FITNESS Sit-ups won’t burn tummy fat

Fat-burning and the myth of spot reduction


Paul O'Brien

LOSING weight is one of the most common motivators for those getting back to exercise. An excess of body fat around the stomach, in particular, can sometimes shock-start a drive to exercise.  Though many are brought back to exercise for aesthetic reasons, there are far more important concerns relative to carrying excess body fat in the stomach.
Subcutaneous abdominal fat has serious health implications – a higher risk for diabetes, certain cancers and heart disease among them. The build-up of fat tissue around the abdomen also puts excess pressure on the internal organs, leading to troubling gastric conditions also. Though wanting to look ones best is a noble and worthwhile goal while exercising, alleviating any of the foregoing conditions and improving quality of life are paramount.
There is, however, a lot of old school thinking still prevalent when it comes to shedding body fat. I still speak with those who profess to performing a couple of hundred sit-ups daily in an effort to ‘burn’ fat around the abdominals. Given the abundance of science available, I’m surprised this myth has lasted the pace.

Forget the myth
No amount of sit-ups or any other abdominal exercise will help you shed that unwanted abdominal fat. Abdominal exercises, or more specifically core exercises, should be performed to improve the stabilisation, strength and mobility of the entire core region. This will help to improve posture, alleviate lower back problems, protect the spinal column, improve balance and coordination and optimise the overall mobility of your whole body. Ample enough reason to train these specific exercises.
When it comes to reducing body fat levels, you should employ a three-pronged approach:

>      Regular moderate aerobic exercise, 4-6 times weekly for a minimum of 30 minutes. This includes walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing etc. You should work to a level that induces a mild shortness of breath and helps break a sweat.
>      Resistance (weight) training – performing 2-3 short resistance training sessions weekly will help build your levels of lean, toned muscle. This, in turn, will fire up your metabolism and help turn your body in to an efficient, calorie-burning machine. There are endless options available – bodyweight training, bootcamps, light weights, suspension training etc.
>    Healthy diet – this should probably be listed first as without it; no amount of exercise will help make a lasting difference to your overall body shape. Put simply, eat as many natural, unprocessed foods as possible, mostly avoiding processed foods and those high in saturated fats, sugars and additives. Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, fish, legumes and lean sources of protein and dairy should account for the bulk of your diet.

Sustainable weight loss
Used together, the approach outlined is the only way to achieve long-term, sustainable body-fat weight loss. I have been following such an approach for years, using the 80% rule. I simply do what I have outlined above 80% of the time. For the other 20% of the time, I do what I want. Nobody’s perfect and setting yourself up to try and be so is simply a recipe for failure. Allowing myself that 20% leeway has allowed me to achieve a great balance in my lifestyle. When not exercising, I can indulge in some of my favourite things without beating myself up about it!