Answers to Everyday Questions : How do I lose the small belly fat covering up my abs?

How do I lose the small belly fat covering up my abs?

2 Responses to “How do I lose the small belly fat covering up my abs?”

1. Tom said :
   November 26th, 2010 at 4:56 pm

   95% of the work in getting 6-pack abs is losing bodyfat and no ab machine will do that. You can have rippling muscular abs but if they are covered with an inner tube of fat then nobody is going see ’em.

   You cant ‘target’ fat removal unless you are using a machete. All you can do is lose weight and let the body decide where the fat is coming off. A common sense approach involving exercise and nutrition is all that is required to get ripped, washboard abs. Just a warning though, there is nothing fast about losing weight and getting ripped, it’s simple but takes time and dedication. Proper nutrition does not mean diet though! “Diets” lead to deprivation and hunger which eventually leads to binging – a lose-lose proposition. “Diets” offer only temporary weight loss, when you go off them, the weight comes right back. What we want is permanent weight loss! Yo-yo dieting is way too much work, just learn to make smart nutritional choices and the weight comes off and stays off for good!

   eat lots of fresh veggies and fruits
   eat less than 10% of your calories from fat
   eat only whole grain carbs – no sweeteners or white flour products
   get your Essential Fatty Acids, (freshly ground flax seed is my favorite)

   Two major foods which should provide most of your daily calories

   Vegetables! They are fill you up with only a few calories and they are full of vitamins. For convenience find a veggy mix in the freezer section of the store that you like. Try some non-fat sauces to add flavor if you cant stomach them plain, try salsa, try spaghetti sauce – I personally love mixed frozen vegetables with spaghetti sauce on top. When you are hungry between meals you can pop a big bowl in the microwave and have a filling snack in minutes. You can use raw vegetables for snacks too

   Whole Grains. Oats, brown rice, 100% whole wheat bread, etc. They are very convenient, inexpensive, high in fiber, and filling. Their high fiber content makes you feel satisfied with fewer calories and can lower cholesterol too. In particular, oats are very convenient and can be made in a microwave at work or just eaten cold with water

   If you keep the above two foods as the core of your diet and keep your fat intake low, you should not have to count calories and will find that you naturally maintain bodyweight or slowly drop bodyfat.

   Hope I helped you!
2. Health said :
   November 26th, 2010 at 5:51 pm

   Getting a nice set of abs is such a misunderstood process. It’s actually a lot easier than most people think which is why most people are in a never ending quest to get that perfect six pack – it’s because they’re doing all the wrong things.

   When you eat more calories than you burn, your body takes those extra calories and stores them as fat somewhere on your body. For some people, the #1 fat storage area is around the thighs and for others it might be around the stomach – it differs from person to person. Sometimes the fat is perfectly distributed around the body so it’s not as big of a concern.

   If an excessive amount of fat is stored around your stomach, the reason that you’re not seeing your abs is because your body fat percentage is too high. What you need to do is create a calorie deficit (take in less calories than you burn) so that your body is forced to use its fat stores for energy. After a few weeks of doing this, you’ll notice that your abs will start to show.

   You first step is to figure out how many calories you burn each day. Use this calculator http://calorieneedscalculator.com for an estimate. Now you need to increase the amount of calories you burn by exercising more and decreasing the amount of calories you eat. Cut out junk food such as fast food, candy and sugar. Eat foods that are high in fiber: bread and pasta made from 100% whole wheat, brown rice, oats, fruits and vegetables.

   You shouldn’t ignore targeting your abs with sit ups, leg raises and twists but doing hundreds of sit ups won’t do anything about the layer of fat that is covering them. Cardio and calorie restriction should be your main focus. If you need more details on getting a six pack, visit The Straight Health Forums – http://forums.straighthealth.com