When it comes to reducing belly fat, the best exercises we can do are what we call compound exercises. These are defined as exercises that require the use of many joints or multi-joint exercises, for example, a squat is the perfect belly fat reducing exercise as you are using the entire body to lift and therefore your fat burning potential becomes greater. Another example would be a chin-up or assisted chin-up. It uses the entire upper body and because we are using our abdominals so much during compound exercises we are essentially contributing to strengthening the mid-section at the same time. So once the fat is gone from the belly your nicely developed tummy will be revealed from all your compound exercises.
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These compound exercises will also contribute to a leaner more toned body. When we have more lean muscle we burn more fat at rest and whilst training. If belly fat is your area of concern then having a better muscle to fat ratio will help you keep that pesky mid-section away for good!
Nutrition is without a doubt responsible for either keeping fat on the belly or stripping it away. Research shows that fat production occurs, particularly around the mid-section, when we over consume sugar. When we over consume sugar the hormone insulin secretes from the pancreas and as a result rather than insulin doing its job (which is to transport energy to our muscles) it stores as fat around the mid-section, especially around the love handle area. Reduce nasty sugars from the diet like bread and pasta and you will see an improvement in this area within a few days.
To help improve our insulin response to sugar or more simply put; to help the body produce less insulin and metabolise sugar and carbs better, the introduction of good Omega-3 fats are essential. Up to 15gms per day of Omega 3’s are recommended to help reduce belly fat. What it does is increase the amount of insulin receptor sites in the body, in other words, when you do eat and drink sugar, and this includes alcohol, it is less likely to hang over your skinny jeans and that look isn’t too cute right? Make sure your Omega 3’s are EPA in dominance and pharmaceutical grade which means they will be of the highest quality, mercury tested and the best for helping combat belly fat.
Did you know stress can contribute to belly fat! True story. Another nasty hormone when secreted in high doses can cause fat to store around the umbilical area. This hormone is called cortisol. It secretes when we stress, get anxious, and have broken sleep and when we have emotional issues like a break up or moving house.
The best way to reduce stress and combat cortisol production is to relax! Easier said than done right? If you find it hard to wind down after a long day’s work the mineral magnesium can help reduce anxiety and promote better sleep. It blocks cortisol production and therefore can help reduce belly fat, in particular, the lower belly or the umbilical. Up to 4gms of magnesium a day is recommended to promote belly fat loss. Make sure you purchase pharmaceutical grade chelated magnesium as it absorbs faster and more effectively into the blood stream.
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