Excess belly fat can lead to serious health consequences.
Its presence is associated with higher risks of diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, heart attacks and depression.
Excess belly fat is an indicator of higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
One study by the American Academy of Neurology went as far to say that excess belly fat could shrink your brain!
“Existing research has linked brain shrinkage to memory decline and a higher risk of dementia…,” said study author Mark Hamer, PhD, of Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England.
So you have a beer belly, how do you lessen it or get rid of it all together?
Well the best thing you can do is eat a healthy diet.
Many health practitioners will say abs are made in the kitchen, and they are mostly right.
First, Start by eliminating all processed, sugary, and unhealthy food from your diet.
One study found that people who ate a high amount of refined grains were more likely to have a more belly fat compared to those who ate whole grains.
Second, add some heart pumping cardio to your exercise routine.
Swim, bike, run or walk. You will need to burn as many calories as possible
One study showed that participating in cardio exercise 3-4 times per week significantly decreased belly fat.
The more cardio you can get in the better. Try HIIT training for best results.
But what if you want to lose that belly a bit faster, tighten up the abs and obliques, and have a core you can be proud of?
The answer is: You must incorporate the best and most dynamic ab exercises into your workout routine, the ones that not only strengthen your core, but aid in eliminating belly fat.
So without further ado, here are 5 best ab exercises for a flatter stomach, chiseled 6 pack, and a massive boost in confidence:
#5 Bicycle Crunches
The bicycle crunch is a great way to get your body moving while strengthening your core at the same time.
It’s great for exercisers of any level.
To do this exercise:
Start by lying flat on your back and touching your finger tips to the sides of your head.
Bring your left leg and right elbow together, crunching your abs.
Keep your chin in a neutral position and alternate sides.
Really try to squeeze your abs each rep.
#4 Plank with Knee Raises/Mountain Climbers
The plank alone is a great exercise, so by making this exercise dynamic with the knee lifts/runners, you are creating instability in your core, forcing your muscles to work differently and in a more dynamic fashion.
To do this exercise:
Start by placing your forearms flat on the ground.
Lift your hips off the ground and try to align your body into a neutral spine position.
Now while alternating your legs, bring one straight up towards your chest.
Do this in a controlled manner.
Bring the knees up either one at a time as a beginner, or “in the air” at the same time for the more advanced exerciser.
#3 Boxing
Have you ever seen a boxer without a great set of abs?
Find a punching bag and get to work.
Throwing a punch naturally activates your abs and obliques. Not to mention a great boxing workout scorches calories.
Try to put your core into your punches to get the best effect.
#2 Swimming
Swimming is unique because it works almost every muscle throughout your body.
Like boxing, swimming forces you to use your core to stabilize and control your body.
It is one of the best ways to safely burn calories, while effectively working every muscle group.
Muscles surrounding your core, hips and lower back are completely engaged during a good swim session.
Try throwing the backstroke and butterfly into your routine.
If you need to work your way up to this, use a kickboard or water jog to begin.
Anything in the water is an effective way to get a great full body workout.
#1 Pike to Rollout
The #1 best ab exercise for a flatter stomach, per a 2010 study in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, is to do swiss-ball pike rollouts.
These same pike rollouts can be accomplished on a suspension trainer.
To do this exercise:
Start in a plank position with your legs on the stability ball or feet in the suspension trainer straps.
Lift your hips as high as you can.
Come back down to neutral position and as you do this, roll the ball backwards (or push the suspension straps backwards) a small amount, just enough so you can really feel your entire core working.
It doesn’t take much of a roll back to achieve this affect, maybe a couple of inches.
This particular exercise was found to be the most effective exercise to hit your upper abs, lower abs, and obliques all at once.
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