Wanna lose belly fat, get healthier, and look better for spring? Then speed up your workouts! A recent study from Duke University found that people who perform regular higher-intensity workouts were able to significantly lower their abdominal fat levels and lose weight relatively quickly.
However, people who only did low-intensity exercise (like walking at an easy pace) for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week did not lose any belly fat -- in fact they gained an average of 1 1/2 pounds over the course of the 8-month study!
According to Duke researcher William Kraus, MD: "All exercise helps prevent fat gain... but to lose abdominal fat, you have to work harder."
The 30-minutes-per-day, 5-days-per-week walking regimen that so many doctors and weight loss "gurus" recommend is certainly better than not exercising at all, and it may help to prevent weight gain. But, at least according to this study, it's not going to put a real dent in your fat stores.
There's a lot of evidence that abdominal fat is more dangerous than other types of fat. Studies have linked it to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. So getting rid of it is about more than just "looking good" -- though that's not a bad side effect. If you want to lose belly fat simply boost your exercise intensity, eat a healthy diet, limit alcohol intake, and try to reduce stress levels.
Your personal trainer home.