Calling All Flabby Abs: Exercise to Lose Belly Fat! by Gail Nettles

You want to lose belly fat. You know you need to exercise, but what should you do?

What exercises target belly fat? Do they work? Are they hard to accomplish?

Help!

The Belly of the Matter

In seeking to lose stomach fat, you are actually wanting to tone and tighten their abdominal and oblique muscles -- often called "core" muscles. This process of targeting the core zone produces a firmer and thinner look - a good thing! When you work your core, you'll also gain a longer and leaner look.

In addition, an ab toning program will boost metabolism, furthering the effectiveness of any weight loss program. (After all, you do want to lose belly fat every way you can, right?)

Into the Core

The core of the body is the muscle area from the hips to right under the breasts. To tone and trim your core, you need to concentrate on these muscles - the rectus abdominus and obliques.

The rectus abdominus muscles are long and flat, extending across the whole front of the abdomen. Commonly referred to as a "6-pack," this area can further be divided into upper and lowers regions. The obliques muscles are also referred to as “love handles.”

These muscles run at an angle along the side of the abdomen. They are long and flat and composed dually. The other muscle sets are referred to as the internal and external obliques.

How and Where?

Although a gym membership or expensive workout equipment is not a requirement, this is up to you. If you're just starting out, a session or two with a personal trainer might be all you need to get motivated.

However, all you really need to get started is an exercise mat and the ability to just do it -- crunches, that is.

Need more variety? Adding exercise balls and video guided workouts can provide a low cost path to torso toning too. Additionally, there are inexpensive pieces of equipment that may be purchased for home workouts.

Whatever you choose to do to get rid of the flabby belly, the most important thing is -- do it regularly! Three or perhaps four times a week will get you and your abs in tip-top trim before you know it.

Want more information on getting rid of stubborn tummy bulge? Check out:

http://www.losing-weight-over-40.com/exercise-to-lose-belly-fat.html

About the Author

Gail Nettles is a reformed couch potato who is discovering just how good weight loss and fitness feels! She operates the website http//http://www.losing-weight-over-40.com as a resource for women over 40 who want to lose weight.