You may dream of having a sleek flat stomach or six-pack abs, but doing sit-ups or crunches alone isn't going to help you achieve that dream. Variety in your workout and not relying on spot training will help you not only look your best, but also get the abs that you desire.
Get Your Heart Pumping
You may have abs of steel if you do set after set of sit-ups over time, but what good is that if you still have pesky belly fat covering the muscles? Spot training will build those abs, but you need to burn calories to lose the bulge. Increasing your heart rate by doing cardio is one of the only ways to do this. Use an elliptical or ski machine, run or swim for the most effective cardio workouts. Even just going for a quick jog or a brisk walk will burn more calories than doing a couple hundred sit-ups.
Mix It Up
The same routine day in and day out, especially a spot training method, is going to bore you and also give you little results. By combining spot training with cardio, weights and days of rest, you can maximize your work-outs and keep your body burning calories and working hard. Also, focusing on other parts of your body other than your abs can give you surprising results. Fuel for exercise tends to not come from one spot on your body, so by doing crunches over and over again you may just be burning calories coming from deposits in your legs or arms.
Those who rely on spot training also have a tendency to give up on working out. Results come more slowly, which causes discouragement. Doing crunch upon crunch also gets boring, and the muscle soreness that results can lead to disruptions in fitness schedules. Take an aerobics class or dance class that focuses on your core. It feels less like a workout and goes by more quickly. Swimming is also a refreshing way to work your entire body. Pretty much all major muscle groups are used; as an added bonus, the coolness of the water is relaxing and the exercise is low impact.
Get Your Priorities Straight
No matter how much spot training you do, or even how many miles you rack up on the elliptical, losing belly fat just won't happen unless you don't make some other healthy life choices. If you insist on having a beer after work each night and pizza twice a week, you can't wonder why you still have a gut.
You don't necessarily have to diet to see results, but you should include more fulfilling, lower calorie foods into your daily meals. Lean meats, good carbs and plenty of fruits and veggies are going to give you the energy you need to be motivated to do more than just a few crunches on your bedroom floor.
Remember that results take time. Find new ways to keep yourself busy, prevent yourself from snacking and get your heart racing on a regular basis. Prioritize your life, make the commitment and then prepare yourself to say hello to those washboard abs.
 | If you want to know how to lose belly fat, you are not alone. Almost everyone wants a svelte middle these days. |
 | Exercise to lose belly fat needn't focus only on the stomach. The trick to a flat belly is that there's no special trick at all. |
 | Losing belly fat can help you add years to your life and feel better each day. |
What causes belly fat might seem like a great mystery, but the answer is extraordinarily simple. |
A belly fat diet is just as effective at helping cut down on weight on your hips, your thighs and arms. |
