Exercise to Lose Belly Fat

Can you really exercise to lose belly fat?  If so, what exercise to lose stomach fat is the most effective?

Can you do these exercises at home, or do you need to join a gym?  If you can do them at home, do you have to buy equipment?

Exercise to Lose Stomach Fat

To start, an exercise to lose stomach fat doesn't really exist.  What is happening is you are toning and tightening your abdominal and core muscles.  When these muscles are toned, they are firmer and look thinner.

And looking thinner is a good thing!

Also, building and toning your core muscles will boost your metabolism, letting your weight loss program be that much more effective. 

How to Lose Stomach Fat - Your Abs

Any exercises that work your core (the muscles from the hips up to right under your breasts) will make you look longer and leaner.

As for how to lose stomach fat, you must target the core muscles.  They are:

Rectus abdominus:  This is the long, flat muscle that extends the whole front of the abdomen.  These are the muscles that people refer to when they talk about a "6-pack".  These are further divided into the upper and lower abs.

Obliques:  There are two sets of oblique muscles, the internal and external.  These are long, flat muscles run along the sides of the abdomen, at an angle.  These is the infamous "love handle" area.

Exercise to Lose Belly Fat

When you exercise to lose belly fat, you don't need to go to a gym or buy fancy exercise equipment -- unless you want to, of course.  Instead, you only really need an exercise mat on which to do your crunches.

The bicycle manuver is about the best for the rectus abdominus (not to mention giving the obliques a workout, too).  To do it, lay on your back on a mat, hands behind your head.  Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree angle and slowly touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee.  Don't hold your breath -- remember to breathe evenly while doing this belly exercise.

You can also join a gym and go to town on all their ab machines.  A word of warning here, though -- be sure to have a gym employee work with you at first, to make sure you know how to use each piece of equipment properly.

The Best Ab Workouts

Now if you want to get a little more interesting, you can purchase an exericise ball to add to your routine.  A balance ball and DVD won't cost much -- maybe $30. 

Alternatively, you can get one of the small ones -- for example the Bender Ball mini ab ball -- and do your core exercises with it.  The cost is about $40 or so for a ball and Bender DVD.

There are then various pieces of home equipment that ranges from $60 to $150.  The ab trainer is one, ab rocket another.  These are more expensive, but not necessarily more effective than the balls. Still, they are worth investigating if you're after a specific look to your abs.

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Help!  I Need to Lose My Belly Fat Fast!

One of the fastest way to lose inches is to drink water to lose weight.  Getting rid of excess water weight is fast and easy.

Next is losing actual fat.  Unfortunately, there aren't any diets that specifically target an area (which actually work).  Where you gain weight first and lose it last is part of your genetics.

But in the meanwhile, you can tone and trim your abdominal muscles, making you look thinner than your actual weight!