What Kind of Exercise Works Best for Women to Lose Stomach Fat?

Stubborn belly fat may hold you back from wearing your swimsuit or your skinny jeans. However, you do not have to avoid these fashionable items; instead, focus on creating a fat blasting fitness routine. Cardio training is essential to banishing belly fat because it burns a high amount of calories and promotes fat loss from the entire body, including the abdominals.

Belly Fat

Belly fat can not only make you feel less attractive, but it can also be hazardous to your health. Two types of abdominal fat exist: Subcutaneous fat is the type you can see -- and pinch. Visceral fat is the abdominal fat that lies under the skin, surrounding the organs. This type of fat can be dangerous to your health.

Moderate Intensity Cardio

According to Harvard Health, moderately-intense exercise -- for up to 60 minutes a day -- is the best way to help to reduce abdominal fat. Working out for an extended amount of time boosts your caloric burn. Working at a pace that is moderate allows you to last longer, compared to a high intensity pace for a short period of time.

Cardio Training

To lose 1 pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. Harvard Health advises that losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week is a healthy and steady weight loss. Burning 500 calories a day with aerobic training can result in a 1 pound per week weight loss. Engaging in high calorie-burning activities that also focus on the abdominals can help you whittle away your waist line the quickest. Exercises like running, kickboxing and swimming all engage the abdominals, allowing you to scorch calories while also strengthening your midsection.

Misconceptions

When you train aerobically, you are burning a high amount of calories, allowing you to alter your body composition. The high calorie burn is responsible for melting your abdominal fat. Performing hundreds of crunches does not shrink your waistline alone. While crunches help you build abdominal strength, they do not burn a high amount of calories. The only way to see a small waistline is to reduce the amount of fat that sits on top of your abs. Crunches tighten the muscles underneath the skin, but do not melt fat.

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