Despite what you see on late night infomercials, there are only three ways to lose belly fat and strengthen your ab muscles, and none of them requires $19.95 plus shipping and handling.
First, you need a diet that allows you to burn the belly fat. Start by improving the quality of the food you eat. No more processed carbohydrates, no more sugar, no more deep-fried foods, no more fast food, and no more sodas or juices. Simply making these changes will help you lose stomach fat fast, and you'll drop your body fat percentage in just days.
Second, stop doing crunches, sit-ups, ab lunging or ab rocking. Take that exercise time and instead spend it on interval training. Doing hundreds of crunches won't get you results, and while sit-ups work, they are hard on the low back.
According to Australian researchers including Professor Steve Boucher, an authority on physical training, the only way to spot reduce belly fat is to use interval training. Intervals destroy belly fat. So spend your exercise time wisely.
Third, use basic resistance training exercises and specific abdominal exercises to condition your abs. You don't need to be on your back for any exercise in this program.
Here's what you need to know, and this will surprise you!
Beginners should stay the heck away from situps and crunch-type movements and instead, spend time doing the plank, side plank, and bird dog exercises. These are yoga-like movements that add endurance to the ab muscles. According to Dr. Stuart McGill, one of the world's foremost experts on low back pain, the more ab endurance you have, the lower your risk of back pain.
If you are more advanced, try the plank with your arms on the ball. According to research quoted in Men's Health, this exercise works your abs 30% harder than the regular plank -- all without messing up your low back.
The big message I like to get across to clients is that they can build six-pack abs without ever doing a single crunch while lying on their backs. This news shocks people, but it's true.
If you want to lose belly fat fast and achieve six-pack abs, focus on your nutrition, total body strength training, and interval training before you even consider adding more reps to your current ab workout.
