Nicole Sanders is the founder and CEO of Ladimax Sports and Fitness, a women’s only gym in Westchester County, New York.
As a celebrity trainer and rehab specialist, Nicole holds licenses in both occupational and massage therapies. A sought-after expert for her knowledge in transforming women’s bodies, Nicole also created the Strength of a Woman workshop and the AQUA self-defense series. Each month she’ll answer readers’ questions about how to stay fit.
How Do I Get Rid Of My GUT?
Hi Nicole:
I have a question that has stumped me for most of my adult life: how do I get rid of my GUT? It seems that no matter how many sit-ups I do, I can’t lose that stubborn roll of fat around my middle. I’m doing hundreds of sit-ups and working my abs every day but I’m not seeing any change. HELP!
–Sick of the Spare Tire
Hi, Sick of the Spare Tire:
You are not alone; in fact, “how do I get rid of my stomach/mid-section/spare tire/beer gut/muffin top is easily one of the things I hear most. The good news is by switching things up a bit, you’ll be sporting a leaner mid-section in no time.
The solution is two-part: diet and exercise.
1. Exercise:
No news bulletin here but I will say it anyway; your stomach is a muscle just like all the others in your body. It must be treated as such. It needs attention. It needs rest. It needs exercise. Sort of like a runner who wants to improve her time. She gets a plan to gradually run faster. But in order to do that, she needs to build strength in her legs for the increased speed and she needs to be fueled properly for energy.
The stomach, or abdominals, have three layers that run down the middle and on both sides of your torso. To develop them, any activity that requires them to become engaged will help strengthen them. Standing and reaching to the top shelf or twisting to open your lower desk drawer is activity for the abdominals. Don’t get me wrong, doing exercises like crunches, sit-ups or balancing activity will aid in strengthening your stomach muscles for sure. But that will not help (as much as you think) in getting rid of the fat that surrounds. Strong abs are important for stability and the burden of carrying us around.
Exercises that work best for working the abdominals includes functional exercises that require you to use muscles in multiple planes. This activity forces your core to act as the stabilizer for your body.
2. Diet:
Here’s the deal: cardio and diet are the true heroes of losing guts. A consistently clean, balanced diet that includes green leafy vegetables and protein, coupled with at least 30 minutes of a challenging cardio session that gets your heart rate up WILL lose the gut. Now THAT is the proper way you train your stomach.