Working on your abs make you burn belly fat?
Having a six-pack has become a symbol of fitness and health, and many people try to do exercises that will help burn the belly fat and get them their six-pack. However, these exercises may not be as effective as you might think. Here we're going to try to explain all you need to know about abs and belly fat.
WHAT ARE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES?
Abdominal muscles (abs) are a group of 4 main muscles:
DO ABDOMINAL EXERCISES HELP BURN BELLY FAT?
Research has shown that doing specific abdominal exercises will NOT help you burning belly fat. When we work out, our body gets the energy from carbohydrates (glucose), fatty acids (fats) and, in less amount, from amino acids (proteins).
But, where do those fatty acids come from? If you do leg exercises, do they come from fat in the legs? If you do abdominal exercises, do they come from belly fat? The quick answer is NO. The body doesn't necessarily use the fatty acids that are close to the muscle that is being used. Instead, the fatty acids could come from all over the body cells, since they are sent to the bloodstream and then transported to wherever they are needed to produce the energy required for the muscle contractions.
Also, traditional abdominal exercises (crunches, sit ups, leg raises), apart from not being effective to burn belly fat, are not effective to burn fat at all. They are not even the safest and most effective way to develop a strong core (understanding "core" as the muscles around the waist that help stabilize the body and prevent back pain and multiple injuries).
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO WORK ON YOUR ABS?
So far we've learnt that traditional abs exercises (like crunches or sit ups) don't help burn belly fat, and they are not the safest way of developing a strong core. Then, how can we develop a strong core in a safe way, without hurting our back?
Well, recent studies say that since the core muscles are used to stabilize the body during sports and daily physical activity, the best way to work on it is doing exercises in which it's used for that purpose, such as planks or abs wheel exercises.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BURN BELLY FAT?
There are basically two effective ways of burning belly fat, and they will work best when they are combined. We're talking about staying physically active and having a healthy and balanced diet that's rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish.
About the physical activity, some studies have proven the following exercises very efficient for fat-burning (including belly fat):
Generally, to fully activate the fat-burning process, we need to be working out for more than 20-30 minutes, burning more and more fat the longer we work out. If you are a beginner, start slow and progress as the body adapts to longer workouts. Being constant is the key. You should make a routine that keeps you physically active 4 or 5 days per week. Make sure to change your routine every now and then so that the body doesn't get too comfortable with your training and keeps adapting and getting fitter.
So, what to do if you want your belly to look great? Remember to combine exercises that are effective in burning fat with a healthy diet and with exercises that target the core, such as planks. That will help burning the layer of belly fat and toning your abs so they show up, giving you a healthy, fit look for those summer days, and what's really important, providing you with a strong core that will improve your posture and help prevent back pain and many other injuries related to a weak core.
We can officially say the MYTH is BUSTED. Doing lots of crunches is definitely not the best way to burn belly fat, not the most effective way to work on your core muscles, and will probably hurt your back, so you can cross them off your training routine and add other, more beneficial and safer exercises like bird-dogs or plank variations.
To finish, keep in mind that it's not all about the six-pack. Having a six-pack doesn't define someone as fit and healthy. Someone with a flat and toned belly may likely be fit and healthy, but it's not always the case! Also, someone can be very healthy and in a great physical state without showing a perfectly shaped six-pack! What matters here is to get healthier, and doing regular cardiovascular exercise, having a healthy diet and developing a strong core will help a lot for that!
REFERENCES
Abdominal Muscles. Digital Image. Repkefitness. Retrieved from https://repkefitness.com/blog/transverse-abdominis/
American Heart Association (2016, July 31). About Metabolic Syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.heart.org
Harvard Medical School (2019, June 25). Abdominal fat and what to do about it. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu
Semeco, A. (2016, June 28). Do Abs Exercises Help you Burn Belly Fat. Retrieved from: http://www.healthline.com
 |
| Having a strong core is very important to have a better posture and prevent back pain. |
Abdominal muscles (abs) are a group of 4 main muscles:
 |
| Abdominal Muscles |
- Rectus Abdominis
- Transverse abdominis
- External oblique
- Internal oblique
DO ABDOMINAL EXERCISES HELP BURN BELLY FAT?
Research has shown that doing specific abdominal exercises will NOT help you burning belly fat. When we work out, our body gets the energy from carbohydrates (glucose), fatty acids (fats) and, in less amount, from amino acids (proteins).
But, where do those fatty acids come from? If you do leg exercises, do they come from fat in the legs? If you do abdominal exercises, do they come from belly fat? The quick answer is NO. The body doesn't necessarily use the fatty acids that are close to the muscle that is being used. Instead, the fatty acids could come from all over the body cells, since they are sent to the bloodstream and then transported to wherever they are needed to produce the energy required for the muscle contractions.
Also, traditional abdominal exercises (crunches, sit ups, leg raises), apart from not being effective to burn belly fat, are not effective to burn fat at all. They are not even the safest and most effective way to develop a strong core (understanding "core" as the muscles around the waist that help stabilize the body and prevent back pain and multiple injuries).
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO WORK ON YOUR ABS?
So far we've learnt that traditional abs exercises (like crunches or sit ups) don't help burn belly fat, and they are not the safest way of developing a strong core. Then, how can we develop a strong core in a safe way, without hurting our back?
Well, recent studies say that since the core muscles are used to stabilize the body during sports and daily physical activity, the best way to work on it is doing exercises in which it's used for that purpose, such as planks or abs wheel exercises.
 |
| Woman performing a side plank. Remember, planks are a great way to work on your core muscles. |
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BURN BELLY FAT?
There are basically two effective ways of burning belly fat, and they will work best when they are combined. We're talking about staying physically active and having a healthy and balanced diet that's rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and fish.
 |
| Remember to have a healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. |
About the physical activity, some studies have proven the following exercises very efficient for fat-burning (including belly fat):
- Moderate intensity aerobic exercise that lasts longer than 20-30 minutes, such as elliptical, bicycle, running or brisk walks (fast-pace walking).
- HIIT: Cardiovascular exercise that alternates short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods.
- Combining moderate intensity aerobic exercise with resistance training exercises (such as lunges, squats, burpees, etc).
Generally, to fully activate the fat-burning process, we need to be working out for more than 20-30 minutes, burning more and more fat the longer we work out. If you are a beginner, start slow and progress as the body adapts to longer workouts. Being constant is the key. You should make a routine that keeps you physically active 4 or 5 days per week. Make sure to change your routine every now and then so that the body doesn't get too comfortable with your training and keeps adapting and getting fitter.
 |
| Eat healthy, do regular physical activity and develop your core muscles to have a fit healthy figure. |
So, what to do if you want your belly to look great? Remember to combine exercises that are effective in burning fat with a healthy diet and with exercises that target the core, such as planks. That will help burning the layer of belly fat and toning your abs so they show up, giving you a healthy, fit look for those summer days, and what's really important, providing you with a strong core that will improve your posture and help prevent back pain and many other injuries related to a weak core.
We can officially say the MYTH is BUSTED. Doing lots of crunches is definitely not the best way to burn belly fat, not the most effective way to work on your core muscles, and will probably hurt your back, so you can cross them off your training routine and add other, more beneficial and safer exercises like bird-dogs or plank variations.
To finish, keep in mind that it's not all about the six-pack. Having a six-pack doesn't define someone as fit and healthy. Someone with a flat and toned belly may likely be fit and healthy, but it's not always the case! Also, someone can be very healthy and in a great physical state without showing a perfectly shaped six-pack! What matters here is to get healthier, and doing regular cardiovascular exercise, having a healthy diet and developing a strong core will help a lot for that!
REFERENCES
Abdominal Muscles. Digital Image. Repkefitness. Retrieved from https://repkefitness.com/blog/transverse-abdominis/
American Heart Association (2016, July 31). About Metabolic Syndrome. Retrieved from: http://www.heart.org
Harvard Medical School (2019, June 25). Abdominal fat and what to do about it. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu
Semeco, A. (2016, June 28). Do Abs Exercises Help you Burn Belly Fat. Retrieved from: http://www.healthline.com
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