Lose Stomach Fat

We all know we have to exercise on a regular basis if we want to lose stomach fat. The simple fact is doing regular vigorous exercise, along with eating the right food, is the most effective way of losing weight and keeping it off.

The trouble is by the time we are over 50 the build-up of stomach fat has happened over many years. It can take time to lose that fat and it is easy to become impatient and disheartened with the lack of progress. There is a type of exercise that will get rid of that stomach fat quickly but it requires a little effort and discipline. It is called interval training.

Interval Training

There should be another name for this type of exercise because it sounds very technical and like hard work. The very word “training” can put you off. But do not let it frighten you because anyone can do it and it works. It lifts fat a lot faster than other types of exercise and it does it in much shorter exercise periods.

At its heart is the simple idea of making your body work harder for short bursts, followed by periods of rest. Your body has to work harder than usual during those periods of intense activity which helps burn off the calories. In addition to that, one of its great benefits is your body keeps burning fat long after you stop.

This type of training can be adapted to virtually any type of exercise. For example, if you are using an exercise bike you simply go at your normal rate for say, 20 seconds, then go as fast as you can for 10 seconds. The same applies to jogging, running or swimming. You do this for 20 minutes at a time, but allow 5 minutes to warm-up and 5 minutes to cool-down or stretch. There are a number of variations you can apply but the simpler the better. As you get fitter you can gradually change to longer periods of intense activity and shorter rest periods.

Best Weight Loss Results

Australian researchers of the University of New South Wales and the Garvan Institute found the best weight loss results came from 8 seconds of intense exercise followed by 12 seconds of light exercise for 20-minute periods. They tested this on 45 overweight women over a 15-week period using a stationary bike. The women lost three times more weight than other women who exercised at a continuous regular rate for 40-minute periods.

The great advantage of this type of exercise is the short amount of time you have to give to it. All you have to do is find 20 minutes about 3 times a week, with a few minutes in the beginning and the end to warm up and to cool down or stretch. The best way to warm up is to start doing your regular exercise specifically for about 5 minutes. If you are not fit it will take a little while to get your intensity up, but the more intense the training the better the results.

As a matter of interest, the Australian researchers pointed out a person who walked 60 minutes a day for 7 days a week would lose only about 2.5 pounds (1.15 kg). That is a lot of work for little result and is one of the reasons people give up. Who has the time or discipline to walk for an hour every day?

If you try this out you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. I lost weight over a few weeks and have kept it off for several months. In fact, this is now my regular way of exercising.

Read Also: Health and Fitness Tips for Women Over 50

Featured Image: Natural News
Source by William Burnell