Burn Belly Fat Fast with This Simple Five Step Plan

Warm weather is finally here and everyone has been coming to the gym looking for the same thing: flat abs. I can’t count the number of times I hear, “I feel great everywhere except for this stuff around my belly [insert belly grab here].” And as much as I hate to admit it, there’s not a single ab exercise in the world that will give you the flat, toned, sexy stomach you’re after if you aren’t doing at least four of the following five steps listed here. Why? Because no matter how hard we try to tone those muscles, if you’re making bad nutrition and lifestyle choices, you can do 1000 crunches and still barely see a change in your waistline. So here you have it: 5 steps that will lean out your abs starting NOW.

Cut it out: Dairy, that is. Did you know that dairy stalls the fat loss process? The unique amino acid composition in the proteins of certain dairy products causes your insulin levels to skyrocket (even more than when you eat a piece of white bread). And as we all know, high insulin levels leads = increased belly fat.  The biggest offenders are whey, milk, yogurt and cheese. The least offensive dairy products are organic butter and organic whipping cream (high in fat and lacking in insulinogenic amino acids).

Rev it up: If you really want to see the stored belly fat peel off, add in sprint days on your off days from strength training. Sprint days consist of bursts of high intensity exercise. Done correctly, these days of high intensity training will keep you from the dreaded weight loss plateau.

Write it down: A couple of chips at work, a sample of some chocolate at the farmers market….here and there it ALL adds up. In fact, a study on dieters proved that those who wrote down everything they ate lost twice as much as those who did not. Bottom line: you might be eating more (or worse) than you think.

Throw it away: Pretty simple. If it’s there, you are most likely going to eat it. Get rid of tempting junk food (even if it’s disguised as healthy…Flax Crackers, I’m talking to you) and load up on healthy snacks so you have something nutritious to reach for when you’re hungry. Leftovers from dinner the night before, Prather Ranch or another high-quality beef jerky, organic almonds and turkey slices with avocado are some of my favorite snacks.

Cool it off:  Chronic stress leads to increased cortisol leads to chronic inflammation leads to belly fat. If you’re really serious about fat loss, reduce your overall inflammation. It’s the cause of every disease: cancer, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, the list goes on and on. And a big, poofy gut is one of its greatest signs. To lower your inflammation, avoid sugars (even in the form of grains), cut out all vegetable oils (canola, etc), eat plenty of healthy animal proteins and fats, sleep, exercise smarter not harder, load up on dark leafy greens, stay away from too much cardio, get fresh air and sunlight and reduce your emotional stress.

Implementing this fat-burning plan for even a month will have a profound effect on your abs. With proper exercise, nutrition and lifestyle choices, I've seen dramatic results on clients of all ages. So no excuses! Here's to a healthy and happy summer.