Fitness Myths: Situps and Crunches Flatten your Stomach!

Myth: Doing crunches or situps will help to lose belly fat and flatten the stomach.

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No, honey. If you are trying to get a flatter stomach, situps will not do much for you. There is so much research about this, yet I still see a ton of people at the gym doing situps and crunches. If you want to lose excess belly fat, there are three things you really need to do: change your diet, do whole-body engaging exercises, and lift heavy.

Some fat rests right under your skin. Then there's the deeper fat that sits around major organs like you liver, heart, and lungs. This kind of fat is called visceral fat, which is what can cause major health issues. Processed carbs (such as white bread, crackers, white rice, and white pastas), sugary carbs (such as doughnuts, cakes, pies, etc.), and fried foods are what will increase the amount of visceral fat in your body. Stick to whole grain carbs, and stay away from fried, white, and sugary foods.

Fat, in general, does not just sit in the belly. If you have excess amounts of fat, it's EVERYWHERE in your body. However, fat (no matter what kind) HATES activity, so in order to loose excess fat from the body, you must engage in whole-body exercises such as squats, pull-ups, push-ups, dead-lifts, and overhead presses. Lifting heavy weights will also reduce belly fat. Your core powers your arms and legs, so if you are lifting heavy weights, you will naturally engage your core muscles. Plus, building muscle helps to improve your metabolism and you resting metabolic rate (RMR) because muscle burns more calories than fat.
 (And no, ladies. You will not get all big and bulky if you lift heavy. That is another myth I will discuss in a future post.)

Hope this helps!