No one likes belly fat and it can be really difficult to target and reduce with your usual daily workout. It is easy to gain but hard to lose belly fat.
It’s not aesthetically pleasing, and it might be detrimental for your health and self-confidence – too much belly fat is something that you do not want on your body.
Do you have a belly fat issue? Don’t worry! There are several ways to eliminate it. Or reduce it to healthy levels, at least. Using an elliptical machine might be a good way to do it, However, you might need to pay attention to other things before you start – continue reading to learn more!
Do Ellipticals Help Burn Belly Fat?
Absolutely. Elliptical machines are one of the best gym and home machines you can buy for cardio. A lot of people hate or can’t do running, don’t have a pool to go swimming, and don’t want to hit the gym multiple times per week – owning an elliptical machine might be the easiest, more entertaining alternative there is!
Cardio can always help you get rid of body fat. But that’s the thing: it’ll help with body fat – not belly fat alone. It’s very difficult to target one certain area of the body.
Spot reduction isn’t real, and anyone trying to tell you otherwise will try to sell you a poor method that’ll give you poor results. It’s best to follow scientifically proven methods to achieve your goals.
Nevertheless, getting on the elliptical is going to help you get rid of overall body fat, belly fat included. But this whole thing is only going to work if you are doing things right. So, how can you use the elliptical the right way and forget about belly fat forever?
How Can I Burn Belly Fat Using an Elliptical Machine?
There are two ways you can use your elliptical machine. One is doing relaxed, prolonged sessions; one hour to two hours every time you use it. The second alternative is doing more active, shorter sessions.
Both are great for you, but the second one is better. It’s also the hardest option. You don’t have to choose one, though! You can mix it up throughout the week.
Before we begin explaining how you should use your elliptical machine for either option, keep one thing in mind: elliptical models are vastly different from one another, and so are people. You’ll have to figure out the intensity levels by yourself. There’s no point in telling you to choose a level 5 if you can’t handle it, or if it’s way harder than intended.
Low-Intensity Longer Session
- Warm-up for a full minute using a mid to low intensity level. This will get your blood flowing and your muscles ready.
- Once you are warmed up, look for a mid-intensity level. This one shouldn’t be hard enough to give you any resistance, but you shouldn’t breeze through it either.
- Every one or two minutes (that’s up to you), increase the intensity level.
- Keep at it for five for ten minutes. Five minutes if you increased one level per minute. That’s one round.
- Go back to your starting level after the round is finished. Go at it again until you have reached either an hour or an hour and a half.
- If you are starting out, you can begin with 40-minute sessions.
- Don’t forget to use the handlebars!
High Intensity Shorter Session
- Because you are going to go hard right away, the warmup should be a little longer. Choose a mid to low level intensity and warm-up for five to ten minutes. When you feel ready to start, move onto the next step.
- Choose a mid-intensity level. You will pedal through this one at a moderate pace for a minute and a half.
- Once the time is up, choose a high-intensity level. You will have to pedal harder than before, trying to exhaust yourself. Do not think about it, just go at it! It’s only a thirty-second round.
- After you are done, go back to your mid-intensity level. Pedal for 1:30 minutes again. Afterward, up the intensity and pedal for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Once you are getting the hang of it, you can reduce the 1:30 rounds down to one minute, and even 30 seconds! The high-intensity rounds are always 30 seconds, no matter what.
- The entire session should last 20 minutes.
How to Burn Belly Fat Fast?
There’s something even more important than exercise when it comes to burning body fat. That’s your diet. No matter how much exercise you do and how hard you go, you are not going to lose weight (and thus not lose belly fat) if you eat more calories than the ones you burn.
The average person needs 2000 calories to maintain their weight. If you eat 1800 a day, you’re likely to lose weight. If you add elliptical work to the equation, you’ll lose even more weight – and you will maintain your muscle mass as well. And that’s what you want!
Here’s the thing: you don’t have to worry as much about calories and weighing your meals like bodybuilders do, just keep a healthy diet. Remove sugar, alcohol, and fried foods as much as you can — that’s a good start to lose belly fat.
Try to eat healthier snacks. There’s no need to be miserable if you want to lose weight, but you’ll have to readjust your dieting habits to be successful.
If you fix your diet alone, you’re going to lose weight – but you might burn muscle mass in the process and not body fat. When you add exercise into the mix, you are bound to have the best results possible: a healthier, better-looking body.
Belly Fat Is Harmful?
Belly fat is not harmful in and of itself, but too much belly fat is indeed detrimental to your health.
The more belly fat (and body fat) that you have, the higher the health risk. A high body fat percentage puts you at risk of coronary disease, type 2 diabetes, and other nasty things. No belly fat is impossible, trying to achieve it is as dangerous as having a high body fat percentage.
You have to keep it at a minimum and keep it healthy. If you have too much belly fat, it’s time to get rid of it, and now you have a good strategy to lose belly fat!