Although frequently a great source for jokes, belly fat has been proven to be one of the most dangerous types of fat there is. Medical doctors are not sure why that is the case, but abdominal fat is related to numerous health risks, which has been proven over and over again by countless medical studies and much research.

Do you find that you have you gotten a little thick around the middle? Even if it may not quite resemble a spare tire yet, here are some fantastic exercises to lose belly fat and significantly lower your risk of heart disease.

Click here to find out how to Lose That Belly Fat now…

Exercises to Lose Belly Fat: Cardio

Cardio is a term used for “Cardiovascular“, meaning it has to do with the heart.  Cardio can help you lose fat all over your body.  This is good because to lose fat around your belly, you have to lose it everywhere.  Our bodies are inclined to store and accumulate fat in particular areas, and the “where” is that is determined largely by your specific genetics. If you tend to store it around your middle, lowering your body fat percentage can make you healthier and provide you with the flat stomach you have always wanted.

There really are no “best” cardio exercises to lose belly fat.  The very best cardio routine is the one you will remain with for the long haul, continuing to do it regularly.  Select a few different activities that you enjoy doing, and make every effort to try to participate in them at least four or five hours a week.  Come on, you can do it, that’s not even a full hour per day over the course of a week!

If you are into home improvement, do some garden and lawn work. If you are a parent, play with your kids at the park or take them for long walks down park or nature trails. If you have a dog, take it for walks or toss a ball or Frisbee for exercise. If you prefer a more social environment, join a group exercise class at your local gym or recreation center.

Be careful about this though, don’t overdo it when you are just starting out.  For example, in the suggestion above about doing lawn and garden work, it’s not a good idea to do that at high noon in the summer if you live in the south because you don’t want to get heatstroke!

Exercises to Lose Belly Fat: Core Strength

Getting a slim stomach requires much more than countless sit-ups and crunches. You can create your own variations on these exercises can help you trim and slim down your waist faster. As an example, rather than regular crunches, the American Council on Exercise recommends vertical leg crunches. These are performed lying on your back with your legs held at a 45 degree angle from the floor. It may not sound hard but it’s a great exercise for your abs!

Core strength can also be developed by doing leg lifts and crunches with the help of an exercise ball. Exercise balls require you to maintain your balance, which puts almost ALL of your core muscles to work. For muscle symmetry, be sure to work your back muscles as well.

Exercises to Lose Belly Fat: Yoga

When the topic comes to stress reduction and core strength building, it’s tough to beat yoga in terms of efficiency. Yoga can reduce the production of stress hormones and strengthen your abdominal muscles, making it a fantastic exercise to lose belly fat.

Whenever your body is stressed out (due to mental or emotional stress, illness, injury, or the overuse of stimulants), it responds with an attempt at self-preservation. Your brain releases the hormone cortisol, which tells your body to start storing fat – particularly around the waist. This response is a throwback to the days when our ancestors had to survive times of famine.

Yoga includes breathing and stretching exercises that relieve muscle tension and reduce the production of cortisol. Yoga also places an emphasis on relaxed, flowing motions. It can be used to calm the mind, slow down the heart, and lower blood pressure.

In addition to these benefits, many yoga poses are highly efficient for toning your midsection. Look for poses that are performed in the supine position, or seated and standing poses that require you to extend your legs and maintain balance.

With a regular routine of cardio, core strengthening, and yoga, you will lose inches from your waist and enjoy better health and relaxation, as well as better outlook on life from reductions of mental stresses.

Tags: burn belly fat, burn fat, lose belly fat, lose weight