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Usually when I’m viewing late night television I often see a commercial for some type of new ab machine that markets the dream of six-pack abs. Most of these infomercials display some type of portable machine that mimics the crunch exercise. They often have people who already have six-pack abs demonstrating their use and compare the machines to the gym while emphasizing the fact that you will save money and time.

The myth they are good at marketing

These ads are very good at marketing the myth of spot reduction. If there is any place on the body that most people wish they could spot reduce, it is the mid-section. Belly fat effects both men and women so an ab machine is an easy fix to market. Plus, with the new year approaching, the time is right to target the average consumer that still believes the myth of spot reducing trouble areas of the body.

The real way to lose belly fat

I’ve always said in other belly fat articles I have written that you can do ab exercises every day and still not have the six-pack abs you dream of. That is because the ab muscles you work so hard on are not going to show when there is a layer of fat hiding them. The real way to lose belly fat is by burning fat. There are 3 essential ways to do this:

1. Eat clean
2. Effective cardio with interval training
3. Strength training to build muscle

Eating Clean

You absolutely cannot achieve any fitness goals without first changing your eating habits. Eating clean is a matter of taking out the junk (processed foods, high-fat, sugar, etc.) and replacing with whole, natural foods (lean meats, vegetables, fruits.)

Effective Fat Burning Cardio

A majority of people don’t like cardio workouts because they are long and boring. I for one don’t like wasting time and what I love about interval training is the fact that I’m in and out of the gym or finished at home in a matter of 30 - 45 minutes. Studies have shown that interval training is more effective at burning fat than a typical cardio workout.

Strength Training to Burn Fat

Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more lean muscle you build, the more calories you will burn throughout the day. Strength training also gives you a nice physique. Weight loss is great but it’s even better when you develop definition. The most common misconception about lifting weights is that a person will “bulk up” like a bodybuilder. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Don’t be afraid to lift weights (particularly women) because of that.

I’m not against those ab machines but just remember that there are other factors that are necessary to lose weight and build muscle.

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