Dropping Belly Fat: Does Spot Reduction Really Work?

My neighbour asked me few days ago about what she could do to "reduce
belly fat". I could understand her concern as few months back I
actually thought she was expecting a fourth child.

I have first hand experience of an ineffective "spot reduction"
program. Tons of bicycle crunches, sit ups and leg lifts directed at
one "spot" (the belly) but in the end the "fat remains intact".

What went wrong?

Well exercises like the ones above improve muscle tone and endurance
rather than "Burn fat" directly .

Exercises that increase the heart rate such as jogging or cycling will
place a demand on the fat stores in the body for energy.

Experts recommend doing at least 3 sessions of 20-45 minute aerobic
exercises every week.

Here are some aerobic activities that you can pick out based on your interest:

Cycling
Walking briskly
Aerobic dancing
Martial Arts
Boxing
Water sports

So the best way to "shape up" is a combination of these:

1) Reduce your fat intake; oily and fried foods especially.

2) Avoid eating late; don't miss your breakfast and lunch because that
would get you extremely hungry in the evening. Your last meal should
be at least 2hrs before bedtime and remember to "eat supper like a
pauper".

3) Incorporate strength and toning exercises with aerobic exercises.
Always consult your doctor before embarking on any exercise regimen.

Point to Note:

Don't start out too hard or too fast so you don't injure yourself.
Keep your exercising at a comfortable level in the beginning.

Choose aerobic activities that you are interested in not just because
these activities seem to be the "in thing".

Come on! Get up and Get in shape!