Among the most problematic areas on the body in men and girls, where fat deposits accumulate, is the abdominal region. Losing belly fat is not easy, but it is possible - it requires intense exercise, eating right and doing cardio. Fat on the stomach and sides is not burned as quickly as you would like, but with due diligence you will achieve the desired results.
Principles of burning belly fat while cutting
Girls who do not perform on stage in the bodybuilding or fitness bikini categories do not require deep abs, but proper drying of the abdomen can make it attractive and toned. You should understand that targeted fat burning in the waist area is impossible due to physiology, but with the help of special abdominal exercises you can shift the load to the problem area.
In any case, drying the body in the abdominal area is not an easy task that requires consistency and diligence. Training cannot be chaotic and irregular, otherwise even the most strict cutting diet will not help. The key role is played by the correct and strict regime that must be followed. You need the right drying exercises and healthy foods. Fasting, overeating, strict mono-diets - all this does not work, contrary to popular belief. It is important to create a calorie deficit and create a set of exercises for the gym or exercise at home, which we will talk about now.
Indications and contraindications
The system of drying the body and abdomen includes strict dietary restrictions and complex exercises, which means it has many contraindications. It is not recommended to use the system:
- with kidney disease;
- for gastritis, ulcers and other problems of the gastrointestinal tract;
- in the presence of cardiovascular diseases;
- minors;
- pregnant and nursing mothers;
- people suffering from diabetes;
- for arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other problems with the spine and joints.
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What products are needed to dry the belly?
To reduce belly fat, active training is not enough. Without proper nutrition you will not achieve results. You must understand that even the most intense exercise aimed at burning calories will be useless if you eat unhealthy, high-calorie foods. In fact, fat reserves will be constantly replenished, that is, you will mark time.
You need to limit your fat intake, eat only complex carbohydrates and in small quantities, lean on proteins and drink more fluids, which speed up your metabolism.
When drawing up a menu for drying the belly, the ratio of the BJU diet should be approximately as follows:
- at least 45-50% proteins;
- up to 30-35% complex carbohydrates;
- no more than 10-15% fat, but the less the better.
When drying the abdominal area, you should not eat fatty and carbohydrate foods for dinner. Be sure to calculate your daily calorie intake. For example, if you weigh more than 90 kg, you need to limit yourself to 2500 kcal per day, and if you weigh 65-70 kg, 1900-2000 kcal will be enough, no more.
When creating a diet for cutting, you will also plan the timing of meals that will help you dry. There should be 5-6 meals a day, and if you don’t eat for a long time, you will feel hungry, as a result of which the stress hormone cortisol will begin to be produced - it provokes the formation of a fat layer on the stomach and in the body as a whole.
How to dry your body?
Bodybuilding professionals call drying the body the elimination of subcutaneous fat. As a result of this process, their biceps and triceps look as impressive as possible, which increases their chance of winning competitions. A lean and lean body with bulging muscles is achieved by burning fat, not muscle tissue.
Now not only professional athletes, but also mere mortals dream of drying out their bodies. This can be achieved by first changing your diet. You cannot go on a starvation diet, otherwise muscle mass will be burned. And the body stores fat for the most extreme cases.
To avoid this, you need to:
- remove fast carbohydrates from your diet. These are sweets, baked goods, chips, lemonades and other fast food. But you can’t completely give up carbohydrates. The menu should include products with complex elements: durum wheat pasta, grains. Such dishes should be consumed before two o'clock in the afternoon. And the volume of complex carbohydrates in the diet should not exceed grams per kilogram of a person’s weight;
- limit fats, including vegetable fats, to a minimum;
- increase the amount of protein foods (lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes). It is beneficial to consume fermented milk products with a low fat content.
Fat-burning products will also help in building an ideal body, but they can only be used after consulting a doctor. Losing weight without losing muscle mass is facilitated by protein shakes, which from time to time replace your usual meals.
Don't forget about vitamins and mineral complexes, supplements with polyunsaturated fatty acids. They will reduce the risks of metabolic disorders, dermatological problems and a decrease in the body’s protective properties.
Diet for drying the belly
Drying your abs requires proper nutrition, otherwise you won’t achieve results. Focus on eating protein foods and limit carbohydrates and fats. Stop frying foods, do not use fatty and hot sauces, forget about fast food and sweets. The diet for drying should be formed from the following products:
- whole grain breads and cereals;
- durum pasta;
- eggs (mostly whites);
- grapefruit and green apples;
- low-fat kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt;
- lean meat - boiled, baked or steamed (mainly chicken breast);
- vegetables (except potatoes);
- white and red fish, seafood;
- nuts, seeds, dried fruits.
For guys and girls who don’t have the opportunity to eat 5-6 times a day, we can recommend protein shakes for drying the body. They provide the body with the required amount of protein, but do not saturate it with fats and carbohydrates.
Let us separately focus on fish and seafood, which should become the basis of the diet. They contain valuable Omega-3 and minerals that help fight extra pounds. In addition, this unsaturated fat prevents heart failure, breaks down cholesterol plaques and improves metabolic processes. With them, it will be easier for you to get lean without losing and even gaining some muscle mass.
Proper nutrition and diet for drying the waist
Exercises for losing weight are 40% of success. To lose fat and gain muscle, you need to follow the rules of a healthy diet:
- The daily diet should be 30% carbohydrates, 10% fats and 60% protein. You can calculate your norm in grams using online calculators. The indicator depends on age, physical activity and current weight.
- Break your food into 5 meals. Eat small portions.
- Go to training with a slight feeling of hunger.
- After 4-5 weeks of drying, gradually return to your normal menu (increase your carbohydrate intake).
- Avoid fasting, this will only slow down your metabolism and fat loss.
- Avoid fried and salty foods completely.
- Drink 1.5-2 liters a day of clean water.
- Eat carbohydrates for breakfast and proteins for dinner.
- The calorie deficit should not exceed 500 kcal from the normal value.
- Don't skip meals, especially breakfast.
By following a diet and the right exercise program, within a month you will find a slim figure and sculpted abs.
Universal exercises for drying the belly
Drying your belly at home requires intense training. Let's look at several universal abdominal exercises that help dry out the abdominal area for both men and girls:
- Twisting. You need to lie on the floor and lift your body up to about a 45-degree angle. Your legs should be bent at the knees and your arms crossed behind your head. Exhalation must be done with effort, that is, at the moment of lifting the torso up.
- The oblique abdominal muscles need to be worked in a lying position with your hands behind your head. Raise your body with a turn, trying to reach your left elbow to your right knee, and vice versa. Perform all movements smoothly and do not forget to breathe properly.
- Reverse crunches are another good exercise for cutting your belly. Lie on your back and pull your knees towards your chest, exhaling as you push.
- Raise your legs one at a time while lying on your back. They need to be raised to a perpendicular axis relative to the floor.
- Vacuum. Stand up straight and, as you exhale, draw in your stomach as much as possible, holding for 30-60 seconds. Do 3-4 approaches.
Perform all exercises, except the last one, 10-15 repetitions and 3-4 approaches. If any movement seems too easy, reduce the pace of its execution: the slower, the more difficult. You don’t need a long rest between sets during training, but 30-40 seconds is enough. By eating right and performing this complex daily, your abdominal muscles will become stronger in a few weeks, and the fat layer on your stomach will significantly decrease.
And don't forget about cardio exercises. Exercising on an exercise bike, cycling, running in the park or on a treadmill - all this helps burn calories, which means it helps with drying the belly for both girls and men.
We also suggest watching a video of exercises for drying the press.
A set of exercises for girls
It is more difficult for girls and women to start burning belly fat at home or in the gym. The so-called visceral fat is a kind of cushion to protect internal organs, which reduces the likelihood of developing female diseases. For example, during pregnancy, this layer of fat on the abdomen protects the body of the expectant mother and her child, but not everything is so simple.
After childbirth, as well as during pregnancy, excess body fat can be just as harmful as its lack. To dry the belly and sides at home, women need to perform a simple express complex. Perform each exercise 8-10 times and do only 2-3 circles with minimal rest between exercises and approaches:
- Warm up well for 5-10 minutes;
- jump for 5-7 minutes with a skipping rope;
- do the “climber” exercise: take a lying position, as in push-ups, and begin to alternately pull your knees to your chest;
- plank with emphasis on elbows;
- drawing circles is a difficult exercise, but try to master it: lie on the floor, raise your straightened legs up, put your hands on the floor and start drawing imaginary circles above you with your feet.
There are many other effective exercises for drying the abs for girls at home, so experiment and don’t forget about nutrition.
How to eat to lose belly fat
Diet is another way to get beautiful abs. How to dry belly fat? Don't fast: You should follow an effective action plan to lose weight. Proper nutrition to dry your belly will help you achieve six-pack abs. What to eat:
- 10 grams of soluble fiber per day. This reduces the amount of visceral fat.
- Products containing omega-3 fatty acids (vegetable fat, flaxseeds).
- Boiled or raw vegetables.
- Consume kefir or natural yogurt with probiotics.
- For breakfast, it is better to eat oatmeal in water with dried fruits and nuts.
- To drink a lot of water.
What foods burn belly fat
Don't exclude all treats from your diet: studies have shown that some high-calorie foods, such as cereals and bananas, promote weight loss. Healthy food is a source of energy that a person needs for intense training. Foods that help burn belly fat:
- light soups, broths;
- Champignon;
- boiled eggs;
- hot chili pepper;
- seaweed;
- broccoli;
- chicken meat;
- legumes;
- nuts;
- spices;
- milk, cottage cheese, kefir;
- Coconut oil;
- fruits, berries (raspberries, kiwi, banana, grapefruit);
- onion garlic;
- leafy greens;
- avocado;
- ginger;
- low-fat baked fish (tuna);
- whole grain porridge.
Abdominal drying exercises for men
It's a little easier for men to lose belly fat, but they also need to sweat. To achieve the desired abs, it may take from 1 month to six months, depending on the amount of fat deposits. The main thing is to go on a low-carb diet to dry the belly and exercise intensively, devoting at least 40 minutes to training a day (up to 5 times a week). An approximate set of exercises looks like this:
- lying on your back, we perform a “bicycle”: we raise our legs above the floor and begin to alternately pull our knees to our chest, imitating the rotation of the bicycle pedals;
- lunges with dumbbells forward and backward (the abs are indirectly involved in this exercise, but the exercise is energy-consuming and burns a lot of calories);
- straight and oblique twists - they can be performed alternately: lying on your back, lift your body with a turn to the left, right, and then just straight, and so on in a circle;
- plank on straight arms with emphasis on the palms;
- side plank with emphasis on the forearm;
And remember, if the belly does not go away, it means you are expending too few calories or not watching your diet. If you follow the above principles of burning fat by drying your belly, you will definitely achieve success.