How can I lose side fat and belly fat?

by Sandra
(New York)

I don't know what kind of exercise I can do to get rid of the fat on my sides and belly. Please help me... would be the best help ever.

Matthew's reply: Hi Sandra, my first question is what kind of exercise are you currently doing? To get rid of excess fat anywhere on your body you need to do some form of cardio exercise at least 3 or 4 times a week. There are so many ways - bike riding, stair running, soft sand running, skipping, treadmill running, sports, etc, etc.

You need to find ones that you ENJOY doing, otherwise you'll easily give up. Short, intensive workouts that take you to your limits are best - no need to go at it for hours at a time! I often run up and down a set of outdoor stairs here for 10-15 minutes only - it's a great way to warm up, boost your metabolism and work your leg and butt muscles all at once. There's also some monkey bars here that I swing along and do pull ups on - great for working your midsection (and upper body too of course).

In addition to cardio exercise, you can add some of the exercises on this site, like the Ab Lift in the Abdominals section. Do the Ab Lift before every meal to improve digestion and elimination and to help firm your belly area.

Of course diet also plays a part and everyone's different, but the foods which often contribute to excess fat are things like white rice, white bread, cakes, pastries, pizza, pasta, etc. Make sure you eat plenty of bulky, fibrous vegetables, especially if you like white rice or pasta meals. These kinds of veges help sweep stodgy foods like rice and pasta though the digestive tract.

The above is just some general advice for losing excess fat. Hope it helps. Any questions feel free to post them.