay. Hold in that position for at least 30 seconds and repeat twice.
You may want to use two stools to support your legs if you are a beginner and
feel a strain on your back.
The sun salutation
The sun salutation yoga pose can also help you to burn belly fat quickly because
as you go on with the poses you will actually feel your heart pumping faster
even as your lungs open up. This appears to basically be a sort of a warm up
exercise before you get into other yoga poses. This can be done by people of all
ages and it also works out all muscle groups
The sun salutation combines an entire 12 yoga positions that combines motion
and breathing techniques with each of the 12 positions concentrating on a
different body part.
1. Start by standing up on your feet held together and your palms

held in a prayer position in front of your chest. After you have

balanced your weight you can begin by breathing out slowly
2. Push out your arms with your legs straight while your neck is

relaxed

3. Try to fold your

body forward as your press your palms down while making sure that
your finger tips are going to reach your toes
4. When you begin inhaling return the legs back to position and place

them on the floor as you arch your back while lifting your chin
5. Return your other leg and try to place your weight on the hands

and the toes while keeping your chin down so as to retain your breathe
as you continue
6. As you begin exhaling, bring your knees down followed by your
forehead while keeping your hips up making sure that your toes
remain curled under.
7. Lower your hips as you inhale and point the toes as you try to bend

back as far as possible with shoulders and legs kept together. When
exhaling curl your toes and raise your hips so that you finally end up in
a V position.
8. When you inhale again, move forward and place one leg between

your hands while keeping your chin up as you rest on the floor with
one knee. Finally, bring the other leg to the front and bend from the
waist with your palms on the floor.
9. Get back to the standing position as you exhale and brings your

arms to your side

The stomach lift

The stomach lift yoga pose is made up of at least two

different exercises that are distinctly separate.
For the first, you will begin by standing with your feet a shoulder width apart
and knees that are bent slightly. You will then lean forward just a bit from your
waist so that you place your hands just above your knees. Breathe in deeply as
your push your abdomen to the front and then exhale as you try to push that
abdomen inwards. Instead of taking another breath, try to push the stomach
inwards even more to an extent that it become hollow and then try holding your
breathe for close to ten seconds.

For the second exercise you will do the same as the first one but instead of you
holding the stomach in after you have exhaled, you must push the stomach in
and out quickly for about 10 times before you take in another breathe. Stand up
straight after finishing and get back to breathing naturally. Some of the benefits
of this yoga pause include:
It tones and massages your abdominal area and the internal body

organs
This exercise massages your heart so that it become stronger thereby

pumping more effectively and improving your blood circulation

Relieves stomach problems such as indigestion, constipation and

liver trouble
 Toning of the nerves in your
solar plexus region
Reduction of abdominal fat as well as strengthening of the

abdominal muscles
Enhancement of the adrenal glands as well as the sexual glands

The standing side stretch

The standing side stretch is very effective in burning the fat at sides of your belly
and also opens up the sides of your body. Other benefits include opening your
ribs while allowing the flexibility to move your body sideways.
1. Begin by standing upright with feet held together and breathe in as

you stretch your left arm outwards to the side of the head while your
chin remains level
2. Try to reach up to the sky as you inhale while you bend your body

 to the right while exhaling without any movement on your hips. Your
hips need to remain facing forward as you lay emphasis on how your
spine moves to create an arc

3. Try to extend your neck and keep it as

long as possible while your chest remains open and the entire body is
flexed and stretched through to your arms
4. Play a mind game and see your breath moving down on the other

side of your bend down to the toes and then see it moving up on the
same side. You can hold at that position for several breaths depending
on your individual needs
5. Breathe in as you bring your body back to position and the n

exhale the left arm down as you alternate positions

Some of the benefits of this move include:

Realignment of your spinal column
It stretches your intercostals muscles and the entire torso
Stimulates the digestive tract and stretches abdominal muscles as

well as the waist.

You may want to try placing your hands and fingers together as you stretch your
arms upwards for a change. Lift your right arm in the air when you are bending
to the left. Your left hand must rest on the thigh of the left leg and if possible
you can try taking your feet apart.
After you are done repeat the motion on the other side.
The locust pose
This is a perfect yoga pose for strengthening the lower back muscles even
though it also ends up toning your arm and leg muscles as well. You may use
this pose as a way of warm up if you are planning to do any bending poses that
are difficult to perform. While this pose may look simple, the truth of the matter
is that it has a few degrees of difficulty that can be challenging but they are the
most rewarding ones.
This is a very beneficial pose that will also improve your posture, standing and
walking but it will require that you are in good physical condition before you can
manage to do it. You may want to employ a great deal of caution especially if
you have ever suffered from any neck or back injuries.

1. Begin the locust

pose by lying on the floor on your front while keeping your hands
close to your body, your palms should be facing up as they rest on the
floor
2. Try rotating your thighs inwards as you move your toes so that

they face each other

3. As you are exhaling, try to move your legs and arms away from the

ground. You should also try to move the head and the upper body
upwards as you use the belly to keep your balance
4. Try to stretch arms but remember to keep them parallel to the

floor
5. Press the arms outwards towards the ceiling and raise the head

slightly while keeping the base of your head lifted

6. Holding the pose may appear difficult for a while but you must try

to hold it there for about a minute

7. Come out of the pose when you are exhaling and rests for a short

while before inhaling and attempting the pose again

The bridge pose
In order to accomplish the bridge pose you will need to have started with the
shoulder stand pose. Your spine is going to experience a reverse bend and the
neck pressure is also going to be relieved. Doing the bridge pose is quite
beneficial because it is going to strengthen your back as well as your lower
abdominal muscles. The process of entering and exiting this pose is also
beneficial in making sure that your back is very flexible.
1. Start by sitting upright with your legs stretched in front and then

bend your legs at the knee level while leaving your feet flat in front of
the body
2. Recline your chest so that you get to lie completely flat on the

ground without moving your legs at all

3. While using your

shoulders to support you weight, lift your pelvic area upwards while
firming the buttocks and the abdomen
4. Hold that position for about one minute by stretching you hands

over your head or clasping them under your body

5. You can increase the stretch you put in stage two by reaching the

hands up and placing them on either side of your body or the head
6. Try lifting the entire body from the ground by trying to raise the

pelvis above the entire body until you form a bridge

 7. Hold in that position for 30 – 60 seconds while trying to breathe as

deeply as you can from that position

8. In order to recline from this position, tuck your chin in and the

lower your back and your pelvis slowly until you reach the floor.
While this may be a difficult pose for those who have some back problems, it
can be extremely beneficial especially if you are willing to invest some time in
learning it. With time you will soon realize that you are actually managing the
bridge yoga pose.
Yoga crunches
Anyone who has done any form of yoga workouts can find yoga crunches an
easy way of burning belly fat. If you are a beginner, you may want to begin with
other poses before you finally progress to this particular one.

1. Start by lying flat on your back

and interlace your fingers and place them at the back of your head
2. After you are in position, use a smooth motion in trying to raise

your torso to a 90 degree angle as you press your chest to the front.
Try exhaling as you are coming up and inhale when you are trying to
get back into the starting position. Do this repeatedly while trying to
isolate your abdominal muscles while using them to bring your body
down

3. There can be a variation of the

above position where you are going to bring your lower abs down
together with the upper abs. In case you want to try this variation, raise
up your body and bring the legs up and get them off the floor while
trying to exhale as you come down and rest while lying on the floor
4. Both of these exercises are beneficial to your stomach muscles

while at the same time helping you to develop you abs.

This type of yoga abs workout can take a few seconds or up to 10 minutes for
the very experienced. Some of the major benefits of yoga crunches include:
An excellent workout for strengthening the core and the abs

Awakens and balances you navel center

Builds a lot of strength and will power in the participants

Strengthens your hips and lower back

You must be careful that you don’t overstrain yourself because these crunches
are not as easy to do as they may appear. You may want to begin slowly and get
to these ones once you have gained sufficient strength.
Abdominal ball workouts
There is sufficient evidence to suggest that the regular use of an exercise ball can
play a great role in strength exercises but especially in reduction of belly fat. The
exercise ball is a perfect way to tone your muscles, increase metabolism and of
course make you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. The other
advantage of using the fitness ball is there are different sizes to choose from and
apart from them being affordable; you can actually do the exercise in the
comfort of your own home.
There are a few things you need to have in mind before you begin using an
abdominal ball for you belly fat workouts and they include:
You must find the correct size of exercise ball for you
You must read safety precautions regarding the use of exercise balls
You must learn how to take proper care of your fitness ball
So what are the advantages of using a fitness ball to burn belly fat and strengthen
your muscles?
1. The exercise ball can easily conform to your back while allowing

you the privilege of flattening the stomach without hurting your back
2. Using the exercise ball is easy because you can easily advance to

other levels of difficulty at your own pace while benefiting from every
step of the entire way
3. Nothing beats the convenience that enables you to do the exercise

from the comfort of your own home at any time of the day or night
that you can find to be convenient. You can avoid going to the gym
where you have to pay dearly to use their expensive equipment.
Reverse crunches with fitness ball
The reverse crunch is an extremely beneficial workout that greatly challenges
many abdominal muscles as well as burning abdominal fat. The use of the
fitness ball in doing the reverse crunch will cause your lower abdominal muscles
when your legs will be trying to squeeze the ball. The use of the ball also causes
you to engage your hips and raise them in the direction of the rib cage. You can
easily perform the stability ball reverse crunch by following these simple steps:

1. You start this exercise by lying on the floor on your exercise mat

with your hands besides your body or under your head so that you
maintain a level of balance. With ball placed under your thighs,
squeeze the ball on the back of your thighs using you calves and your
heels.

2. Pull your
knees towards your chest while lifting your butt and the small of your
back slightly into the air. Your knees will be close to your face by this
moment. Try not to arch your back as you do this.
3. Slowly return to the starting position before attempting to do it

again.
Stability ball crunch
In order to perform the stability ball crunch effectively you need to do the
exercise in the following simple order:
1. Sit yourself upright on the fitness with your feet firmly on the ball

2. Walk your feet forward in

order to allow the ball to roll under your body until it comes to the
position of your lower back. Slightly raise your hips to as to create a
table top position that is parallel to the floor
3. Place your hands on the chest with your head in a neutral position

leaving a space between your chin and the chest

4. Let your chin and chest face the ceiling as you attempt to contract

the abdominal muscles while raising up your shoulders

5. Get back to the starting position

6. You must remember to keep your head and back in neutral position

all the time you are doing this exercise in order to remove the risk of
any form of injury due to hyperextension.
Full ball sit-up with twists
 1. Begin by sitting upright on the
exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground
2. Walk your feet forward so as to allow the ball to stay under your

body until it is on the position of your mid back area. Raise your hips
such that you create a table top that is parallel to the floor
3. Lean your torso over the Swiss ball with your fingers placed on

your temples. Try flexing you chin so that it meets your chest as you
slowly try to sit up. When you get to the top twist on both sides before
you lower to begin again.


Lateral flexion on ball
1. Begin by lying across the fitness ball so that you have the ball

securely under your hips

2. Try to flex
your body laterally while raising your upper body in the direction of
the ceiling. You must try to keep your body parallel during the entire
time.
3. Repeat the exercise for a number of repetitions before changing

sides before going over to the other side

Alternating crunch on ball
Unlike the common ball crunch, the alternating ball crunch will take a great deal
of activation and will of course use more muscles which will include the
obliques and as a result it makes it more effective.

Most people normally make a mistake while

doing this exercise when they are bringing up their body by twisting to one side
or another. You must know that when you are coming up you will actually be
using many muscles and reversing the twist while you are going down.

You must also try to hold the peak contraction when you are at the top most part
of the movement for just a few seconds before you return to the starting
position.

Alternate arms swings and leg raises on ball

1. Begin by lying flat on your back on
the fitness ball, take dumbbells on each hand while your arms are
extended towards the ceiling
2. Keep your arms extended straight while the other arm is forward

3. Return to the starting position when your arms get parallel to the

floor
4. While you are still swinging your arms you can alternately raise

one leg off the floor as you return the arms to the starting position
before alternating the legs
5. You may want to repeat the exercise for the prescribed number of

time
Squeeze twist and crunch
1. Start by lying with your back to the floor or on a bench while your

legs are extended and straight upwards. You need to hold the fitness
ball with your feet while your hands are behind your head. Remember
to keep the elbows out of sight while your head remains in a neutral
position in the space between your chest and your chin.

2. Start with your chin and chest

facing the direction of the ceiling the n you contract the abdominal
muscles while trying to raise your shoulders from the floor and
twisting the shoulders beginning with the right hand shoulder.
3. Return to the starting position and do the same to the other

shoulder
4. This exercise normally targets the lower abdominal muscles and

especially the oblique abdominals

The arm rollout on the ball

1. Start the exercise by kneeling on the floor so that you place one of

your arms on the fitness ball

 2. Tighten your abdominal muscles
while the body stays parallel to the ball so that your body can easily
roll forward with the ball

3. Roll with the ball on one hand until you reach the point where you begin
losing stability and the n use the arm to pull the ball in your direction

4. This is a great form of exercise but you must remember that your

hips need to stay parallel to the body during the entire duration of the
exercise so that you will only use your arm to move yourself forwards
and backwards
5. This form of exercise is essential in strengthening the rectus

abdominal muscles
Points to ponder
The importance of a personal trainer
Just like teachers play a leading role in the education process, it is important to
realize that a fitness trainer will play an equally important role in your workout
program. The teacher knows the entire path you have to follow as you look
forward to your career and professional growth. The same way, physical trainers
have learned enough of the working of the physical body and they can therefore
show you the best way to burn belly fat.
A personal trainer has qualifications and certification that will help you to meet
all your exercise and fitness objectives. If you ask any professional athlete you
will realize that they don’t just depend on themselves to go through the paces of
daily exercise routines. If athletes know the value of training with a person who
will teach you at a personal level, you perhaps need to know better than you
already do. In the most ideal case, a personal trainer works with a small group of
individuals who have specific fitness goals.
The work of the personal fitness trainer:

The importance of dealing with

a personal trainer is that when you visit with them, he or she will begin by
looking at your medical history. It is therefore important for you to discuss your
personal fitness goals with him or heart the first meeting. In case there are any
physical challenges a qualified physical trainer will generally refer you to a
health professional for consultation.
Some of the red flags that the personal trainer may raise could include skeletal
injuries, muscle injuries or any other medical condition that could prevent you
from participating in a regular workout program. Your physician will join hands
with the personal trainer and design a specific program that will be custom made
for you personally. When you are looking for a personal trainer you will be
better off looking for a certified one so that you are sure that you will get value
for your money.
Certification
Since personal trainers deal with people and their health issues, they are
normally certified in the profession and given accreditation. They are trained
thoroughly before they can be allowed to train other people on matters of
personal health and fitness. Apart from the physical fitness personal trainers will
also give you advice on matters of nutrition because as we have seen, the best
way of burning belly fat is to get a good combination of exercise, diet and
nutrition. Personal trainers also possess personality skills and traits that will
make it possible for them to actually motivate you to go through your fitness
program until you reach its completion. You can never go wrong in your belly
fat burning program when you decide to choose a personal trainer.
It is extremely important for you to get a personal trainer because of several
reasons and some of the most important ones include:
A personal trainer has the skills that are essential to give a structure

that is necessary to run a fitness program that will make sure that you
have developed a personal lifestyle program and also giving you the
encouragement to move you on to the program

A personal fitness
trainer can develop a specific program that can fit anyone including
those people who have specific physical challenges such as injuries,
disabilities and any other physical conditions. With a trainer you will
have no problem choosing a program that is safe and effective to help
you achieve your belly fat burning goals.
A personal physical trainer will also act as your personal mentor
 who will help you to stay in focus as you do your regular workouts.
Personal trainers have their different ways of designing individual
programs that will help you reach your fitness goals within a specified
period of time and also assist you to increase your strength and
physical fitness skills.
Personal trainers will advise you on when the best time is to change

to a new form of exercise so that you are always on top of things. He

has skills and means to verify when a particular fitness program stops
being effective and thereby introduce new ones that will help to keep
your metabolic rate high.
While there are many more reasons why you need the services of a personal
trainer, choosing a good certified one is definitely the best decision you will ever
make as you try to reduce the paunch.
The importance of pairing up
There are many times when you wake up with all the good intentions of getting
physical as you try to burn that belly fat but before you get anywhere you realize
that you are just out of steam. This is where it becomes important for you to try
and enlist a fitness partner who will help to motivate you. A good fitness partner
is one who will be able to challenge, encourage, pace you up so that you both
make it a fun and enjoyable activity.
It is important for you to realize that there are a few important things you need to
consider when you are looking for physical fitness partner to pair up with you
because there are different fun ways that you both can make your workouts quite
interesting. This is because a fitness partner can actually motivate you into
getting into the program especially on those days when you just don’t feel like
doing it. This can be a good motivator during those days when you dread
stepping out of your comfort zone. You can always look forward to your
workouts because it will also be a good opportunity for you to catch up with a
buddy you love being with.
It is also an open secret that working with your fitness partner is actually one of
the best ways to exercise without fearing going to gym, something that can be
quite intimidating for some people. Since you will be a pair you can easily join
a new class, a gym or even try any new sport you may think about. A good
friend will actually encourage you to try new activities and getting to reach your
goals will happen faster without much ado.

Another benefit is that a

fitness partner makes it less intimidating to join a gym, try a new class, or learn a
new sport. Your friend can give you the courage to take that kickboxing class
you’ve had your eye on or head to that hiking trail you’ve always wanted to try.
The other advantage of pairing up with another person is of course the fact that
this is perhaps one of the safest things to do especially in any case where you get
an injury, there will be someone at hand to offer you assistance.
How to choose a partner
While we have seen how important it can be to have a physical fitness partner,
care needs to be taken when choosing one. You don’t want to deal with a partner
who will suck up your psyche instead of being an encouragement. In most case
people choose friends, colleagues or family members to become their fitness
partners. Some of the thinks you need to keep in mind when looking for one
include:
Fitness level
You want to get a fitness partner whose fitness level is not too far from yours. In
case you have not exercised over a long course of time, you want to avoid
dealing with someone who is used to running six miles daily. A partner with
whom you share close fitness level is one with whom you can develop at similar
rate as you motivate each other toward those noble fitness goals.
Fitness goals
You must also try and getting someone who has fitness goals that are similar to
yours. It is much easier to motivate and encourage each other when both of you
share fitness goals. You don’t want to deal with a person whose main aim is to
build muscles while on your side you are trying to burn belly fat. You want to
avoid any situation where you or your partners are going to become a source of
frustration to one another.
Common interests
It is also important for you to try and get a fitness partner with whom you have
common interests even outside the physical training regime. It is essential that
you have other common interests even outside the physical fitness regime such
that you can always be looking forward to meeting and sharing. It is important to
select someone with whom you have some common social interests because you
enjoy spending time together.
As soon as you have decided on a good fitness partner, it will be time to pair up
and get it moving. With dairies on hand you can sit and agree on the best way
both of you can meet your belly fat burning program. The two of you should
assist each other plan and stick to your plans more easily.
Dancing to burn belly fat
Burning belly fat can be part of a truly fun program that some people have
realized can be down without truly struggling to get there. So many people have
tried different workout methods for burning belly fat and they almost always end
up failing for reasons they cannot truly understand. Perhaps it is time for you to
look for a different style of burning belly fat that is not too intimidating but
which is still effective. One of the best kept secret about losing belly fat and
weight in general is learning to dance as a way of losing weight. While most
people only dance when they go to a disco or a party, the good news is that you
can learn how to dance to lose weight.
The good thing about dancing to burn belly fat is that you can actually plan to do
it at home, outdoors, at the beach, at the party or even at a gym. Whether you
want to do it during the day or at night are all about personal choice and
decision. The most important thing should be that you are moving your body in
response to some kind of music that you enjoy. The truth of that matter is that
most of us enjoy some type of dancing or another and it really does not matter
whether you are a child or grown up, male or female, we all can dance to lose
weight.
There is no greater fun you can have while burning fat than learning to move
your body up and down in response to music. Since everyone can simply dance,
the next important step would be for you learn a perfect way of coordinating
your steps to music such that you will be moving the right body parts. The good
news is that this is not a complicated process because anyone can simply try to
dance their way to physical fitness. Once you learn how to dance the correct way
you will be surprised how you are going to end up with a trim body that does not
have a bulge in your midsection. You can afford to shed off that fat in your
midsection without necessarily spending time and money in the gym.
After we are agreed that you can dance to lose weight, it is important to submit
that there are different dancing styles that can be used in the weight loss process.
You can learn and try dancing styles such as Latin, country, ballroom or even
free style with just one objective, to lose weight in your midsection. The other
advantage of dancing is that it also helps to tone your belly muscles as well as
other body parts that are going to be involved. Dancing is actually another good
form of cardio exercise that will help to raise your heart rate. You must also
realize that with dancing you don’t have to spend endless hours because just
about half an hour is more than enough to assist you to burn calories.
Weight loss benefits of dancing

There are countless benefits that come with a

decision to dance in order to lose weight and burn belly fat. Some of the leading
benefits include:
Improvement of a number of health problems
Regulation of your heart rate
Lowering of blood pressure as well as improvement of cholesterol

levels
Improves blood circulation
Enhances lung function and flexibility
Weight loss and burning belly fat
Stress relief as well as enhancing physical and mental wellness

The best thing to do therefore is to get on your shoes and begin dancing as soon
as possible.
Dancing routines

If you are going to enjoy dancing to lose

weight it is important that you choose your dancing routine depending on the
best dancing styles that you enjoy. Chances are great that you are likely to fall
off if you choose a dancing style that you don’t truly enjoy. It is also essential
that you choose a dancing style that is just right for you if you are going to enjoy
the entire dancing business. Since there are a number of dancing styles, you
must have your weight loss goal in mind when choosing one and it must also be
according to your individual lifestyle. Make sure that you are able to create at
least 2o minutes of uninterrupted dancing every single day in order for to
succeed in losing weight while you have fun.
Dancing to lose belly fat has continued to become popular with many people
choosing it as their preferred mode of doing their weight loss plans. It is
estimated that a single hour of dancing can help you to burn between 400 – 600
calories, which is equal to the amount of calories you can burn while swimming
or walking. Since dancing is normally associated with fun, you can make it a
point to reap more benefits from your dancing.
Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to dance since it does not compare with
you having to pay a membership fee in order to belong to a gym. There are
dancing DVDs that can be purchased and which you can actually use at home
instead of even joining a dancing class. Get yourself into dancing which is a fun
belly fat loss program that can easily be done at home at no extra fee.
Dance routines for weight loss
The secret for success is being able to choose a perfect dance routine that will
work best for your particular weight loss need. Since there are a number of
dancing styles, you will most likely succeed if you choose a style that you will
truly enjoy. Sometimes you may also want to choose a style that will help you to
socialize with other like-minded people. Since you can also do this form of
exercise in your own home, it is essential that you get the kind of music that you
are truly going to enjoy. If you love to dance to slow music you may want to try
ballet dancing but a fast paced person will be better off trying something such as
hip-hop.
Different dancing styles

Dancing to burn belly fat, just like any other form of

exercise requires that you begin with a warm up and also go on to a cool down
after you are through with your dancing paces. Normally, the warm up and cool
down activity should take you something like 7 – 10 minutes. It is also important
for you to learn how to stretch your muscles before and after the exercise
because this will definitely prevent any form of muscle injury.

The second important precaution that needs to be

taken is to make sure that you will put on the correct dancing shoes. You want to
stay comfortable during the entire dancing session and also maximize all the
movements that you will need to make. This will of course be dependent on the
dancing style that you are going to be choosing. There are many dancing styles
that can work well for belly fat burning purposes but the following are among
the most popular ones that you may actually want to try out:
Salsa dance
Salsa is a popular form of Latin dance that is not only fun but one which has
been used especially for weight loss purposes. The advantage of Salsa is that it
will help with toning your body muscles especially because of the elaborate
movements that are involved. This is actually among the leading dancing styles
for weight loss purposes.
Hip hop dance
This is especially good for those people who enjoy dancing to hip hop music.
There are great routines you will learn to enjoy especially if you enjoy dancing
to fast music.
Aerobic dance

This is the type of dancing that is normally found in

gyms but if you don’t enjoy going to a gym, you can easily purchase a DVD and
learn the paces form the comfort of your own home. This is also one popular
type of weight loss dance.
Belly dancing
This is the type of dancing that is extremely popular with those who want to
burn belly fat because the moves are normally good workouts for your
abdominal muscles. Once you have done this one for a number of days you will
be surprised how your entire abdominal area is going to be well toned.
Ballroom dancing
If you want to generally lose calories in your body then ballroom dancing is the
style you are going to try.
The best thing about dancing for weight loss is that you won’t have to spend
money in the gym. This is a special form of therapy that combines fun with
activity. All you need to do is to sing and dance and the results will begin to
follow in a little while.








Flush out the toxins
Perhaps you are having a truly rough time trying to lose belly fat even after
trying several other forms of belly fat loss. One of the easiest ways to jump start
the weight loss program is to get a healthier lifestyle. It is amazing that people
have discovered that the best way to deal with excess weight around your belly
is to begin by detoxifying your system. There are many benefits that can be
reaped from getting into a detoxification program. The most important benefit is
that you will be eliminating dangerous toxins that are inside your body which
normally lead to nerve damage and inflammation. The result is a realignment of
your digestive processes through the increase of neurotransmitter functions
which will boost your own health.

Unknown to most people,

your fat cells actually act as a reservoir for toxic waste especially those that your
body cannot possibly break down. These fat cells are especially stored in the
area around the stomach and this is the reason there is normally an accumulation
of flab that won’t just go away around your midsection. The liver, which is
situated around your midsection, scatters any poison filled fat cells in the area
surrounding it and because these fat cells are bereft of blood vessels they are
basically not in touch with the rest of the body so that no matter how hard you
exercise they remain intact. This means that unless you detoxify your body to rid
it of these accumulated poisons all your belly fat loss efforts will almost always
end up failing
The process of detoxification is important because it actually directly relates to
the loss of belly aft. The body normally collects dangerous toxins from the
environment, the food we eat and many other sources and it hides them inside fat
cells inside our bodies. When you do a detox you actually flush out these fat
cells that are full of poisonous toxins which will lead to the loss of belly fat.
The other benefit of doing a detoxification process is that it is going to realign
your digestive tract. Most of the processed foods that we consume are normally
full of heavy metals from chemicals and preservatives that normally cause
interference in the way that nutrients are absorbed in the body. These reduce the
amount of the good bacteria that is in the digestive system which reduces the
body’s ability to absorb nutrients. The result is a form of malnutrition while the
nutrients that were not absorbed are converted into fat that is normally stored
around the different body organs that are found the midsection.
The build up of toxins causes many other negative things that you will be
dealing with other than the simple problem of excessive weight. Most people
with a problem of toxic buildup will present with problems such as depression,
headaches, puffy eyelids and a number of body aches especially around the
joints. Some of these feelings will normally deter you from doing your regular
exercise program. Most people who find themselves depressed will almost
always end up becoming prone to over indulging in convenient foods. This
means that dealing with these problems will require that you plan to deal with
these dangerous toxins in your body.
Clean up your liver
Disease in most cases is a way the body uses to tell you that things are not going
on as they ought to be going. One of the most important organs that you need to
clean up during a detoxification program is the liver. You will know when the
liver has trouble and is clogged up because there will be obvious telltale signs
that include lack of appetite, fatigue and discolored urine.

The easiest way to detoxify

your liver is making sure that you introduce several vitamins and nutrients in
order to remedy any potential damage. Most of our normal dietary combinations
are deficient in the right nutrients which impair the functions of the liver. Taking
these vitamins and nutrients will protect your liver and also help in the reduction
of body fat.
Vitamin E
One of the best things you can do to improve liver function is to consume foods
that are rich in vitamin E. These foods are generally foods such as leafy green
vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs and whole grains. You may also want to consume
vegetable oils and especially oils that have not been heated. A diet full of
vegetables such as kales, collard greens, cabbage, watercress and horseradish are
some of the best foods for cleaning the liver. The best way of going about
consuming them is by trying to take their fresh juices.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, it is important for you to

realize that you can actually get rid of belly fat and regain your sexy back once
again. The most important thing you are going to do is to adopt a lifestyle
change because it is the only thing that works. There are hundreds of fad diets,
contraptions and pills which are peddled by popular celebrities but in many cases
they only can go so far.
Changing your lifestyle may not be extremely easy but the good news is that it is
possible. You must begin by writing a journal where you are going to record all
your weak points that must be the cause of the belly fat you are trying to deal
with. You must create time for a fitness program and of course do something
about your diet. The only way to get rid of that love handles that are lustily
holding on to you tummy is to have a powerful determination that you are going
to do it until you succeed. So how do you get rid of your love handles?
Consume fewer calories
The first and most important thing we have realized is that you must make sure
that you get a way of consuming fewer calories. Under normal circumstances,
most people normally get to consuming about 2000 calories daily but when you
are intent on reducing love handles, you should be consuming between 1400 and
1800 calories.

Diet
You must also make it a point that you are going to change your diet so that you
avoid the consumption of fatty, sugary and salty snacks and instead consume
low density foods such as fruits and vegetables that are full of fiber but very low
in calories.
Exercise
Make aerobic exercises and weigh training a normal part of your life and you
can be sure that love handles will depart from your body over the course of time.
You may want to involve yourself in simple exercises such as walking, jogging
or even a fun activity such as dancing.
 Table of Contents
Copyright
Summary
Introduction
It all starts here
Where the rubber meets the road
Diet discipline
The best eating plan
Exercise extravaganza
Yoga
Abdominal ball workouts
Points to ponder
Conclusion