Your Questions- Answered! How to lose that stubborn "muffin top"!

Ok, So I asked my friends and clients on my EXLR8 Group page on Facebook if they had any questions about health and fitness that they would like answered, and I got a couple of responses.

The first questions I was asked was “What is the most effective way of getting rid of belly fat (a.k.a “muffin top”)?” Well, this is one of the most common questions, misconceptions, myths, legends and folklore about fat loss, specifically belly-fat loss. I am happy this questions was brought up, so I can let you all in on a little secret: science.

First, I have to address the issue of ‘spot reduction’. Long story short, you cannot pick a part of your body that you want to lose fat from and focus just on that area, thinking that just that area will change. Same goes for all those waist trainers/shapers/sweat machines. All that is doing is elevating you core body temperature, causing you to sweat tremendously- which is water loss. Which is unsafe and unnecessary when exercising. I’m not condemning anyone for trying these methods, as I have been through every weight loss “tip and trick” in the book, but wrapping yourself with saran wrap and wearing a sweat suit to the gym is absurd. Stop it. You are only dehydrating your body and possibly causing damage to your vital organs- your tummy giggle isn’t THAT serious.

 Now that we got that out of the way- FAT LOSS. Hmmm, yessss… I love discussing fat loss because everyone makes it some magical, mythical idea when really, it’s just as simple as 2+2=4. In order to lose fat, you must be burning more calories in a day than you consume through food and drink. Calories in vs. Calories out. If you are expending more calories than you eat, your body will be at a deficit and therefore depend on its own energy supply (stored fat). Now, just because I said this doesn’t mean that “Lyndsie said I need to eat less and workout like a fiend”. Nope. That leads to my next point, which is the QUALITY of your calories. You can follow a “low-calorie” diet, but have a Starbucks frap, a diet-coke and ‘just 1’ slice of pizza, the QUALITY of your calories is poor, and high in fat, resulting in (big surprise) FAT. But if the quality of your calories is high, and full of nutrient rich sources of lean protein, complex carbs and heart-healthy fats, you put your body in the right setting for fat destruction. If you are unsure about how to approach your diet in order to lose fat, don’t worry, you’re not alone. As a general rule, you want to focus on having plenty of complex carbs and lean sources of protein, keeping the fat relatively low.  For a more personalized prescription, please don’t hesitate to message me, and I can calculate the right ratios for you!

Targeting the Mid-section- The most effective way to shred fat, especially from the mid-section, is through cardiovascular activity and strength conditioning. The most effective way to combine the two is through High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).  High Intensity Interval Training is a method of training that combines high-intensity cardiovascular activity with lower intensity strength movements. It is true that muscle mass consumes more calories than fat mass, so doesn’t it sound right to create more muscle, so you burn more calories naturally? When you perform HIIT in the right ratios for you and your goals, you can effectively incinerate that excess belly-fat. I have posted a few different HIIT workouts here on my blog, check those out and let me know what you think!

Training your abdominal muscles will help you develop some muscle definition once you melt that fat off, but that doesn’t mean you need to train them excessively! Just like any muscle in your body, if you work a muscle often (like doing crunches every day in hopes to get a 6-pack) the muscle will GROW. Don’t you want your belly to look slimmer? THEN WHY ARE YOU INITIATING GROWTH?!? Train your abs with low weight, high repetitions, and multi-plane movements including flexion/extension, twisting, pushing and pulling. Do this ONCE A WEEK, maybe a set of your favorite ab exercise at the end of a workout if you’re feeling frisky, but if your goal is to reduce in size, don’t overdo it with the ab exercises or you’ll end up looking like a box, rather than an hourglass (ladies) and wide rather than v-tapered (guys).

It’s easy, huh?

1)      Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose fat.

2)      Eat a balanced diet with limited fats, complex carbs and lean protein.

3)      Engage in HIIT to shred fat and build muscle to burn calories 24/7

4)      Train your abs- but not too much! Once a week is plenty!

I hope I was able to answer your question, Cj! Stay tuned for my next post, influenced by Indu’s question: How do I meal prep? All my meal prep tips will be shared!

Do you have your own health and fitness questions or need exercise advice? Leave a comment below!