The frustrating part of weight training and dieting is reaching a plateau. Nothing happens. You can’t seem to shed those extra pounds or increase muscle mass. The most annoying is when you are THIS close to achieving your goal of a six-pack but those lower two ab muscles won’t budge. The fat is so stubborn that no matter how many elevated sit-ups and leg lifts you do it won’t go away.
There are many reasons why the stubborn fat remains. The biggest reason is dieting. There’s different levels of diets and some are specific. Now could be a time to change and start burning more visceral fats. Another big reason is age. The older we get the harder it is to shed that lower pouch. Lastly, it could be your body type. Everybody reacts differently to diets and exercise. You will need to adjust. If you are having trouble pinpointing a way to attack those final pounds, then here are some important avenues to explore.
Pump Up the Polyunsaturate Intake
Diets like Keto required you take in as much fat at any source as long as your carb counts were nonexistent. But now you’re try to shed those final extra pounds to completely flatten your core. Time to change things. Cut out the saturated fats and stick with polyunsaturated ones ONLY. That means less bacon, mayo and cheese. A Swedish study in 2014 reported that a daily diet of 750 calories on polyunsaturates for seven weeks will help add muscle mass and less body fat. That means you will need to invest in lots of fish (salmon and oysters being the best), nuts and seeds (eat as much pumpkin, Chia, and flax seeds as possible).
Incorporate More Grains and Fibers
Now is the time to take in those complex carbs you have been sparing. But there’s a limit and a time, usually during the day and right after a workout. There’s two types of fibers — insoluble and soluble. You will need the balance of both. The insoluble fibers don’t dissolve in water and helps promote a better digestive production. The best insoluble fibers are nuts, seeds, whole grains and multigrain. There’s many in vegetable like green beans, tomatoes, and cauliflower. And the skins from fruits such as apples, bananas and avocados are best insoluble fibers. The soluble fibers are fermented and is major way of nourishment. They hold the most health benefits for the body. These fibers are found in granola, oats, rye, root veggies, and barley. There’s plenty of soluble fiber in plums, berries, pears and bananas. The combination of all these fibers help increase your metabolism and break down those stubborn fats.
Drink More Green Tea and Lots of Vinegar
It’s a given that any kind of teas are good for you. But the antioxidants found in green tea are believed by many to help burn belly fat, especially when you are about to hit the gym. If you want to be exact, two to three cups of green tea, daily, will do the job. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you should begin to take a tablespoon of vinegar daily. A 2009 Japanese study reported to have shown that visceral fat reducing after eight weeks of daily consumption of vinegar. “One theory is that the acetic acid in the vinegar produces proteins that burn up fat,” Pamela Peeke, a University of Maryland professor of medicine, said her book "Fight Fat After Forty".
Step Up to CrossFit
The resistance and weight training in the gym is highly-beneficial at any point during your initial diet. This is will jump-start your metabolism and you will drop weight naturally. But if you are the point when you can’t rid your lower belly fats (which is the hardest to shed) then it’s time to switch workout regimens. The best option is a high-intensity workout like CrossFit. The workouts are rigorous and short, but you are continuously moving for 45 minutes straight (there are roughly 10 seconds of rest between sets). The beauty of CrossFit is you will be working out hard to reach core muscles. The most effective is the kettlebell exercises and the burpees. This will jump start your lower abdomen muscles.
Increase the Cardio Anywhere You Can
The one constant with any workout is cardio. You can’t let up cardio any point when you are trying to drop weight. But now, when you are that close to toning your body, the cardio factor becomes that much more important. At the gym, you should finish your work out with 12 to 20 minutes on the treadmill or elliptical (that’s an average of 2 miles). But when you are not at the gym, try to infuse other ways to gain cardio into your daily life. For instance, if you need to get the store that’s a mile away, then walk it. Actually walk EVERYWHERE. Another way is to buy a bicycle and start bike riding to work. Studies have shown that jogging 12 miles a week will help flatten your belly.
Image credit: Nicole De Khors [Burst]
