Tips to lose the paunch
You envy actor Shilpa Shetty's washboard abs and secretly wish for the same. But that's just a dream thanks to your belly fat. Your favourite dress is tucked away in a corner because it gives you a two month pregnant look.
Well it's time you pulled up your socks and took the efforts to get rid of that paunch.
Dr Som Tugnait, a fitness expert, suggests five ways to get it flat and fab.
Burn it up
Doing cardio exercises for 30 minutes a day is a great way of burning belly fat. You can burn approximately 100-500 calories depending on the cardio exercise you do at your gym. This will also vary according to intensity.
Taking a walk burns 170 calories, while skipping, swimming or cycling can help you burn 270 calories in an hour.
Cycling in the air
Lie on your back on a flat surface. Move your legs as if you were cycling. This workout helps a lot in reducing your stubborn tummy. For best results, you should perform three sets of this exercise for five minutes each.
Weight it out
Using weights in your exercises at least twice a week helps in developing the stomach muscles, which prevents them from holding on to fat. However, the calories burnt during weightlifting differ from person to person depending on their metabolism rate.
Take a breather
Lie down flat on the floor and breathe in deeply through your nose until your stomach protrudes. Now exhale through your nose by squeezing the stomach in. Repeat this exercise for 10 minutes as fast as possible. This will also help strengthen the stomach muscles.
Suck it in
Vacuum contractions are equally effective. Suck in your belly without holding your breath for as long as 30 seconds. According to Dr Tugnait, you should begin with holding the abs in for 5-10 seconds and increase gradually. Do this while sitting.
Crunches
Another effective way to perfect abs are crunches. Lie down on your back and pull your legs in. Put your palms behind your neck for support and try to come up to your knees. Do up to 30 reps everyday for a toned tummy.
Finally, it's essential to avoid fattening food or substitute it with low fat or fat free alternatives, such as regular milk with skimmed or low-fat ones.
Follow these tips regularly and get set to flaunt your washboard abs in that sexy bikini.