Fitness Programs

Easy Ways to Losing Your Gut Now

Published by the Editors at fitnessyogi.com on January 20, 2010

Losing a gut that has gone unchecked for too many holiday seasons is actually a really simple process but the mental strength and consistency necessary to succeed is where most people fail. The three most important factors to losing your gut are: cardiovascular exercise, weight workouts, and diet.

The diet part is really important if you're eating your way through your way too much food every day. If you don't control your diet than there's just no way to lose fat. One or two hard weeks at the office eating takeout food at your desk can really crush your body... believe me I know! Get your diet in order so that all of your work in the gym will not be in vain. The next time your thinking about eating a brownie, remember how long it will take you to burn off that brownie in the gym.

With your diet under basic control, you've got to choose a form of cardio that you like so that burning calories will not be a chore. My favorite choice for cardio work is the Concept2 indoor rower. While you workout the Concept2 gives you a vast amount of information that enables you to monitor you progress while your rowing as well as between sessions. Knowing how fast you are going and how hard you are working are key to a staying on a successful cardio plan.

Too many people make a new years resolution to workout for the first time in a year and leave the gym after one session because it was literally too painful. Whatever form of cardio you choose don't push it too hard to fast. The key to weightloss is consistency. Start out at an easy pace for as long or short a period of time as you can, keep track of your times and increase the distance at each workout. Then increase the number of workouts each week.

Once you've got your cardio routine going 3-5 times a week for 30-40 minutes you will want to start a basic strength building program with squats. deadlifts, pull-ups and overhead presses to really shape up your body. For the gut you should focus on developing your core muscles to pull in and tighten your stomach. Sit-ups and back extensions on a glute-ham device are two exellent core strength developing exercises. BFS has a informative pdf on the Glute-Ham here.

Take control of your diet, slowly work your way into a cardio program at your own pace, and mix in some core work and you should notice your gut tightening and dissolving in 3-4 weeks.