The 6 best tricks to burn abdominal fat according to science

Do you want to burn off that unsightly abdominal fat that you have been trying to get rid of for years? Then try these 6 tricks, all scientifically based and very simple to carry out without too much effort.

Losing fat in a localized way has been shown to be impossible, for example from the belly area or the hips, but there are certain tricks to promote the loss of abdominal fat and say goodbye to those unsightly love handles. Try these tips to define your abs more and reach the summer with a six pack of heart attack.

First of all, you should know that, to define your rectus abdominis, you have to have a very low body fat index, eat a proper diet and work on strength and cardio in the gym or at home. And, of course, take note of the best exercises for the abs and core.

The 6 best tricks to burn your abdominal fat

1- Gain muscle

"Muscle is the opposite of fat," says Mayo Clinic cardiologist Francisco López-Jiménez. Muscle helps fight fat and the liver to process fatty acids. And if you build muscle in your lower body, even better, as you will give your body more balance and achieve a healthier metabolism.

So bet on strength exercises and, in addition to gaining muscle, you will burn fat, also in the abdomen. A Harvard University study found that men who weight-trained for at least 20 minutes a day lost more belly fat than those who did 20 minutes of cardio. Back Squats, Front Squats, Goblet Squats and even with your own Bodyweight, Deadlifts, Pull-ups, Standing Barbell Military Press, Romanian Deadlifts, Lunges, Bench Press...and Cardio, that's the perfect formula for hypertrophy. and burn fat.

2- Find a diet that suits your lifestyle

A flabby belly is due as much to what's going on in your head as it is in your gut. If you control your appetite in your head and manage to maintain a healthy lifestyle thanks to a good diet, it will be easier for you to burn belly fat. In addition, there is a genetic and evolutionary part of the human being, which comes from our ancestors; Lacking food security when he was a hunter, his body got used to storing fat as a protective measure.

"Most overweight people don't gain more than 7 pounds a year, for example, but sure, if you add that up year after year, do the math..." says Michael Schwartz, co-director of the University's Diabetes Institute. of Washington.

Intermittent fasting for 16 hours helps to consume fewer calories, for example, it resets our metabolism, and it accustoms the body to control the sensation of hunger.

3- Take care of your microbiome

The intestinal microbiota is part of humans from birth and affects the functioning of the entire organism. It consists of a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other single-celled animals that live in the body. The microbiome is the name given to all the genes within these microbial cells.

And a healthy microbiome should be like a rainforest, with lots of 'germs' in our gut. "Those microbes are like a factory that churns out thousands of compounds, good and bad," says Dan Knights, a professor at the University of Minnesota Biotechnology Institute.

To restore and take care of your intestinal Amazon, eat lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes and a lot of fiber in short. A recent study showed that a 10-gram increase in daily fiber intake translated into a 3.7 percent drop in visceral fat.

It does not hurt to take certain probiotics, kefir, natural yogurts without sugar and infusions for good digestion and intestinal health.

4- Minimize your stress

Managing stress is important for lowering blood pressure and maintaining a healthy immune system. And long-term stress increases the amount of glucocorticoids, hormones that increase hunger, according to a 2014 study published in Frontiers in Psychology. More stress means more hunger and, in the long run, more abdominal fat. In addition, he recalls that stress is among the main causes of death in the world and the cause of all kinds of diseases.

So learn to relax and relativize things; practice deep breathing for example. Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, recommends trying the 4-7-8 breathing exercise: He closes his mouth and breathes in through his nose for a count of 4; then hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale very slowly while you count to 8. Repeat this process 4 times and tell us...

5- Change your fat

Not all body fat is harmful. Visceral fat is white fat, a type associated with an unhealthy metabolism. But brown fat burns calories and helps the body generate heat. "We don't have a lot of brown fat, and we lose it as we age," says Dr. Cohen. And as we get fatter, white fat gains ground over brown...

Researchers have also found a third type of fat, beige, which can be activated to burn white fat and convert it into brown fat, also known as brown fat and a great ally for weight loss.

6- Reduce your cravings and, if you need it, enter a caloric deficit

Controlling cravings and hunger is difficult for those who have set out to lose weight. So eliminate empty calories from products such as cookies, chips or soft drinks from your diet and bet on eating more vegetables, fruits and proteins. Save the cravings for your weekly cheat meal, for example. Caloric deficit is always essential to lose weight.

Several studies claim that eating a lot of protein helps control our cravings and gives us a feeling of satisfaction. And fiber is satiating, which decreases our feeling of hunger.

The best exercises to burn abdominal fat

Based on the fact that the best combination to burn fat is strength training with some cardio and a proper diet, if you are looking for abdominal exercises, these three are essential for your six pack:

1- Isometric plank

Our favorite exercise for the low risk of injury it has for our back and for the activation it makes of our entire abdominal wall. You don't have to last a minute or two, the main thing is that the time you do it, your abs are in tension from start to finish. Series of 30 to 45 seconds is ideal.

2- abdominal wheel

Another basic, this time to hypertrophy our abdominal muscles well. Tip: don't be in a hurry to go up or down with the wheel, and slow down each rep as much as possible without arching your back. Series of 10 to 12 repetitions, maximum 20.

3- Leg raises

Lying on our backs, hands resting on the ground, and we raise and lower our legs without touching the ground, we stay more or less a foot away. Series of 10 to 12 repetitions as well.

4- Plank with displacement

In an isometric plank position, we slide our feet back and then forward, bending our knees to activate the entire core and abdominal area.