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I have a question on abdominal fat. probably walkers and runners would know this best.
Diet & Health / 6:39 PM - Friday November 20, 2009

I have a question on abdominal fat. probably walkers and runners would know this best.

My question is if you are overweight, I have heard that by doing cardio,walking,or running will get fat off the abdomen first,and faster than anything else. Then by doing abdominal exercises they will help tone the abdomen after most of the fat is gone. Does this sound right?

- Asked by sheltie11, Female, 66 or older

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That right - do cardio till the fats gone then once its off continue a regular cardio routine but add in the muscle building. If you do muscle building first (like lots of people do) your muscles will grow beneath the fat and it wont make you get any smaller. Its all about cardio to burn off the fat!!

- Response by raceygirl, A Thinker, Female, 29-35, Other Profession

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It's correct except for one thing.

While cardio will burn fat, there is no guarantee that your abdominal fat will be the first to go. There's no such thing as "spot reduction", no matter what the infomercials might claim. And you should be working your abs on alternate days.

Your body will burn fat overall. But sometimes the first place we gain fat is the last place we lose it.

So keep at it. Eventually you will lose all of your extraneous fat, and the work you're doing on your abs will really start to show. :)

- Response by piscesrising, A Thinker, Female, Who Cares?, Boston, Internet / New Media

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I lost twenty pounds walking in four months. The belly fat was the first to go. I got in a size six pants for the first time in my life. I started slow with a twenty minute walk every other day and then progressed to everyday. I did no other exercise. But kept eliminating foods from my diet, like chips, cookies, pretzels and bread, and butter. The weight literally fell off and I looked the best I ever looked in my life. You can do it too! :-)

- Response by cinders717, A Thinker, Female, 36-45, Self-Employed

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Yep that's right! =]

- Response by poeticlove08, A Thinker, Female, 18-21, Student

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yes that is correct in the sense that cardio exercises burn fat as opposed to abdominal exercises which strengthen muscle.

Also there is no spot fat reduction exercise. Youre just burns fat it isnt picky about where it comes from.

- Response by drallig9399, A Hip Hop Guy, Male, 26-28, Administrative

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You're best off doing a combination of cardio and resistance training. And, as a rule, the last place you put on weight is going to be the first place it comes off.

- Response by waitinggirl22, A Sweet Sarah, Female, Who Cares?, Los Angeles

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Pretty much what Piscesrising said. So it's best to do your cardio first and then lift weights. I usually work out 3-5 times a week, doing aerobics, land and water, yoga once weekly, dance 2-3 times weekly as well as lifting free weights 2-3 times a week and working on my core each time I go to the gym with leg lifts, front and side planks, and also using a medicine ball.

- Response by hulagirl55, A Sportif, Female, Who Cares?, San Francisco, Who Cares?

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