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I hold weight in my midsection. Can I spot reduce belly fat?

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Diet & Fitness


I HOLD WEIGHT IN MY MIDSECTION. CAN I SPOT REDUCE BELLY FAT?

There are no magic moves to shrink your stomach, but a combination of strength,
cardio and ab exercises will help.

Ab exercises help tone the core, but they are only one piece of the puzzle.Getty
Images
Jan. 27, 2022, 10:24 PM UTC
By Stephanie Mansour

As a personal trainer and weight-loss coach, I am constantly answering health
and fitness questions from my clients, on social media and in our Start TODAY
Facebook group. In this column, I address some of the most common questions and
roadblocks that trip people up on their journey to establish a health and
fitness routine.

Is it possible to spot reduce weight around my midsection?




This is a question I hear quite often from my clients. For many, the tummy pooch
is the area of the body they are most self-conscious about. I’m often asked if
there are specific moves or types of exercise that help spot reduce weight
around the midsection.

The short answer is no.

But while there are no magic moves you can perform to reduce weight in one
specific area, there are some things you can focus on that will help you lose
belly fat over time. 

I recommend focusing on weight loss in general — knowing that overall weight
loss will also lead to losing weight in the midsection.



It’s important to note that it’s impossible to talk about weight loss without
addressing diet. Taking inventory of what you’re eating and replacing foods that
provide empty calories like processed carbs and sugars with whole foods has
helped many of my clients reduce bloat and shed extra pounds.

After you clean up your diet, turn your attention to your workout routine.
Here’s where to focus your efforts when it comes to exercise to help reduce
overall body fat and tone the midsection.


5-MINUTE AB WORKOUT REQUIRES ONLY A TEXTBOOK AS WEIGHT

March 30, 202004:15



CARDIO

Endless crunches won’t do much if your abdominal muscles are buried under excess
body fat. Cardio is key to burning calories and losing weight. Cycling and
walking are two low-impact forms of cardio that I often recommend to clients.
Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise when it comes to burning
calories and losing weight. In fact, many people in our Start TODAY Facebook
group credit a daily walk with helping them lose weight and shed inches from
their midsection! Riding a bike or using a cycling machine is another great
calorie-burning exercise. When you cycle, you use your core and lower body while
also increasing your heart rate. If you have access to a spin bike, try interval
training by switching up the incline and speed. If you want to go on a bike ride
outside, look for a path with hills and play with your speed for some variation.




STRENGTH TRAINING

Research shows that the combination of strength training and cardio exercise
works well for weight loss. Strength training helps build muscle, which burn
fats and speeds up the metabolism. Plus, muscle burns more calories than fat, so
building muscle helps us burn more at rest, which will also help aid in weight
loss. And many strength training exercises engage the core, which will help
strengthen the abdominal area and increase muscle tone in the midsection. Try
one of these strength routines for exercises that will build muscle and work the
core:


 * Low-impact cardio dumbbell workout
 * A full body strength-training routine — no weights required!
 * Tone your entire body with this 5-minute workout


AB WORKOUTS

Finally, target your core by incorporating exercises that tone and strengthen
the abdominal muscles. Remember: The abs are the one muscle group you can train
every single day!

As a Pilates instructor, I recommend starting every ab routine with a pelvic
tilt. This exercise helps you get in tune with your core. By drawing your naval
in toward your spine and engaging your deepest abdominal muscles, you’re
training your body to work the core not only during ab moves, but also during
other forms of exercise. Plus, tightening the core and engaging the deep
abdominal muscles helps to flatten and tone the midsection.


The pelvic tilt exercise will help you learn to engage your deepest abdominal
muscles.

I also recommend choosing ab workouts like mountain climbers that work the
entire body, not just the abdominals. With full-body movements, you’ll burn more
calories, which will help with weight loss and build strength in all areas of
the body.

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Stephanie Mansour

Stephanie Mansour is a contributing health and fitness writer for TODAY. She is
a certified personal trainer, yoga and Pilates instructor and weight-loss
coach for women. She hosts “Step It Up with Steph” on PBS. Join her
complimentary health and weight-loss challenge and follow her for daily
inspiration on Instagram and in her new app.



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