These 5 Changes to Your Cardio Workout Double the Belly Fat Burn
In the kitchen and during your workouts, you're looking for ways to maximize the belly fat burn. Working on your midsection can feel like a real chore, considering this area of the body is quite difficult to lose. If you've put in a lot of time, hard work, and sweat and aren't seeing results you're happy with, don't give up. With just the right tweaks to your cardio workout, you'll be set to double the belly fat burn.
Taking control of your weight and shrinking belly fat depends on exercising, managing stress, getting sufficient sleep, and sticking to a healthy diet, according to WebMD. Fiber is especially important, along with consuming enough fresh fruits and veggies. Consider enjoying high-fiber snacks like avocado crackers, pear slices with cheese, and frozen chocolate-covered raspberries. You can also easily whip up a homemade green smoothie to maximize belly fat loss and stay on the right track.
Now, let's move out of the kitchen and head to the gym. In addition to strength training, cardio is a solid supplement to your fitness routine to help torch away extra calories and lose fat all over. However, if you're not maximizing your time when performing cardio, it will take a whole lot longer to achieve your desired end game. We're here to share five cardio workout tips to double the belly fat burn, so keep reading to learn more.
Bump up your speed.
Are you used to keeping up the same old pace in your cardio workout? If so, it's time to push your body to the next level. One of the easiest ways to do it is by increasing your speed. This will immediately bump up your calorie burn.
If you're on a treadmill, you can increase your usual speed by 0.5 to 1 mph, and see how you respond to it. If it's a bit too challenging, then get used to this pace. Otherwise, bump it up a little bit more.
Do some interval work.
If you're only sticking to steady-state cardio, it's about time you mix things up and add in some intervals. Performing HIIT can burn a lot more calories than steady-state. Plus, it's more efficient!
New to interval training? No problem! Kick things off with shorter workouts that last 10 to 15 minutes. Sprint hard for 15 to 20 seconds, cruise at a comfortable pace for 30 to 40 seconds, then repeat.
Add variety to your cardio workouts.
Variety is the spice of life, and that saying rings true to fitness, too. Sticking with the same old routine isn't doing you—or your fat loss goals—any favors. Your body becomes more efficient at it, resulting in a lower calorie burn. Plus, your gym time can get really boring.
Switch up the types of cardio you're doing. For instance, if you've been glued to the treadmill, consider swapping out your strides with cycling or rowing.
Raise the incline.
Another way to double the belly fat burn during your cardio time is by increasing the incline. Whether you prefer to get in your strides on the treadmill, or you'd rather run up hills outdoors, this is a solid way to activate more leg muscles, which in turn will help you burn more calories and body fat.
If you're working out on a treadmill, start out by increasing the incline to five to 10 degrees. Be sure your water bottle is filled up to the top, because this will be a nice little challenge.
Track your heart rate.
One of the most efficient ways to see how much effort you're putting into your cardio workouts is by wearing a heart rate monitor. A monitor like this gives you insight into how hard you're training, what zones you're working in, and how the recovery process is going. By staying on top of your stats, you'll learn when to raise the intensity, which will allow you to torch more calories.
