Two things are essential to get a six pack – diet to reduce total body fat and exercise to strengthen and develop the abdominal muscles. However, losing your belly fat and getting a six pack is one of the hardest goals to achieve. We have already talked about how to lose belly fat, so here we shall mostly focus on the exercises that best develop your abdominal muscles.
Remember that there are no specific exercises to lose belly fat. Spot reduction, or targeting stomach fat, does not work. You may have been brainwashed by infomercials that abs toning devices will melt away your stomach fat and reveal 6 pack abs, but this is all just a clever bit of marketing. The adverts never show the fitness models drenched in sweat, gasping for breath after an intensive workout. The people that demonstrate ab toning devices do not actually use those devices to get the fit body they have, they really are all just fitness models.
The 10 Most Important Abdominal Exercises
As any bodybuilder knows, building muscle requires lifting increasingly more weight (progressive overload). The abdominals follow the same rules as any other muscle. Generally muscle growth (in terms of size, not functional strength) is most successful when lifting 10-12 rep sets. Therefore, maximum weight is not used, but also the weight should not be so light that you can easily perform more than 12 reps per set.
For this abs training routine you will require some free weights (discs and a dumbbell, plus ankle weights) and a bench that can be set at a slight incline. You can see instructional videos for some of these exercises on Abdominal Exercises to Tone and Strengthen Your Stomach.
(advertisement)
1. Bicycle Crunches
Considered by some trainers to be the most important abdominal exercise. Perform crunches with your hands lightly touching your forehead and as you raise your torso twist so that your leading elbow meets the opposite knee. Alternate each side.
2. Incline Reverse Crunch
We start on the bench, which is set to its first incline position. Put on your ankle weights, lie back and grab the bench behind your head with both hands. Raise you knees so that they are above your waist, and then lift your hips off the bench, towards your head. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
3. Weighted Crunch
The crunch is the classic stomach exercise. Simply lie back and hold a weight disc to your chest. With your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, lift your shoulders off, hold, and lower. 3 sets of 10 reps.
4. Weighted Russian Twist
Sit upright on the floor with your legs out in front, but legs slightly bent. Lean back approximately 45 degrees while holding a dumbbell in both hands straight out in front of you. Then twist your torso to the left, keeping your back straight, hold for 2 seconds, then return to face forward. Repeat on the right side. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
Adding weight should mean that you are working your abs harder, and result in better muscle growth. Do not try building abs with 200 sit-ups every day, do it the proper way with bodybuilders weight training exercises.
5. Hanging Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises target the “lower abs” and are much more effective than laying leg raises, which mostly target the hip flexors. You need good grip strength to perform them as you hang on a high pull up bar and then lift your legs up with knees bent as far as you can.
(advertisement)
6. Front Squats
Front squats are performed like a standard back squat, but instead of supporting a barbell across your shoulders you hold a weight tight to your chest. The moves the focus of the squat slightly to the core region, thus creating a good abdominal workout.
7. Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a great way to combine muscular endurance exercise with cardio. The dynamic swings increase heart rate while working the glutes, thighs and core. They are useful in developing the core region.
8. Side Bends
The classic dumbbell side bend is often neglected these days. However, it was one of the exercises that Bruce Lee performed to supplement his abs routines. The most important rule in side bends is to ensure that you keep your lower body solid and only move your torso. Also avoid leaning forward or backward. Start in an upright position, inhale as you lower the dumbbell along your thigh, then inhale as you lift.
9. The Plank and 10. Side Plank
The Plank and side plank are static exercises. You support your body on your forearms and toes while keeping your body straight and your abdominals engaged. If you are not feeling a burn in your abs then you are not performing the plank correctly. You can also support your weight on your hands and feet, in a classic press up position. Keep the back straight at all times. If the back starts to sag slightly, this is because you are tiring, so stop. Abdominals must be engaged and if you do not quickly feel your abdominals tiring then you are not doing the plank properly.
The side plank can be performed in either a half or full position. The side plant is performed by supporting the body on just one hand, with the feet close together. The other hand is held up vertically. To perform a half side plank, you support the body on one elbow with the forearm on the ground, with the feet together. See the Side Plank Yoga pose for more on this.
Abdominal Muscles Need Recovery
Remember that like your other muscles, the abdominals require adequate rest to ensure that the muscles recover after the exercise. Do not perform these stomach exercises daily. Arnold Schwarzenegger worked his abs everyday, and Bruce Lee’s abs were also training often. However, we do not all have the same genetic advantages, so do not over train. They also had the advantage of being able to take extra care to optimize their nutrition and rest to prevent overtraining problems.
Fat Reduction Diet
As we have covered diet already in the article “how to lose belly fat” we do not need to go into detail here. The number one rule is CUT OUT SUGAR. Sugar is the reason why most people are overweight. Ignore all those people that tell you the problem is too much fat. Saturated fat is unhealthy, it clogs your arteries and leads to coronary heart disease. There is no dispute about that. But did you know that sugar also does this? And excess sugar is converted to fat very quickly.
(advertisement)
To make changes as quickly as possible adopt a sugar free diet for 2 weeks. It is extreme, but essential. Sugar is everywhere, especially in “healthy” breakfast cereals, white bread and junk food. Are you planning to eat low fat yogurt? Don’t! Low fat yogurt contains additional sugar to make it taste nice.
The second rule is to eat more protein and more healthy fat. These food groups help build muscle and boost your metabolism. Just make sure you are eating healthy forms in all cases. No processed meats, limit red meat and other forms of saturated fat. It is also important to remember that you need to reduce your total calories as well to help weight loss.
Ultimately to lose fat requires a daily calorie deficet by cobming a healthy and balanced diet with regular exercise.
Increase Your Metabolism
There are two ways to increase your metabolism: diet and exercise. The longer you go without eating, the more your metabolism slows down. So to counter this effect, eat more often, but obviously eat less. Many professional athletes eat 6 to 8 times a day, with each meal being a small portion of protein, fat and carbohydrate (low GI diet) in a perfect balance to keep fat content minimal while building muscle tissue.
The other way to increase your metabolism is through exercise. Whenever you exercise you start burning calories quicker. Also as you build more muscle, your metabolism also increases. So exercise is essential.
Exercise Like Your Life Depends On It – Because It Does!
Finally, the exercise component. Exercise is essential, and you need to learn to exercise properly to lose weight in the most efficient way. OK, ab exercises will help you get a six pack in the long run, so do not abandon them. But while you have a layer of fat over your stomach you will never see your abs or reduce that fat by just doing ab exercises.
Several years ago someone came up with the idea of the “fat burning zone” which involves working out at a relatively easy pace for a long time. It turns out that this idea was incorrect. However, fitness machines all over the world are still plagued with this “fat burning zone” scale. You need to workout more intensively to effectively lose weight and get fit.
This does not mean that you have to try to exercise like an athlete though, as this is also not going to be possible. Just push yourself as hard as you can for 30-45 minutes every day. 45 minutes is best as 45 Minutes of Intensive Exercise Raises Metabolism for 14 Hours. In short, if you can do 45 minutes of exercise at a reasonably intensive level (more than just walking or a slow jog) then your body will continue to burn extra energy for 14 hours. This is often called the afterburn effect.
So why do we say that your life depends on it? Well, simply, it does. Excess stomach fat is a sign that visceral fat is building up around your internal organs. This fat actively harms you and leads to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is also fast becoming one of the leading causes of cancer. Belly fat reduction is not just about aesthetics, it is about your health and longevity. Learn more about the Health Benefits of Losing Weight here.
The Best Forms of Exercise to Burn Fat
So what workouts should you do? There are really no best exercises for burning fat, the key is to work as hard as you can to increase your calorie deficit so that you start breaking down fat stores. These exercises are all good options:
- Running
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Walking
- Dance workouts
- Martial arts
- Intensive Interval Training
- Compound Weight Training
- Full Body Workouts
- Plus many more!
Many of the old school approaches to exercise are very effective, especially the circuit training exercises and compound weight training sessions. This is why military style boot camps and martial arts classes are so good at helping people get fit and lose weight – they use tried and tested methods that strengthen the body, improve muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
However, as good as a particular method of exercise or a new diet designed to aid weight loss is, the real ingredient that is required for success is you. You need to want it, and you need to work hard to get it.
Hello, I am very irritated to my body. I am slim but has a big stomach and has a flabby arms,and I do not have the hips that gives a body shape. Please help me and give informations on how to solve my problems out. Thank u and more power
Hi May, the best thing you can start doing is some full body workouts – a combination of circuit training and weight training would be ideal, as this will tone the muscles in the arms, back, legs and core region. Squats and lunges will give your thighs more shape. You may want to take a look at the exercise videos over at Bums, Tums and Thighs. There are a lot of fitness tips of women there.
Hi there, i have a bit of a belly from drinking beer,but the rest of me is okay.How could i lose this and tone up.
If your diagnosis is correct, then the answer is simply drink less beer! Also eat less empty carbs, ie. white bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes. Try not to snack after drinking beer. Other than that, follow our belly fat rules and do regular exercise. Lift weights, build muscle, and eat healthy. But remember, beer can be good for you!
Russian twists are one of my favorite exercises to really target the obliques. I like to use a medicine ball for the added resistance. Also performing a weighted crunch on a Swiss ball creates constant instability so your entire core and stabilizer muscles have to really work to maintain balance.
All my mom buys is junk food and I’m just gaining. What am I supposed to do if I can’t get a hold of some real food. Please please help!!!!
Hi Moranda, you really need to find a way to persuade your mum that junk food is not healthy. Insist on eating vegetables and fruits, say it is for your health and happiness!
Hi I’m sorta young to start doing all these ab workouts but I still do them I’m not really getting any results and I really want a flatbelly and 4pack.I try not to eat rice and bread because they make me gain a lot of belly fat but I don’t know what to eat.and I don’t know what excersises to do and what to eat to loose my belly fat I really don’t have a lot but I’m tired of it. Please help me!!!!
Hi, I have alot of belly fat and sides but other than that i dont have a problem with any other part of my body. I dont know what excersices i should be doing. I dance almost everyday but i feel it doesnt work. What should i be doing?
Hi Brooke, if you are dancing a lot, then the problem is most likely to be diet. Reduce your daily consumption, eliminate refined sugars and processed foods for a while. Eat more protein and less carbohydrates too. See how you get on. Also more intensive exercise will help burn more, and compound weight training. Lunges and squats may also help to compliment your dance.
umm hi..i have a six pack…but how can i keep it there…and not to gain belly fat..i mean my mom like to cook lots of things…even tho i only 17 year old..i work out every day or just play footbal and stuff like that…but how can i make my abs stronger ?
Hi Johnathan, if you already have a 6 pack then your job should be easy! To keep it just work the muscles on a regular basis, do weighted crunches and side bends etc. Plus, most importantly, keep your diet lean. Over the next few years you may find that your appetite increases faster than your ability to burn the calories off (I speak from experience!) so just keep a close eye on what you eat. Keep it clean to keep it lean.
but how many crunches should i do each day…? and do joging help u at all ?
hi, i do crunches sit ups and jog,i also watch what i eat to…but it’s just not coming off.what do i do now? i can feel my abs,their just under a layer of fat…HELP PLEASE!!!! thanks…
Hi Christi. You need to burn more fat and eat a very lean diet. A 6 pack is really as much about diet as working out. Do some compound weight training to increase metabolism, and make you diet very lean – remove all sugars etc. Stop drinking fruit juices, high GI foods etc. You need to behave like a bodybuilder for a while. Also, add weight to your crunches (hold a weight plate to your chest). When jogging, do sprint intervals too, as raising your heart rate more helps to burn more fat.
i run thirty minutes everyday, do crunches, sit-ups, etc…. work out a lot and i also have a lean diet it’s sort of coming of, but I want to know what else I can do. please help… :)
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to ask more then one question…so this is my allowed/not allowed second question. are fruit juices bad? because i was researching for other foods that i should remove from my diet and this one site said fruit juices… and another one is pasta??
thanks again!
Christi, there is no limit to the questions that you can ask! Fruit juice contains a lot of sugar, so drinking a few glasses of fruit juice a day can be the difference between losing fat and accumulating more. The same applies to pasta – high energy, low fiber, little nutrition which means it bloats then leave you feeling hungry later.
Alexis, do some weight training, big compound movements such as lunges, squats, deadlifts, bench press, barbell curls. This will help you burn more fat.
okie dokie! good to know. okay can you do me a favor? look at what ive eaten for dinner:
shrimp
french fries [baked no greese at all so pretty much patato wedges ha ha ]
corn [no butter]
with a nice glass of water
is this healthy? am i on the right track or do i need to change some stuff?
Christi, it is healthy. But that does not mean you are making it easy for yourself to lose weight. Ditch the potato wedges and have a green salad instead. How is the shrimp cooked? Fried in oil?
boiled with nothing but water and a little bit of salt :)
hi im 13 i have a six pack but its kinda covered with fat can someone tell me what to eat in my diet
Hi, read our article on losing belly fat. Basically you cut out all sugar, eat only lean meats, and do intensive interval training and weight training.
Hi guys! Just came across ur website! Very informative! Great advice! I’m a 35 year old male who was in good shape in his 20′s! Still in decent shape now but would prefer to be a lot more toned in the stomach area! Was off recently for 2 months with bad back & currently doing strengthening exercises! Back feels the best its been in about 2 years! R there exercises i could do that wouldn’t risk a relapse in my back?
Hi Keith, very tricky to say. For a stronger back you need to strengthen the core muscles. Here are some tips on exercising the back. The trick is to never over do it, and listen to your body. Perform slow and gentle exercises, even when lifting heavier weights.
Hi im 13 years old and im trying to figure out like what to eat and what excersises to do because i dont really have a lot of spare time on my hands………. (i get up at 6:45 and get home at 6:45 pm eat do homework and relax my brain for a bit and go to bed at about 10:00) so i was wondering what are some fun excersises i could do that i can do fast?
Hi Reid, that is one busy day for a 13 year old! I had loads of spare time when I was your age. Regarding diet, it is more what you do not eat at your age, i.e. soda, sugar, cakes etc. You can still eat that stuff, but in moderation. Activities? Really you should find the time twice a week to do a structure exercise class, such as martial arts. Saturday mornings and one night in the week should allow you to train well enough to get fit.
Hi, im a skinny fellow. My arms were skinny but my tummy is too big. How can i gain weight and at the same time lose my big belly fats. Ty and God bless.
Vince, start weight training. Follow a strict routine, use free weights, compund exercises. Once you have built some muscle we can look at your diet. Plenty of advice here though.
Hello, I am an 18 year old guy that is in pretty good shape. I work out about four to five days a week and understand and apply nutrition. I’m about 160 trying to gain 10+ pounds of muscle. I have a little stubborn lower ab fat, nothing major. But everything else is pretty good. I hear that excess aerobics can cause weight loss, but In my case I want to gain weight. Although I want to lose a tiny bit of that lower ab fat that’s not completely toned. Do you suggest switching off every other day from weights to aerobics, or what?
Hi Garrett, if you are weight training everyday, then you are probably not working out with enough intensity. Really you should split your routine up and workout 2-3 times per week. You can then do cardio on the other days. Cardio needs to be intensive also, interval training is the best way to burn more fat.
what if i doing handstand pressup everyday it will help me lose fat and delevop 6 packs?? thanks
I am 31 years old women and currently weigh 150 lbs. I am trying to lose weight for this get together in like a month and a half. I want to lose at least 10 pounds. I have lot of fat in my hips, thighs and upper arms. how much i eat good, i am not able to get down below 150. What can i do? I workout 3 times a week – cardio and strength combined. I only started this from 3 weeks.
I eat good during the week but in the weekend i may be eat rice or coffee with sugar etc. I am not very good during weekends. What can I change to lose 10 pounds and tone my arms?
A good diet will help you show a 6 pack. Best to work the abs to to build the muscles too.
Hi Nami. Firstly, your diet. It sounds like you know your main problem – your cheats at the weekend. Do not have the sugar or the high calorie meals. The weekend is 28% of the week, so actually a long time to drop the healthy eating. As for toning the arms – press ups, assisted dips, bicep curls – these will all tone the arms well.
Hello, I’m 25 6’9″ and weigh 298 lbs. I’m getting in great shape but I’m wondering if I can be a 300 lb behemoth, or in order to be “ripped” if the weight will have to come down some. I’ve been hovering at 300 lbs but it seems that the fat weight is turning into muscle weight so I’m staying about the same weight. I cut the sweets, do my cardio, eat healthy and enough, take my vitamins, drink my protein, etc. What’s a healthy weight for my size? I feel great and am going to try to stay about 290-300 but what is a recommended weight I guess?
Hi Lee, that is a good question – what is a recommended weight. For anyone that does bodybuilding, the BMI (body mass index) is a waste of time, as it puts very muscular people into the overweight category. Really I think that you should focus less on weight and more or waist size. Are you carrying a lot of weight around the waist? If you get down to 24 inch waist, or less, then that would be a very good sign that you are of a good “weight”. Really it is fat levels that are important, both to health and how athletic we look.
I have been working out for a while now, when I started I weighed 300lbs! Now I am down to 250 and dropping the weight quicker than ever as my workouts have been getting more and more intense. However I worry about loose skin around my belly area, do you have any advice? Should I worry about it?
Hey, I am an 18 year old female and a vegetarian. I run about 5-6 times a week as well as various exercises. I focus on different bod parts each day to allow the muscle time to heal, and do abs approximately every other day. My legs and arms are thin for the most part (I would still like to see an improvement) but my stomach DISGUSTS ME. I box, and still no change. I have not been able to wear a bathing suit since I was really little. As I was scouring these previous questions, I noticed you responded with an increase in protein and lesser of carbs. How would you suggest I do this seeing that I am a vegetarian? Also, I eat a lot of all natural peanut butter (the ingredients are just peanuts) on whole wheat bread, is this good?
Thank you,
Shannon
Hi Shannon. Eggs, cottage cheese and whey are great protein sources, so you should have no problems eating more protein as a vegetarian. If you aim to strengthen your legs this should help you burn more fat. Do squats and lunges, but mostly squats, and aim to build up the weight lifted. Do 3 sets of 8-10 reps per weight training session, with a weight that means that the final reps are very hard to complete. This will build athletic/functional muscle that also boosts your metabolism. Natural peanut butter is popular in the bodybuilding community, and they are always looking for ways to cut the fat! As for the rest of your diet, limit refined sugars and eat more nutritious green salads, leaves such as spinach, rocket and lettuce are really good and have a “negative carb count” due to the high fiber content.
Am 19 years old, my hight is 5.8 and my waight is 75 kg. Am not so fat but my thighs, buttocks, stomach, chest and the sides of my stomach is very bulky.I want a well shaped body like Devid bekhum. I know thats too hard for me but i need that. I don’t eat so much, run up to 4 km every day(from 1 year) and go to gym. I do pushups, bench press, front press, back press, chest flys, pull over, biceps, triceps, abb crunches. I have been doing this since last two month but i am not getting that kind of shape. So please give me some suggestion and exercises( with the process to do it). Please help…
hi i a brandon, I am looking for a way to lose weight because i have a big stomach, i weight around 260 pounds, i am 6 foot 2 inches and only 17 i have been cutting back on sweets now i am down to about 2 snacks a week. What should i do???
Hi Brandon. Firstly, cut down to zero sweet snacks per week. Wean yourself off sugar. Avoid other refined carbs and sugars – bread, cakes, cookies, soda. Limit pasta and rice for a while. Get your calories through more nutritious food such as salads and fruits. Get exercising more. Lift weights and do intensive cardio sessions.
A recent study that compared many of the most common abs exercises concluded that the bicycle crunch was the most effective core exercise as it stimulated more core muscle fibres than any other exercise.
That is interesting. Do you know who conducted the research? Is there a report? Always like to see sports science research.
I lift in school everyday with the football team. but cant seem to get the belly gone. its just around my waist-ish area and will not come off how do I lose it?
Hi Kyle, why do you lift everyday? That is too often. Diet is the key, follow the rules, eat clean, workout hard.
Ii workout really hard and I still cant get my belly fat off. I do sit ups, crunches and jog. What do I do to lose the belly fat?
Hi Orlando. You need to do two things: 1. Avoid all junk food. 2. Do more intensive cardio exercises and bodyweight circuit training exercises.
what is interval cardio exercise?
Interval cardio exercise is another way of saying interval training. This is when instead of just performing exercise at a steady pace, such as cycling, jogging or cross training, you do short sprints throughout your workout. During these sprints your work yourself as hard as possible for a set period, generally from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then you slow down and recover for 2-3 minutes before repeating the sprint interval.
It is up to you how you work this in terms of time. Personally I prefer 30 second sprints on a cross trainer followed by 3 minute recovery early on, and then 1 minute sprints at the end of the session before a longer recovery/cool down. The key is getting the heart rate up high several times. You cannot sustain a sprint, so have to do intervals.
Hey, I am fifteen years old. I play basketball. During the offseason I try to stay in shape and work out almost every single day. I lift alot and I am trying to get my abs to the a better state. I work them out everyother day, I can feel them, but they just aren’t showing up
Hi Danny, just keep working them. Use some resistance, hit them from different angles, and keep your diet very lean.
Okay thanks. What excises should I do since I wanna try something new.
Well, assuming you have done a whole lot of crunches, why not up your game and try front squats. Not the most comfortable exercise, but works the core and builds fat burning muscle at the same time.
I am back and better than ever. I see a lot of questions about belly fat. I have plenty. I
am 6-9 290 now. Remember this should be a lifestyle, not a 4 month I need results yesterday kind of change. While we all want results asap, rewards will follow those who put in a lot
of hard work and dedication. Those 30 year old guys at the gym that ate ripped have a set diet, an have been lifting for 15+ years everyday (different muscle groups of course).
While I haven’t seen the belly fat dwindle much, my bench press has gone from about 250 to 300 since my last post. I’ve been working out everyday and eating pretty decent. No fast food and no candy. If I do splurge at Chilis or Applebees then I do extra to compensate that. I really enjoy what I am doing and I am seeing results everywhere. Body fat can’t really be targeted. It will come off where ever it wants. It will be targeted to belly fat when that is the only thing left. But for now it’s everywhere and I can definitely see the results.
Just stay committed and once you’ve put in your time you will like the results. Remember it will take a while, a long while. Just stay safe, healthy and have fun with it. I think if you have fun with it you will be comitted to staying healthy in the long run. Any grammar mistakes I’ll blame on posting from my phone. Stay safe, healthy, and have fun!
Thanks for the update Lee. This is the right attitude. Just keep going, don’t give up. This is your new life, so love it!
Hi, I do exercise for my body to tone up, and also my belly because it is fat, however, I don’t want to loose weight on my legs because they are small already is there any exercise I can do for bigger legs and hips?
Hi Bianca, the best exercise you can do are squats. These will make your legs stronger while also helping to burn body fat (from all the body). Lunges are good too, but bodyweight squats are best. Just put your hands on your hips, feet shoulder width apart, and squat down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Do as many as you can then rest, repeat.
Hi I recently had a pretty toned stomach and a pretty defined 6 pack without any knowledge of how I got it but ever since I started full time work I’ve slowly lost it and my bellys starting to get a bit bigger. I used to do martial arts for 10 years but quit about 4 months ago too. Can u give me some exercises I can do without and with equipment to acquire my 6 pack again? Thank you
Hi Jack. I suspect that you problem is more to do with diet and being less active generally than a need for some specific exercises. If you have 10 years of martial arts under your belt, then the best thing to do is get into the habit of doing some martial arts workouts that you are familiar with. Whether it be shadow boxing, forms or training drills, these will get you burning fat. Then work your core too. But most importantly, look at your diet. When people start work they often become less active and eat more junk food / snacks.
Hi, i was recently sick and i lost alot of muscle and gained some fat around my stomach and waistline, and i have small “man boobs”. how can i;
A) Regain Muscle Tone; and B) Loose the Love Handles, “Man Boobs” and stomach fat?
Regards,
Michael
Hi Michael. To regain muscle you need to do full body workouts with compound weight training. The love handles will hopefully melt away with a combination of a lean diet, increased metabolism as you build more muscle, and intensive cardio workouts. Circuit training, weight training or using a cross trainer intensively will all help. The key is to start exercising and keep working at getting stronger and fitter, while also eating a healthy diet that is low in sugar.
Heyy! I am 16 & not fat but I have this really big tummy and its so annoying and can get really embarrassing.. I don’t eat bread or rice, and I don’t drink Pepsi or Coke (some people say they cause bloating) && I stay away from junk as mush as possible. I tried a lot of workouts but now I’m just desperate for a solution because prom is in 6 weeks…. I don’t know what to do :(
I run twice a day. Each time for 15 minutes in the morning and night. I have a six pack but I’m aiming for an eight pack. The problem is I have a slight layer of fat just below my belly button and I’m having a really hard time getting rid of it. Any advice? Please
Hi Louise, this is a tricky one. You could experiment with some sprints in your running each day. Also keep a very close eye on sugar content of your diet. Compound weight training may help build more muscle to help burn fat too. Then hit those abs from all angles.
Update. 280 lbs now, but I’ve found a workout buddy and can’t wait to see what transformations happen this month. Running is getting somewhat easier but it’s still a pain in the butt to go fast. Remember get that cardio in if you want to lose the gut. And eat right of course. Good work everyone working on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Good work Lee. Make sure your workout buddy is there for you and that you don’t just spend all your time trying to persuade them to go to the gym!
I have been traveling for eight weeks. And eating from restaurants and truck stops. I could not exercise either. Now I have a belly! I have been eating right now for 15 days. And exercising. No results. What should I do?
Christine, less food and more exercise is the only way to get back to where you were 10 weeks ago. You cannot expect to reverse 8 weeks of poor diet and inactivity in 2 weeks. Just keep working at it and stay focused.
Hey. I am 16 years old. 5′ 7″ and 147 lbs. I’m not fat but I’m not happy with my body. I play golf everyday for school. Walking 9 holes and sometimes 18. I play 18 holes every Saturday and Sunday. I am also in p.e class at school. We run and lift on an every other day schedule. I have some extra fat on my lower stomach and chest area. Is there anything I can do to get rid of that. Thanks.
Hi Austin. Sounds like you are really active at school, we never used to have PR everyday when I was a kid. With that much activity is could well be a diet issue. Maybe you are eating too much sugar? When you do PE is it intensive, i.e. do you do interval style training, work up a sweat and get very out of breath? Whatever exercise you do, it has to have an intensive element. Gold does not, although all that walking is certainly healthy. To get rid of the fat you just need to push yourself a little harder, exercise more intensively.
I’m pretty in-shape and a little over average with everything except my stomach. Like a lot of people, I can feel my abs, but I can’t see them and they’re barely defined. I want to get rid of the layer of fat hiding them, and I was wondering if this was the right strategy to do, even though I’m a very young teen. Thanks.
Really to reveal your abs you need to increase the intensity of your workouts (full body workouts, not stomach workouts) and eat a lean diet designed to reduce sugar and burn fat.
Hey. I’m an 18 year old male, 5 foot 10 in height. Over the course of the last two years, I’ve lost 60 lbs (I now weight 164). I lost all of my weight through outdoor running (building up to 3 miles 4 or 5 times a week) and eating healthy.
My question is that, now at 164, I’m afraid that I don’t have that much more weight to lose, yet my stomach still holds a great deal of flat. My waist in general has a very rounded look. It seems that my upper and lower bodies have slimmed down nicely (got rid of my fat legs and man boobs), while I kept my gut (part of it at least).
Would really appreciate your advice in this matter. A friend of mine recommended that I start weight lifting (after I told him I was planning on running more this summer). He said that running more would mess up my body at this stage as my shoulders were already beginning to look kinda weak. I have no experience lifting weight, at all.
Anyhow, sorry for such a long post.
Shawn
Hi Shawn, your friend made a good suggestion. Weight lifting is a good option. It will make you look and feel more athletic, plus the additional muscle will help burn more fat. You should also take a look at what you are eating and cut as much sugar out of your diet as possible.
Weight training is not difficult really. You could start with doing bodyweight exercises. Push ups alone will start to make your shoulders and chest look stronger and more balanced. Some options are the 20 minutes home workout, various different ways to do push ups here, the popular circuit training workouts, tips for using general items instead of weights in the backyard workout.
For weight training, start with our advice on weight training at home on a budget. We have advice for beginners here plus a simple beginners routine. You may find this helpful too, advice on how to train for different purposes, i.e. muscle strength, size or power.
Hi, I have a problem losing my belly fat. I had a baby about two years ago. I need some adivice.
Hi Andrea. Take a look at our new article on losing baby fat. You have to work hard to get your body back. Eat a healthy calorie controlled diet and do lots of quality exercise.
Hi, I’m 25 5’8 and weigh 150 lbs. I had a baby about 9 months ago, and can not get the weight around my belly to go away. It’s driving me crazy! I was a size 2 before I got pregnant, now i’m a size 9! I work out almost every other day and eat the best that I can mostly fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein…. I’m trying to lose at least 20lbs, any advice or exercise or diet you recommend? Appreciate it! Thank you.
Hi Amanda. What workouts are you doing at the moment?
I do at least 2 to 3 classes a week and I do the eliptical. The classes are mostly cardio and or body sculpting.
Body sculpting classes are good. When doing the elliptical really push yourself. Use the hill workout that will create an interval training routine. Use the highest resistance possible that allows you to maintain a comfortable speed on the high resistance hill sections. Whether you do 1 minute at very high resistance of 2 minutes at a lower resistance is up to you, but best to mix it up.
Really you need to keep a very close eye on diet. This is the key. Only eat low GI from now on, and make no excuses.
I am 20 yr old, weigh 67kg, height 5ft10. Although I am not overweight or obese I do have fat belly which I want to get rid of. I have been checking a lot of sites for this. I have a gym nearby but without any instructor I am a bit hesitant as to whether I am doing the exercise the right way or not. Please guide me as to what kind of exercises I can do at home so as to loose my belly fat and at the same time tone my body for a flexi look. I have started jogging and I swim a lot. Does swimming help as a workout to tone abs or body? I would like if you could reply in detail as to what kind of workout and for how many minutes should I do it everyday. More so if you could suggest some video tutorials for workouts?
To burn belly fat you need a lean diet with almost no sugar, very low GI, and do full body workouts. Working your whole body burns fat most effectively. Swimming can help but is not the best way to lose fat. Circuit training exercises are excellent. Jogging is good, but you need to increase the intensity – running is better. As you are not overweight really you just need to get fit. Work your whole body and work it hard.
If you really want to watch video tutorials then the Great Shape Up Program’s video workouts are really good. They provide lessons on gym workouts so that you can use weight training effectively to lose weight and shape up.
So why is everyone responding to this with questions that might as well be, “What are three stomach exercises to build a solid 6 pack?”
Do you think this doesn’t work, or are you not even dedicated enough to read the article, let alone work out? If your a person who’s overweight and expects results instantly then your out of luck. You can’t buy a six pack like you can walk into a lipho clinic and buy yourself fat loss. Muscle is the complete opposite of fat. You can carelessly gain weight but you have to work to lose it. You can carelessly lose muscle mass and strength, but you have to work to gain it.
A personal tip on weight loss:
Drink LOTS of water. It keeps your stomach feeling full so you don’t overeat. Over the course of a day doctors recommend to drink half the number of your body weight in ounces.
Ex: A 200 pound man should drink 100oz. of water. Or a 140 pound woman should drink 70oz. of water.
I recommend twice that if your taking the weight loss route. I always made a promise I would never go over 300 pounds. (I’m 6’5 and literally big boned, mind you). I don’t struggle with anything but stomach fat. My arms and legs are pretty muscular but my midsection is the problem area. Right now I’m working to lose 50 pounds and doing this alone i lose about 6 pounds a week. Thats WITH all that water weight too so technically I could stop a few pounds before 250 and lose the water weight. But I’d rather overshoot it than not make it. Good luck everyone. Trust me this works. Just don’t starve yourself, you still need nutrients to stay healthy. I recommend vitamin pills.
Hi I need some help getting rid of my manboobs and getting chest muscles, and I also need to get rid of some fat, but no matter what I do, it doesnt go away! I’m following the diet as well as I can.
Huang, what diet are you doing? What exercises?
I’m doing some intervals and plenty of ab exercises, I eat fish, grapes, oranges and lots of cold water. Is there something wrong with this diet?
That diet should cut the fat in time especially if you are exercising. Focus more on bodyweight exercises (push ups, burpees, crunches etc.) than just abdominal exercises and do some compound weight lifting exercises (bench press, shoulder press, squat, barbell curl). With the intervals aim to increase your workout duration and intensity so that you are always pushing yourself to get fitter. Work your back too to make yourself broader with bent over rows, pull ups / pull downs.
I have one more question: if I weigh 100 lbs and bike for 30 min, is that OK for my system?
So long as you get adequate nutrition and rest then there is no problem.
Hi, I weigh 230 pounds and I am starting to lose weight now again (I was 140 seven months ago.) However now I have stretch marks all over my belly. Do you think that if I start losing weight and do all the crunches and go to the gym. will I still have a ”floppy” belly? Will it reduce my stretch marks? if I exercise and diet every day how long do you think it will take for me to be at a good weight?
Hi Marissa. It is impossible to say how your body will respond to losing weight. If you adopt a controlled and healthy diet and exercise properly then you should lose a lot of weight. How long it takes is really dependent on how much effort you put in, i.e. how strict you are with your diet and how often and how intensively you exercise.
Hi I’m 13 I weigh 128 and I’m about 5’6. I have that stubborn tummy fat and I’m wondering how to get rid of it… Any suggestions on what excerises or foods I should eat? Greatly appreciated
Hi Jack, for diet you just need to focus on eating healthily, which mostly means no sugar, processed food, junk food etc. For exercise, whatever you enjoy is best. Find a sport or activity that you like and keep training at that. Martial arts are a great way to lose weight and get fit.
Ok I play soccer and I am trying to eat better and I do core excersises and I jog. Is there anything else I can do to lose the stubborn tummy fat?
One way would be to ditch the jogging and go soccer style interval training on a soccer pitch. Take a look at Football Training Drills and Soccer Workouts for some ideas.
hello, i have had a hard time this year. I’ve gained more belly fat throughout the year although i am in sports. I don’t know what happened and now i am exercising and eating vegetables and fruits and i keep gaining more and more belly fat. I don’t know what to do. All i drink is water now. I need help.
Hi Allysa. Keep an honest food diary for a week then analyse it. Unless you are eating a lot of fruit and vegetables then you should not be gaining much weight. Are you eating anything else? Bread, pasta, meat?
I am having 27% body fat what to do.. Help..
You need to go on a low sugar diet and reduce calories, while also exercising. Read the MCD Weight Loss Plan for details on how to lose weight.
I’m 23 years old I used to be a real athletic guy when I was younger, over the years I haven’t been keeping up and gained some weight. I just really want to burn my stomach fat and build my chest to have definition. Some say jogging doesn’t help lose weight I think otherwise. How can I lose stomach and waist fat and build up my chest?
Hi Bryan. Jogging does help, but it is not the best way to get in shape. To burn fat you really need more intensive cardio workouts. To improve muscle definition you have to start lifting weights, for chest it is bench press, flyes, plus working the core, shoulders and back. Here is some more detailed advice on building a stronger chest.
Hi, I have a fat belly I been trying to lose but I just can’t seem to lose it I tried walking and push ups. Talked to friends but they all say go running but I broke my right foot just a few months ago and I can’t do a lot of walking on it because if I do it starts to hurt and get bigger.
Hi Tonya. You need to follow a weight loss plan. Diet is key to losing belly fat. Also you can still do many intensive upper body exercises, and you should be able to perform squats too which are excellent fat burners.
I am 14; 5 ft. And 90 pounds. I have been eating protein and vegetables and exercising squats, situps, crunches, bench and press but my stomach fat just wont go way.
Drake, do not worry about your belly. You cannot really have belly fat if you are 90 pounds, if anything you could be underweight. Keep up with the exercise and continue to eat a healthy diet, focus on being a fit and healthy person and in time your body will change naturally to look more athletic.
Hey. I’m 18 and slim, but I have unusual amounts of belly fat, and a large lower belly. Because I never put much weight on easily, I never worried about what I ate and looking back I think I may have over done it a little. Now I’m trying to get a flat stomach and eventually tone. Any advice on how to target my belly without becoming very thin in process? And ideas as to why my belly is large and not the rest of me? Thank you
Hi Hannah.
“why my belly is large and not the rest of me?” – simple, genetics.
“how to target my belly without becoming very thin in process” – eat a healthy diet with plenty of lean proteins and fresh salad vegetable and do some quality exercise. That is, high intensity and resistance training. You will then burn more fat off and build some muscle and curves without looking thin.
I’m 14 and I have a five pack. I’m not fat and I drink raw eggs for protein but cannot get my five pack to a six pack. What do you suggest?
Sounds like you need to work your lower abs more and focus on working then evenly. Perform weighted crunches, reverse crunches and bicycles, do them slowly to ensure you are working both sides equally. Here Vince Delmonte gives some advice on lower abs. We have reviewed his 6 pack program here.
hi I have abs but I wish to get them visible (pop out). I have been working them out quite a lot and when I do I can feel the burn. I used to work out every 2 days but lately everyday due to advice from a friend. I do standard sit ups 30 reps, 5 sets.
also i can clearly see my abs after working out
but the next day i don’t see them as well as i do after a workout
Start working them harder – add weight. Also perform more than just standard sit-ups – crunches, bicycle crunches, weighted crunches, hanging leg raises etc.
Lift weights too to increase total muscle mass to aid fat burning. Leg raises are good too as are front squats.
Sounds like you are almost there. You can see them when they are pumped after exercise, but this subsides overnight. Keep working hard, keep eating lean.
i tried the leg crunches just now i done 4 sets 25 reps and i feel the burn on the 25th rep or just before each time
it’s not a painful burn just a normal burn
would it be advisable for me to do more sets and reps?
also i’m 15 and a veggie, so could this affect me anyhow?
lastly i see a 4 packs of abs after a workout i see the middle and bottoms abs clearly, the top 2 aren;t as big as the middle or bottom…
Just keep doing what you are. Maybe add some weight. Nothing wrong with being a veggie, but you must ensure you eat healthy carbs (fruits, vegetables, pulses) and keep the starchy sources (bread, pastry, pasta) to a minimum. Eggs are your friend.
so even thought i don’t wake up with a pain in my stomach the next morning my workouts are still helping?
cos i thought if i don’t wake up with a pain then it hasn’t worked..
I assume by pain you mean aching muscles? I will help yes. But you may want to add some resistance / weight to work the muscles harder, and reduce the number of reps. Also remember to work the whole body too, and work the core, do not just rely on crunches.
ok i understand
so would 25 foot to foot crunches,25 cross arm crunches,25 bicycles and 25 push through’s be enough? 30 second break inbetween every 2 workouts
also if the 3rd and 4th set don’t burn as much as the first 2 but are harder to perfrom, would that suggest what i am doing is correct or incorrect?
sorry arm reachin crunch not push through’s
i realise these are mostly crunches but they work the abs in a different way don’t they?
So long as you are working hard you should do well. Just do seem to be focussing a lot on the abs, which is important, but do not neglect everything else.
oh no i do press ups as well
it just that i wanted to get my abs visible
but if you say carry on as i am then it’ll be possible
thanks for your time
If I flex my stomach you could see my abs but when I relax it it kind of goes i have a little bit of fat left. How can i get that stomach that shows abs without flexing
Two ways to do that Alvin: 1. Build bigger abs. 2. Burn off more fat.
Shame to talk again but it’s another thing this time.The upper 2 abs when I tense I can feel them but they’re situated on my rib cage..
So in a normal,visual viewpoint you can only see a 4 pack but when you tense you see the 6
So how do i get it from my ribcage, if it makes sense
Just keep training them and ensure your diet is good to cut fat.
hi I’m 17 years old and I play soccer and have practice Monday – Saturday. I try and try to eat healthy but I have problems sticking to it. I have belly fat that I would like to lose but im unsure of what to do. help :/
Hi Brinn. You have to make sure that you are eating a healthy diet. Diet is the problem and therefore the solution. You are getting regular exercise, so the only option is to change the way you eat. Cut out junk food, sugar, reduce alcohol, eat smaller portions, eat healthier foods.
Hi, I am having a big stomach but structure is normal, what will I do to fating my stomach. Help me pls
Miriam, you need a healthy, low calorie diet and exercise. Read this article on how to lose belly fat, it provides several diet rules that you should try to follow, and also links to other relevant articles on the topic.
Hi…I am the correct weight for my height but I have a flabby belly and need to tone it up also fat round my lower back.Is it possible to get rid of it all and tone up in 11 weeks as I have wedding to attend and the dress is fitted.I have damaged both knees so running is out…Please help as I am feeling so depressed as I have never had a problem before.I enjoy swimming would that help?
Hi Nike, yes swimming would help. So would some resistance training. If you can walk this can help too, although takes more time. Really you may need to alter your diet too – take a look at the advice on healthy eating for some pointers.
I am 5 feet and 6 inches age 29 years and have 2 kids. My weight is 67 kgs. I have been doing plank exercise since last 2 months. I can do planks for 60 seconds for the first time after 1 minute rest for 35 seconds and 3 times more for about 20 to 30 seconds. I feel little improvement but not a lot. How long this exercise will make me feel a good improvement.
Hi Deep, what are your goals? You are not overweight, so I assume that you are just trying to get stronger? Do you do any other exercise? Circuit training or jogging? How is your diet? What improvements are you looking to achieve?
Thanks for your immeidate reply. Actually because of 2 deliveries (3 years and 1 year), i have big tummy (not very big but still its not small). So my goal is to have flat tummy. Thats why i am doing plank (plank gives my tummy a big challange).
Hi Deep, you probably need to do more cardio exercise too then if you are trying to flatten your tummy. The Plank is great for strengthening but it will not burn much fat off.
Hi I have the figure I want I just have excess belly flab and love handles as well as a little extra in the buttocks area.What do you recommend for me?I have an 8 year old and i believe that is where the belly flab comes from as I was in a size 1 before I had my son.Thanks so much!
Hi Ashley, you just need to get more active with 2-3 weekly workouts (ideally 45-60 minutes) and eat really health. Stop naughty snacks, stop junk food, reduce alcohol (if you drink) and generally be healthier. All mums struggle a bit, half the battle is just finding the energy to get up and tackle the problem head on.
Hi. This is a great website. I have recommended to many of my friends lately. I am 24 yrs weighing 75kgs, 5.7 feet height. I have excess fat in my belly area alone. My hands and legs are very much in shape. I am vegetarian. I want to lose my belly fat badly. I jog for 4-5 kilometers everyday and do not prefer to go to gym. Could you please suggest what I can do to reduce my belly? Also is there a way to reduce the fat on my cheek muscle on face or does it go away once I reduce my body fat? Thanks a lot.
Hi Robert, wrt to your cheeks, you are right, you cannot spot reduce that fat. If you continue to run 4-5 km a day and improve your diet you will lose that fat. Try to consume low GI vegetables, and do avoid bread as much as possible. Many vegetarians tend to take too much energy from the staple foods like bread, pasta and rice. Consume more vegetables, salads and make sure that your diet is still rich in protein – pulses, whey, tofu, nuts etc.
Thanks for the quick reply. I really appreciate it. I pretty much eat same things as u have mentioned, no bread, less rice and pasta. But could you please help me regarding the ‘types of exercises’ that I can follow at home to reduce my belly fat instead of going to the gym. Thanks.
Any type of exercise will help, so long as you are working hard. In my opinion the best exercises (assuming you do not have free weights at home) are circuit training exercises (bodyweight exercises) and kettlebells.
I have a question about how a six-pack of abs shows up on your body. For the longest time, my upper abs were the only real definition I had. Then I added kettlebells to my workout and my lower abs (nearest to my groin area) became a lot tighter and the oblique muscles really began to appear. Then with the recent addition of jogging, I noticed that I’m starting to see the very distinct ‘V’ shape along my lower torso (just above my thighs). I’m still working on seeing the midsection (directly below my navel) “pop”. This has all taken place over the course of the last year or so with me consistently exercising five times a week for 30 minutes and eating cleanly. Correct me if I’m worong but I was always under the impression that a six-pack appeared all at once not in dribs and drabs. I’m a woman in her late 30s – is it different for women than men? Just curious. Thanks.
I think that the only answer to that is, everyone is different. Small differences in the way people accumulate fat, burn fat, build muscle plus body shape, height etc. will all make a difference. Sounds like you are doing great though, just stick to the plan and keep doing a varied workout like you are.
Hi, im 18 years old and am enroled in to a sporting highschool and do allot of training. i train 6-7.30 4 – 5 mornings a week and have afternoon training sessions every arvo from 3.45 to around 5.15, most morning i do gym sessions and each week i do 5 routines on isolated muscle areas. (chest, back, shoulders, arms and legs)i do core most day, i try to do around 20min of good quality core a day. and for my cardio i play waterpolo, which is very hard and enduring cardio. my food however is pretty bad, the food they give us is not very nutritional. at the school they cook quantity not quality. so what iv been doing is harving my meals and training harder, i do all this and cant get rid of the last layers of fat to get a 6pack. i know that getting my goal is 30% training and 70% diet, but it hard with the food here they give us. do you have any advice you can give me?
Hi Christian, that is a tricky one. As the school is so sports and fitness orientated then maybe you should raise the issue of healthier school dinners with someone there?
Hi. I’m Santiago and I Am a 18 Year old Male.. I Don’t Exactly know how to Reduce my stomach fat and sides fat ( Hips ). I got a Good Height of 6 Feet But i got lots of over weight and i am not able to loose that belly and hip fat and i do diets but when those diets don’t work i loose my head and quit them. I Dream to get 6 packs whole day & night Contacted Gym Trainers but its of no use. Tried more than 2 Supplements they lowered my belly and side fat by some inches but never gave me abs… I got my own gym in my home and i do almost 1 hr 30 mins exercises without fail from the past 6 months + i jog in the morning for about 1 hour and i play football with my friends. No matter what i do i cant loose this Fat. Please Help me :|
Hi Santiago, well, if you are exercising for 90 minutes a day plus jogging and sometimes playing football, and you are not losing fat, then the problem must lie in your diet. Cut out ALL junk food, white bread, baked foods, crisps/chips/fries, sugary drinks etc. Eat only fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy, lean meats, fish and eggs. Supplements do not remove fat.
Hi. I’m a 13 year old girl. I am pretty lazy and have a lot of spare time. When I’m bored, I eat. So that has given me a big belly. I would like to get rid if it if a couple months, or at least get it smaller before i go on vacation. What kind of excersices can I do at home? And how many? What should I eat? Oh and I’m a picky eater. I do not like vegetables. I have some problems! Please help!
Hi Grace, your diet should be well balanced and consist of vegetables, fruits, some dairy and lean proteins. Daily exercise will help burn off excess fat. If instead of eating when bored you did some exercise this would solve the problem. As for what kind of exercise, running and dance routines are good options. Learn to enjoy your vegetables.
hi, i feel i have a body which builds muscle quite easy but ive not been to the gym in 5 months and have piled the fat on, im 19 male and weigh around 11 stones, i would like to burn the stomach fat off but buil on the muscle in my arms, how would you say i do this?
Hi Wass, 2 ways:
1. Sort your diet out – no junk, no snacks, just quality vegetables and fruits, lean proteins.
2. More cardio to burn fat – 45 minutes a day
3. Get some dumbbells so you can work your arms at home. Bicep curls and tricep extensions should be the main exercises, also rows and shoulder presses to build the shoulders and back a little.
HI,I am 25 years, I have high relax heart rate about 105 PBM (NO heart disease found by physician) poor fittness due to highly heart rate while training ( 214 lbs, 168 cm ) what is best program to lose 30 lbs on a month
Hi Othman, I suggest that you start with walking and then move on to jogging as you get fitter. Aim to walk briskly for around 60 minutes every day. Maybe invest in a heart rate monitor and consult with your doctor beforehand to discuss a safe heart rate. Hopefully in time your heart will get stronger and beat slower, and enable you to start getting fitter.
Thank you for your highly response
What about stomach and belly fat stretching exercise because I am overweight (BMI=32) what is best for beginner in order to acheive desired body shape in the safely way.
You need to exercise intensively, stretching will not help. As I said before, aim for 60 minutes exercise every day.
Hey I am 20 years old. I used to be 280 pounds but lost a massive amount of weight in 3-4 months and have been holding 175 for a couple years now. I drink diet coke heavily and I eat next to carbs or sugars a day. Basically Atkens diet. i train 4-5 times a week and have plenty of results. but for some reason I can’t get rid of my belly fat. I haven’t seen a change in a long time. And I was wondering if you have any advice? I’m very desperate to the point I’m going to get surgery. But I am highly against it. Just out of options.
To start with, stop the diet coke. Drink water instead. How are you training? Same workouts 5 times a week, or a variety of cardio, weight training, body weight workouts etc.? You did great to lose 100 pounds, now you need to work on getting fitter and toning up. More weight training, more intensive cardio, and maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
I’ve started the gym now, whats the best technique in which you could bulid abs quickly? thanks for the previous answer
I would not like to pick a best technique for you, I really recommend that you do all of them, or at least pick 4 or 5 exercises to perform each week.
hi this is tarun, Recently I got married, and I am very angry with my fat, I am 25 year old and I have 100+ weight but my height is 6 fit 2 inch, I am very angry with my stomach , I am working in night shift, timing is 8 to 5, my office is 60km far away from my premise, I belong to a village, I don’t have a sufficient time to attend the gym,when I reach to my office I take rest 9 to 2pm, is it sufficient to me or not, what is the way to reduce the fat of mine
tell me the sufficient way as soon as possible
thank u
Hi Tarun, you need to exercise. Just do that. You do not need a gym, humans have been exercising since the beginning of time without gyms. Also, eat less. It is possible that being married has resulted in a change of diet. You need to speak to your wife to discuss food options and portion sizes. I do not quite follow your work schedule, a rest from 9 to 2pm? That is 5 hours? Sounds like an ideal time for a workout.
Hey how are you Going, I’m just wondering I have started to work on my core a lot more lately and am noticing abs forming up high on my belly but I can’t seem to get them to start towards the lower section of my tummy. How do I lose the fat easy on my lower belly so I can eventually see abs! Thanks Heaps=-] Also can taking Bulk or any form of Muscle Gain Milk (Drink) make life harder to get abs because of the fat it puts on you?? Thnx=-] p.s Can you please reply to my Email Thanks Heaps=-]
Hi Chris, to lose the fat you need to reduce calories and increase cardio, so it is possible that a protein shake will be adding too many calories. Go for a whey isolate, they are more expensive but have the sugars removed so fewer calories, more protein.
Hi, I’m a 19 year old male, 5’10, and around 175lbs. I’m sick of my body. My lower body is great. I’m completely solid in my legs and butt, but my upper body discust me.. I’m not gross to other people but I’m the one who takes my shirt off and sees what’s under..I’m ashamed to let my girlfriend see me with out my shirt. I’m beginning to get love handles!! Small but there! And I can feel my abs but they are covered by and inch of fat on the bottom and a half inch on top. I also have arms that could be really nice, but aren’t that toned. And also I have man breast..not insanely huge but notcable and it keeps me wearing a shirt to swim. I always try to do good on nutrition but truth is I’m not very good with it. I also have no money to join a gym. I have weights at my house such as a curl bar, dumbells, 200lbs of plates, and a regular bench bar. I also have a bike, a jump rope, and legs for cardio. I need advice and help on how to loose fat love handles and get a 6pack and loose my man breast with what I have. PLEASE HELP!
Thanks.
Hi Clark, if you have 200lbs of weights and a bench then use them! Deadlifts, squats, bench press, bentover rows, shoulder press, curls. Do this a few times a week, plus some bodyweight circuits (burpees, push ups, crunches, mountain climbers) and go running/cycling/skipping too to burn off the fat.
Hey. I am 17 years old and weigh 91kg. I have a belly, lovehandles and manboobs. I gym 3 times a week and I do a good amount of cardio exercise which is 20 min on treadmill, cycle and eliptical machine on PE 6-8.I also do resistance training. I really want to lose my lovehandles and flatten out my chest and belly. Can you please tell me how to lose the handles? I also started eating very healthy. Thanks( p.s I have 2 months until prom so i really want to. Look good)
Hi Bhavik, you need to increase your exercise. 20 minutes on the treadmill is good, 45 minutes is better. Daily exercise is needed too. Focus on fitness and keep that diet healthy. No treats until prom night!
Hi! How do I lose that stubborn belly fat without burning away all the muscle mass I’ve been trying to earn? Ive been doing strength training to build muscle, at the same time do about 20min cardio for fat loss. I’m only 126lbs. Thanks!
Hello,
I am 25 yrs old, my height is 5’3.5″ and I weigh 58kgs. I have polycystic overy and as a part of my traetment I was told to have oral cnrtaceptives for three months- as a major side effect I am now fat and ugly with cystic acne.. I am also suffering from high BP and my doctor has asked me to lose at least 10kgs! I have taken care of my skin and am trying to work on my body fat now.. I am eating vegetables,fruits,fish,chicken,eggs and pulses.No bread,rice or any other carb.I am addicted to tea – but I have stopped taking suger.I also drink Horlicks and lime water without suger. Due to my work nature I dont get to workout much, but I walk for 30min everyday after lunch and for 1 hour after dinner.
Although I feel lighter, I am still not sure when will I see myself in the desired shape.. I want to have flat belly and get rid of my BP managing tablets.. from this month onwards I am ging to join an aerobics class which should help me lose weight faster ,right ? …Please tell me whether I am in the right track and what else can I do.. Thanks a bunch in advance :)
Hi, sounds like you are on the right track. You BMI is 22.7 which is a healthy weight, so working on your fitness more will get you in shape. You have made some good changes to your diet and if you stick to this way of eating you will develop a healthier body. The aerobics class will certainly help, but do not take this as a reason to do less of the walking – this is very important also. Focus on getting fitter in class – work as hard as you can. Changing your body shape takes time, just patience and perseverance is needed!
Hi Lee, diet is the key. Make sure you are eating a healthy and balanced diet with fresh vegetables, fruits, pulses and lean meats, eggs, chicken and fish. If you keep working your muscles and have a healthy diet, 20 minutes of cardio is not going to make your muscles waste away. Professional bodybuilders routinely do 45-60 minutes of cardio every day, and they are in the business of maintaining muscle. Cardio burns fat, poor diet and inactivity burns muscle!
Hi MotleyHealth, I got a quick question.
I’m a basketball player (6’3, 205 lbs) and I play about 4 to 5 times a week for about an hour or two. I’ve also weight lifted about twice a week to tone up. I’ve been trying to get my abs to show, but I’m not sure what the problem really is, even though I can feel them. I eat 2 meals a day, and I’ll admit I eat some fatty foods (cookies,cakes,ice cream)at times. Are the fatty foods the real reason I can’t see my abs?
Hi Kev, that probably is the problem. Generally treats like cookies, cakes, ice cream are all going to accumulate some fat. People with abs rarely eat junk food.
Hi,
ok I just really want to lose my stomach its just utterly gross… my only thing is I have a big butt & I don’t want to lose that but I do want to tone my legs, arms, thighs & get rid of my 2nd chin.. I want my stomach flat or have at least a 2 pack by this summer or May, is this goal that I have even possible for me to reach from now until then?
how are you doing ? BMI=34 ( Weight= 96 kg , length=168 cm )
I want to ask you could I loose 4kg per week because I have read that loosing more than 0.5 kg/week isn’t healthy and may effect hairloss because iam in the way to be bald.
my program is walking ( 3 km per day )
Please suggest me the number of calories may taken because i have bad metabolism rate approximately 1400 calories burn/day. I Know that harsh diet
may lead to drop the metabolism rate.
What can I do, Please suggest
I am 6’4, 220 lbs, and I have been on a high protein, low fat diet and working out 5 days a week for about 4 weeks. My workouts consist of weight training (super-set 2 major muscle groups), abs, and high-intensity interval training. For instance, on Monday I will do chest and back super-sets, abs, and then cardio. The other days of the week vary somewhat, but the general template is the same. I eat eggs and oatmeal for breakfast everyday, a turkey sandwich and yogurt for lunch, and a dinner of lean meat and vegetables. I also take in about 2-3 24g protein shakes a day. To this point I am VERY happy with how my upper body is responding. My arms/shoulders/chest are the best they’ve ever been…and in only 4 weeks time! I can see some minor results in my upper abs as well. However, I am not getting the results I want in my belly fat area (primarily lower abs and obliques). I don’t have a ton to lose, honestly, but I am curious to know if there is a way to “supercharge” the fat loss element of my workouts? I am contemplating adding some distance running, but I don’t want to cannibalize the upper body muscle I am working so hard to build.
Hi Dee, it may be possible, it really depends on how determined you are. You need to be totally dedicated, willing to exercise every day and reduce calories and eat healthy.
Hi Othman, 3km walking a day is not enough, aim to walk for at least 60 minutes without stopping. 4 kg a week on that regime will not be possible either. You should reduce calories but eat healthy food (not “health food”) and exercise more. Do not set such hard goals as this results in nothing but disappointment. Just focus on getting fitter and live a healthy lifestyle.
Hi Dustin, go for the running option to start with. If you are working those muscles and feeding them, they should not waste away. Take in some carbs after the run though, as muscle wastage after endurance exercise is generally caused by carb depletion and not a lack of protein (which is why sports hydration drinks contain carbs, not proteins)
My major problem is cellulite on my legs… What are the best exercises for my legs? How many reps? How many times a week? How many minutes/hours?
~Thank you!
I’m a 13 year old guy and I swim. I have a small layer of fat on my stomach how long should i run and how long will it take me to loose it. Also is fish healthy to eat for dinner.
Hi Ileen, running is certainly good for your legs, as is using an elliptical. Bodyweight / weight training exercises such as squats, lunges and calf raises are good too. How many reps? Just focus on getting fitter and incorporating these exercises into your daily fitness workouts.
Hi Bobby, fish is really healthy, also eat fresh vegetables and fruits everyday if possible. Running should help, impossible to set a time limit though. Just focus on getting fit and continue to eat a healthy diet.