Belly Fat and Exercise

How to get rid of belly fat with exercise

Belly fat is the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area around your organs in response to high insulin levels. This area has a higher amount of insulin receptors.  The best way to reduce belly fat is to reduce insulin levels by incorporating a healthy balanced food plan, daily exercise and stress management. I will warn you right now, doing 1,000 sit ups a day without changing behaviors will not get you the results you want.

You can not “spot train” an area in order to reduce fat in that area. Your body is made up of systems that work together.  This means, genetically you will put fat where you genetically have higher insulin receptors and fat storage cells. Some put it in their belly, some put it on their hips and thighs, and some put it all over.  Women tend to deposit fat in their hips and thighs, whereas men typically deposit fat in their belly and waist.  The most dangerous place is the abdominal area where insulin resistance effects the most.  Insulin resistance is linked to many diseases and illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, hormonal disorders, and much more.

The only way to reduce fat stores is to heal insulin receptors and keep blood sugars steady with the appropriate balance of energy or intake. Exercise of all types will help reduce belly fat. The recommendations are 30 minutes a day of moderate to intense physical activity.  Some suggest even closer to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Exercise helps to reduce stress hormones and makes insulin receptors more sensitive. Stress, poor eating behaviors and sedentary lifestyles desensitize insulin receptors causing metabolic cells to malfunction. Exercise helps correct this and increases the efficiency of your cells.

The best way to reduce fat in general is to incorporate some type of resistance training along with regular cardiovascular activity for optimal fat burn and metabolic balance. Your cardio does not have to be boring or tedious. Make sure it’s something you enjoy. Try walking, riding bikes, dancing, playing tennis, skate boarding, hiking, snow shoeing or whatever gets you off the couch or out of the office.

Resistance training is important for growth hormone stimulation. Growth hormone is something that starts to decrease as we age. The best way slow aging is to stimulate this hormone by exhausting muscle fibers. Resistance can be in the form of weight training as little as 2 times per week. To see even greater fat burning, increase it to 3 or 4 times per week. It is important to leave time in between for rest and rebuilding of metabolic (muslce) tissue.  Resistance can also be in the form of pilates, yoga, and other functional exercises.

Interval training with high intensity is another form of growth hormone stimulation. High intensity interval training means hitting your max heart rate in short bouts for an extended amount of time. A 30 minute interval training on a treadmill is one of the easiest ways to maximize your heart rate. I suggest a treadmill or the use of a heart rate monitor in order to track your heart rate for maximum results.

All exercise is helpful. It will reduce stress hormones, improve cellular metabolism, burn fat and improve mood as well as mental and cognitive function. Exercise along with proper eating behaviors is the best way to reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels and keep you feeling great!