The Simple
Science of Metabolism
If you want to lose
that belly fat, you need to understand a little bit about metabolism. Don't worry, there'll be no hardcore science or upper maths. There's just one super-simple equation:
The calories you
eat - the calories you burn = the fat on your body
That's all there is
to it. Every day you take in a certain number of calories. When you move work,
walk, think or basically do anything,
those calories are burned off. Without any calories, you'd be a blob that doesn't have the strength to crawl out of bed. Too many calories and you feel like a blob because those unused calories turn into fat! And a fair portion of that fat goes straight to the belly.
Busting Your Belly Fat
Sure, you get belly fat as you get older. This is especially true for women, and even truer for mothers. But it's not inevitable. If
you're
serious about losing
it, you can do it no matter what your genetics or hormones say about it.
It takes a three-pronged attack:
1) Exercise a little every day
2) Watch your calories
3) Eat healthy portion sizes
Notice that I didn't say anything about passing on sugary or fatty foods. The reason is that if you watch calories and portion
sizes,
you'll be able to make
health choices about which foods you eat and how much.
The Best Exercise for Losing Belly Fat
The best exercise for losing belly fat is a cardio workout. Cardio burns what you've got there and
keeps more from accumulating around your abdomen. The reason why it works is
that it gets your body moving so it can burn the calories. A good
cardio workout is anything that gets your heart beating, blood
pumping and sweat glands sweating. The list includes:
• Running or
jogging
• Bicycling
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Cross-country skiing
• Jumping on a trampoline
• Step aerobics
• Machine workouts
• Martial arts
In fact, a really easy and effective cardio workout is brisk walking. This is a great place to start if
you're not used to exercising. It's best to start easy so that you don't burn
out or hurt yourself. What exactly does 'brisk' mean? It means walking
fast and pushing it a little bit. Make sure you're standing straight
and walk quickly with short steps. Swing your arms back and forth to get some natural motion going. Keep it up for 30 to
60 minutes and hit some hills if you can. Sounds amazing that something so
simple could work, doesn't it? Well, brisk walking is just what
doctors recommend. It's a great way to lose calories especially if you
don't like 'exercise.'
