Nowadays, people are paying more and more attention to weight loss methods, and most people prefer to read weight loss guides before starting a weight loss plan. Among men, the abdomen is a particularly prominent area, so abdominal weight loss is a major concern. Below, we'll provide a simple guide to abdominal weight loss for men.
Tide: People often gain weight starting from the waist. Why does fat tend to accumulate in the waist and abdomen?
Li Xin: The waist and abdomen are the parts of the body that are least likely to be exercised. Less exercise slows down blood circulation in the abdomen, making it easier for fat and waste to accumulate. In addition, excess fat around the waist is also closely related to people's sedentary lifestyles. Nowadays, more and more white-collar workers are working in offices; these people move too little and rely too much on transportation, taking cars to and from get off work and elevators to and from buildings, resulting in a calorie intake far exceeding the body's needs, thus making them prone to weight gain.
Tide: So, what kind of targeted training is available?
Li Xin: There's a misconception about abdominal fat reduction exercises. Many people think that simply doing sit-ups will get rid of belly fat. In fact, the human body is a harmonious whole, and exercise must combine aerobic exercise with strength training. Belly fat is not only related to the waist and abdomen but also closely related to the spine. Scoliosis or misalignment of the spine slows blood circulation in that area, causing fat and waste to accumulate in the abdomen more quickly. A sedentary lifestyle also easily leads to hunchback, reducing the pressure on the abdomen and making it easier to gain weight.
Tide: What dietary precautions should I take?
Li Xin: From a nutritional perspective, excess fat around the waist and abdomen is mainly caused by three types of food.
First is sugar. Sugar is divided into simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Nowadays, most foods contain too much sugar, and it's mostly simple carbohydrates. For example, cola and orange juice contain a lot of refined sugar, which is harmful to the body if consumed frequently. Fitness instructors often call refined sugar "white sugar killer" because it's invisible. Another example is refined rice and white flour, which contain additives and colorings, making them look appealing and taste good, but they are high in calories and low in nutrients. We often prioritize taste over the actual flavor of food. Complex carbohydrates such as sorghum, whole wheat, corn, and beans are much more nutritious than refined rice and white flour.
Secondly, there's the issue of oil. These days, we eat out more and more frequently; it's normal to eat out three or four times a week. To attract customers, restaurants often add a lot of oil to their food, mostly butter. Like refined rice and flour, this oil is high in calories and low in nutrients. A person generally needs 2000-3000 calories a day, but eating out can easily result in 2000 calories in one meal. That means the calories in one meal are equivalent to your daily calorie needs, and since we usually eat out for dinner, the consequences are obvious.
Thirdly, there's alcohol. Alcohol is also surprisingly high in calories; one gram of alcohol contains 7 calories, and a can of beer contains 170 calories. It takes 7000 calories to gain one kilogram of fat, so it's not surprising that someone who drinks regularly can gain 2-3 kilograms of fat per month. Therefore, it's crucial to drink in moderation. Drinking 25-30 ml of red wine daily can soften blood vessels, and half a small glass to a small glass of beer can promote blood circulation. Exceeding these limits will increase the risk of weight gain.
Tide: Could you provide readers with a nutritional meal plan?
Li Xin: Nutritional meal planning should be tailored to the individual. We need to calculate the member's daily energy expenditure, taking into account factors such as desired goals, season, and current medical conditions, to create a weekly meal plan that can be broken down into individual meals. Readers are advised to consult an experienced nutritionist to have a personalized nutritional plan created for them.
Tide: Many advertisements now recommend using weight loss devices, such as those that use sound wave vibrations to reduce fat. Are these devices effective?
Li Xin: Exercise is divided into two types: active exercise and passive exercise. We encourage readers to engage in active exercise. Currently, there are two main proven effective weight loss methods: active exercise and traditional Chinese medicine therapies such as acupuncture. Many people hope to achieve weight loss without effort, even while lying down, which is a misconception. Exercise is indeed strenuous, but its purpose is not only for a good physique but, more importantly, for health, to improve our energy and spirit, and to better enjoy life. In short, it's better to endure some hardship during exercise to build a healthy body than to suffer greatly when sick.
Tide: Is sweating necessary to lose fat?
Li Xin: Yes. To burn fat, you must exercise continuously for more than 20 minutes. Expecting to lose fat through a few light, painless exercises is unrealistic. In addition, you need to maintain a high heart rate. The required exercise heart rate for fat loss can be calculated using the following formula:
Exercise heart rate = [(220 - age) - resting heart rate] x (60%～80%) + resting heart rate
The two data points obtained from this are the upper and lower values of your fat loss exercise needs.
Tide: But people are generally too busy to exercise.
Li Xin: Actually, you can always find time to exercise. For example, take a walk after meals, walk instead of taking the car if you can, and climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Jackie Chan once said that he exercises his abs while watching TV because he doesn't use a remote control; he has to run to the TV to change the channel—that's also a form of exercise. The problem with modern people isn't being busy, but being lazy.
Tide: So how do you cure this "laziness"?
Li Xin: Disliking exercise is purely a matter of habit, and habits can be formed. I teach eight or nine classes for members every day while also managing my own fitness plan; this is my habit. If I don't exercise for a day, I feel uncomfortable all over, and my muscles become loose. Many people are busy making money and neglect their health. In fact, investing in health is the most important part of personal assets. We often say that health is the 1; with this 1, you can add any number of 0s after it.
Tide: What precautions should middle-aged men take when exercising?
Li Xin: First, it's important to have variety in your exercise routine. Spending all day in the gym can get boring, so you can combine it with activities like golf or hiking. Second, it's crucial to avoid sports injuries. Middle-aged people's bodies aren't as strong as those of younger people, so exercise should be moderate. For example, hiking is a great exercise, but frequent hiking can cause knee injuries. This is especially true for those who rarely exercise; their muscles are weak, and if they don't perform the exercise correctly, a large portion of the force has to be borne by their bones, greatly increasing the risk of bone damage.
Tide: What are your "secret techniques" for reducing belly fat?
Li Xin: I prefer Pilates. Some people confuse Pilates with yoga, but they are actually quite different. Yoga focuses on regulating the endocrine system, while Pilates focuses on improving posture, especially the spine and pelvis. Many patients with cervical spondylosis have experienced improvement after practicing Pilates. Sometimes, Pilates also uses visualization to stimulate potential. For example, while walking, imagine you are balancing a book on your head and trying not to let it fall, thus keeping your spine upright.
The biggest difference between Pilates and yoga is that the former is dynamic, while the latter is static. Secondly, yoga uses abdominal breathing, while Pilates uses lateral breathing, where the ribs expand to the left, right, and back during breathing. Lateral breathing effectively exercises the transverse abdominis muscle. The transverse abdominis muscle plays a crucial role in the body's stability, yet we rarely pay attention to its training. Pilates, through training, transforms lateral breathing from a conscious practice into an unconscious habit. Pilates draws heavily on elements from yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, and dance. In fact, the martial arts concept of "qi sinking to the dantian" is a form of transverse abdominis muscle training, because only by engaging the transverse abdominis muscle can one experience the feeling of "sinking" in the dantian.
The above is a brief introduction to "A Complete Guide to Belly Fat Reduction for Men," and we believe you now have a basic understanding. Since everyone's physical condition is different, for more effective weight loss, we recommend that you tailor your approach to your individual circumstances.
