The Top 4 Reasons Why You're Still Not Losing Your Belly Fat

You've been watching what you eat and regularly working out for weeks and weeks now but you still can't seem to fit into your old pair of jeans or wear that little black dress without looking like you're ready to explode out of it. This simply means that your diet plan and workouts have failed and you have not reduced your belly fat.

Various studies show that there may be some other things you're failing to do or are still doing that is causing you to retain your belly bulge. The top 4 reasons you're still not losing your belly fat are:

1. You're doing the wrong type of workout. In general, people immediately turn to steady-state cardio workouts, like long jogs, when trying to slim down. However, there is a big problem with this approach: a 45-minute run at a consistent pace can aid you shed pounds at first, but soon your metabolism will adjust and you will stop burning calories the moment you stop running on the treadmill. A better and more effective way to tone your tummy is through weight training. When you lift weights, you create micro-tears in muscle that take more energy and this helps you burn more calories. Another effective workout for fat loss is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. You can create a HIIT program with various types of exercises, including cardio workouts such as running, swimming, and cycling and even full-body strength workouts.




2. You're not getting enough sleep. A study showed that women who slept five or fewer hours per night were 32 percent more likely to experience major weight gain over 16 years than those who got more sleep. As such, it really is important to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

3. You're still consuming too much alcohol. Alcohol can increase your appetite and food intake and certain kinds of alcoholic beverages are associated with increasing one's belly fat. There's no need to cut out booze completely: you can still a glass of wine or clear liquor every so often with a meal. But avoid alcohol beverages mixed with soda and other sugary mixers.

4. Your magnesium levels are low. Your body needs magnesium for more than 300 chemical reactions, including keeping heart rhythm steady, regulating blood flow and aiding you in your weight loss and body shaping endeavors. As such, eat more magnesium-rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables, beans, and nuts. You can also consider taking in supplements but you have to consult your doctor about this first.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Erica_L_Green/1867965

How To Lose Belly Fat - Hint, No Cardio, Situps, or Diet - Lose 4 Inches of Belly Fat in 26 Days

You want something new and exciting... and that's what I have for you. Here's how to lose belly fat (specifically - lose 4 inches of belly fat in 26 days) without any diet, situps, or the typical bogus cardio stuff like running on a treadmill.

Here are 3 out-of-the-ordinary belly fat exercises that will allow you to lose belly fat fast.

Lose Belly Fat Exercise #1: The Belly Rub

This is my favorite belly fat exercise and it takes all of 40 seconds to do. First, you need to rub your hands together for 10-15 seconds to create kinetic heat energy (I'll explain briefly). Next, you take 1 hand and start rubbing around your belly button in small circles.

Rubbing your belly in circles should last about 25-30 seconds. That's it. Do 3-5 minutes of this each day.




Ok, now the idea behind that. Belly fat (all fat) doesn't like heat. Any type of environment where your core body temperature gets elevated increases your body's fat burning abilities. So by rubbing your hands and creating kinetic heat energy... and then rubbing one of those hands on your belly... you're creating a localized area of higher internal temperatures.

And... it's right on your belly fat. The heat from your hands pass through your skin and right into the belly fat deposits. This heat will help "persuade" and loosen up some of the fat to dissolve or break off and be carried away in the blood.

Soon after that, that fat will be excreted by you in either your urine, feces, or sweat.

Oh yeah, 1 quick tip before I go on to the next belly fat exercise. To generate more heat quicker, lick one of your hands before you rub them together. Seriously... it works!

Lose Belly Fat Exercise #2: Vacuum Pose

This exercise is similar to sucking in your belly, but there is a key difference. While standing up, you need to visualize your belly button getting sucked into your lower back when you do this. This will help you to suck in your belly at the correct point... which is your belly button.

Lead with your belly button when you suck in your belly.

This exercise doesn't provide much for weight loss, but it's the quickest way to lose inches from your waist while toning up your belly. I'll repeat that. This exercise is the quickest way you can lose inches from your waist!

Anyway, when you do the vacuum pose, suck in your belly for a minimum of 15 seconds each time. Eventually, try to build up to holding in your sucked-in belly for 1 minute at a time. Do this exercise for 5 minutes everyday.

Lose Belly Fat Exercise #3: Jumping on a Mini-trampoline

Ok, first off, you can get a mini-trampoline for about $25. Wal-Mart has them. Now, this is probably my favorite piece of equipment. It allows me to stay home to workout. You're going to jump on the mini-trampoline, but it won't be like that typical gym cardio.

I want you to jump on it for 2 minutes at a time. Nothing more. Now, don't worry... you don't need to jump high for this to be effective. In fact, you barely lift your heels off the thing. A lot of times, my toes don't even leave the surface of it... just my heels lift off and sway left to right in a nice rhythm.

What I found that works best for me is to do these 2 minute intervals during tv commercials. The typical tv show has about 22 minutes of commercials each hour. So there's your 22 minutes of working out... without you having to make a special trip anywhere.

The 22 minutes breeze by... all the while as you watch tv. What can be better than that?

Now, you don't need to limit yourself to just doing these during tv commercials. Do them whenever. What I do is I jump on it for 2 minutes whenever I get a chance... morning, afternoon, or night. The 2 minutes here and there add up. But I also have a routine of doing them while I watch my favorite tv shows at night... 4 days a week, 22 minutes each night.

So how did I do?

Did I not deliver on my promise to give you some cool and fun belly fat exercises! And yes... I had 1 client who lost 4 inches off her waist in 26 days doing just these 3 exercises... without making any changes to her diet or exercise routine. I've also had numerous other clients lose 2-3 inches in a month doing these.

If you don't know how to lose belly fat after reading this article, I don't know what to say. This is not brain surgery. You just need to get up off your butt and do these things. Now go lose some belly fat before you make me mad! Smile. Kidding.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jennifer_Jolan/141264

How Does Eating Fruits Help With Weight Loss

If you have ever been on a diet you will notice that they all incorporate fruits as a large part of their plan. So how does eating fruits help with weight loss? They provide the dieter with foods that provide a full feeling with fewer calories.

Calorie Reduction

With a calorie range of approximately fifty to one hundred calories per serving they provide minimal calories for healthy snacks. Beware of certain high calorie fruits like avocadoes! They could undermine your efforts to lose weight.

Fruit is a Yummy Alternative




Fruits topping the list for taste and satisfaction include honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapefruit, peaches, and papayas. These provide the best taste with the fewest calories per serving.

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction

Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose. As you are losing weight it is common for cravings to occur. When a sweet craving strikes grabbing a piece of fruit often satisfies the sweet taste that is desired while not significantly increasing calories while you are trying to lose weight.

Water and Fibre Fills the Belly

Fresh whole fruits have a high water content and high fibre content which produce a full feeling. It is difficult to overeat with fresh fruit as the high water and high fibre content will fill the stomach quickly.

Tips for how to use fruits while losing weight

Eat a piece of fruit twenty to thirty minutes before a meal. It will fill your stomach and you will eat less at your meal.

Keep a bowl of fruit easily accessible in your home. When a craving strikes reach for this instant satisfaction instead of other high calorie alternatives.

Pack fruit to go with your lunchtime meal. This should replace chips or desserts you usually pack.

Freeze grapes and keep them handy in your freezer. Instead of ice cream pop these frozen, crunchy, and sweet treats in your mouth!

Eating on the go? Many fast food chains offer fruit cups instead of fries!

Having a dinner party? Create a parfait of fruit and yogurt and top it with a low calorie granola. Another alternative is to create a fruit kabob by alternating pieces of fruit on a stick. Your guests will be amazed while you keep the calories low.

Exercise and Diet

Any good plan will also incorporate exercise. Exercise and diet plans work together to promote optimum weight loss. Exercise releases appetite suppressing hormones in your body which decrease the amount you eat at meals. It also burns calories which promotes weight loss. As you are losing weight ensure that your exercise and diet plan work well together by providing the right amount of nutrients for your body to work out while still keeping the calorie count low enough to allow you to lose weight.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Helen_Brathwaite/951248

Bodybuilding Cutting Exercises Are a Fitness Myth

Bodybuilders use high repetition sets to get ripped, but could get more results in less time by doing less work.

High repetition sets do not get you cut.

This is a myth, and there's a much better way to sculpt your body, get ripped, and finally achieve the elusive 6-pack.

But again, let me repeat, you won't succeed with high-repetition sets using light weights. And don't even worry about the "pump", but that's another article for another day. To get ripped, its all about nutrition and intensity. We want to be able to see our well-earned muscles and our 6-pack abs.




And that's why we get lured into the belief of the cutting exercises. Because it causes a burn in our muscles, we generally think, hey, this must be burning fat. But it's not! It's just a fatiguing sensation. If you are using a high-rep, cutting program, I doubt you are getting the results you want. You don't need to be in the gym too long.

There is a better way to burn fat. A faster way. And a smarter way. It doesn't involve "toning" workouts or "Cutting exercises". What you need to do for fat loss, and getting cut, is to focus on the same exercises that helped you build muscle in the first place.

So forget the pec-dec, and stick with dumbbell presses. Say goodbye to leg extensions, and keep using squats and lunges. Next up is the shocker! Use intervals to cut fat fast! Instead, we'll use interval training to burn fat and boost our metabolism in less than half the time as a normal cardio workout. Only 20 minutes of interval training done 3 times per week resulted in weight loss in one Australian study.

On the other hand, three 40-minute cardio sessions did not cause any weight loss in the same study. Shocking results, but it just goes to show you the power of intensity. No more slow boring aerobics. That means saying goodbye to light weights and high reps and long slow cardio. Goodbye, nice to know you! If you want to get ripped muscles, diet hard?

First, you need the proper dietary changes to promote muscle gains and body fat reductions. Nutrition is the most important factor for fat burning and getting cut. If your nutrition sucks, and you eat fast food or skip meals, you are in big trouble. There is no workout good enough to overcome bad nutrition. Next, focus on multi-muscle strength exercises and finish with interval training to burn more calories out of the gym.

No more machines. No more high reps. Use more intensity and put turbulence on your muscles. If you did a squat, a press, and a row in each workout, and then did intervals, you'd get ripped if your nutrition was good. Keep it incredibly simple, but intense.

Forget about slow boring cardio. You need to do short burst exercise instead. Consistency is key for getting cut.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Ballantyne/23799