Thursday, December 6, 2007

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat - 2 Ways You Must Change Your Workout

Do you have trouble trying to lose belly fat with exercise? If so, you are probably making some very simple mistakes. Learn how to fix them once and for all.

If you answered yes, then you are certainly not alone! Chances are that you are making some very common mistakes when you exercise. These mistakes are stopping you from being able to effectively lose belly fat with exercise!

This article will explore 2 very important aspects of your exercise routine that you must have correct if you want to finally start to lose tummy fat.

1. Circuit Training to Jump Start Your Metabolism

Many people simply do not know that you can lose belly fat with exercise by strength training in a circuit of different exercises.

It is interesting. The more muscle you work when you exercise, the higher the number of calories you will use during the actual working and in the hours after you are finished. To many, this is counterintuitive.

Many people think that strength training is a form of exercise that adds massive amounts of muscle, not helping to lose stomach fat.

I really want to help you see how weight training will help you increase strength, raise your resting metabolism, shape your muscles, get past frustrating plateau's, and last but not least, help you lose belly fat!

I do want to warn you though, do not make the common mistake of just doing "3 sets of 15 reps" on the machines in the gym. Machines can sometimes be a decent way to begin, but they are simply not the most optimal way to help you lose belly fat.

A more ideal alternative is to use circuit training exercise to help you get more work done in less time. Try using your own bodyweight and some functional equipment instead of the machines and you will see what a difference it makes!

Here is an example circuit training routine:

First, do a 5-10 minute warm-up

1. Inverted pushups ' 12 reps

2. Bent over dumbbell row ' 12 reps

3. Bodyweight squats ' 12 reps

4. Stability ball leg curls ' 12 reps

5. Side planks ' 5-10 seconds per side

6. Standing overhead DB press ' 12 reps

7. Stability ball crunches ' 15 reps

Try going from the beginning to the end with 0-30 seconds of rest in between each exercise. If you do this entire circuit 2-3 times, you will get a great workout that will help you lose belly fat and gain muscle in about 20-30 minutes.

This is just a sample exercise routine that illustrates that basic structure of a fat loss circuit training workout With this circuit training workout, you will exercise to lose belly fat as well as get stronger!

Always try to rest at least one day in between each workout to give your body a chance to recover. Remember that your muscles build up and get stronger while you are at rest after an exercise session.

2. Interval Training as Opposed to the "Average Cardio Routine"

If you have never tried interval training instead of the average long, boring, and arduous cardio routine, you are totally missing out!

The truth is, going slow on a cardio machine for 30-60 minutes like most people is not an efficient way to exercise to lose belly fat. All you are doing is training your body to adapt to the same workout, which in turn will have you burning fewer calories with each exposure.

Interval training help you lose stomach fat because it has a huge impact on your resting metabolism. This means you burn calories after the session is over.

One research study found that interval training burned calories for up to 36 hours after the exercise session was over. The same study found that people who used interval training burned more calories than those who did the normal slow cardio routine.

Here is the bottom line: if you want to exercise to lose body fat in the quickest and most efficient way possible, then interval training is a must.

With interval training, you merely alternate between high and low intensities instead of going at the same speed the whole time. If you use interval training directly after a circuit training workout, you will get a lot more work done in less time.

You will crank up your metabolism for several hours after you are done working out. This will help you burn many more calories that if you did the standard long, slow, boring cardio routine.

Now that you see a basic structure for your workouts that will help you finally lose belly fat with exercise, it is time to go give it a try. Losing fat does not have to be arduous and slow.

With the right exercise routine combined with the right diet, you should lose 1-3 lbs of belly fat each week, depending on what condition you are in when you begin. Good luck!

Author : Tom Gifford

Having trouble losing weight? My name is Tom Gifford and I am a Personal Trainer. I have some excellent news for you. Come check out my website at http://www.TheGreatCardioMyth.com and receive two chapters of my brand new book at no cost! You will find lots of cool tips and tricks you can use immediately.

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