Do crunches burn fat or is it made up? Many articles on the internet argue for both sides. Some articles claim that as long as you got the intensity right; you can burn fat while doing crunches.
However, there are also articles saying that doing crunches can’t burn fat directly. So, which one is it?
Do crunches burn fat? No, they don’t! Straight to the point, crunches can’t burn fat! The intensity argument might seem like it’s right but instead of doing 100 crunches per day to burn fat; simply doing cardio would be much better for burning fat.
Check these articles below to find which cardio type is the best for you:
The Fastest Way to Burn Fat: Sprint Interval Training
Awesome Cardio Workout at Home – Lose Weight Quick and Effectively!
7 Best HIIT Workout on the Treadmill That Will Make You Lose Fat
9 Awesome Exercises to Lose Belly Fat FAST & Effectively
Is Elliptical Good for Weight Loss and Burning Fat?
The Best Home Exercise Bike to Burn Fat Like Crazy
So, why people still think crunches do burn fat? Well, it’s quite simple; people believe that direct spot reduction is actually a thing! No, you can’t burn fat in one area by only “targeting” that area.
Let’s imagine you’re doing shoulder presses and nothing more, once you have capped shoulders; you’ll think you burned fat off your shoulders, that’s wrong. Yes, you lose a bit of fat but the real reason why your shoulders look like they have less fat is because of muscle definition!
You can actually lose belly fat while doing shoulder presses too because you store your fat (energy) sources in your belly. However, you don’t see anyone telling you to do shoulder presses to lose belly fat. That’s exactly why saying crunches do burn fat is a wrong statement.
How to Burn Fat instead of Doing Crunches?
So, there are three things you should watch out for to lose belly fat:
1) Dieting is the Key
First and foremost, dieting is the most important way to lose belly fat. You’ve probably heard the term “abs are made in the kitchen”; that’s absolutely right. If you don’t believe that, try to make your abs visible by doing an hour of ab workout with an unhealthy diet for 2 months.
You’ll make your abs stronger however they won’t be visible. So, what’s the point?
There are many articles on our website that give you sound and smart healthy food options. We don’t have any sensational food choices that claim to be the answer to all your fat problems.
Check our articles below to make your own diet plan:
21 Super Low Fat High Protein Foods for Weight Loss
27 Super Foods for Weight Loss That Will Make You Lose Belly Fat Quickly!
Best Foods with Probiotics That Will Make You Fantastic
If you follow a balanced and healthy diet; you’ll lose fat and also be much happier due to it. Eating junk food might give you a small boost of happiness but once that feeling is gone, you’ll be left with all those unwanted calories.
There is a way to kill your appetite for junk food immediately. Some might find this counteractive but it can work:
Whenever you crave for junk food, get in front of a mirror, lift your shirt; look and touch your belly. Do you want to lose that? Go get yourself a healthy snack and drink water. Speaking of healthy snacks, check the article below to find one:
23 Tasty Low Carb Protein Bar for Weight Loss
2) Cardio for Faster Progress
No matter which cardio program you choose, you’ll lose belly fat as long as you stay disciplined. Some prefer to do their cardio with the exercise bike because it’s low impact.
If you are obese or have prior knee or joint problems, please don’t do treadmill exercises. Instead of treadmill exercises, you can do cardio on the elliptical or the rowing machine.
Also, even though HIIT exercises are amazing for weight loss; if you got heart problems, please see your doctor before you start doing any kind of cardio.
Let’s explain this further:
For example: if you are overweight, you know that you didn’t wake up one day suddenly had gained 50 pounds. So, don’t expect to lose 50 pounds within a month! That’s extremely unhealthy because your vital organs have adjusted to you being in this body weight.
Take your time and try to lose 2 pounds a week at maximum. Within 6 months you’ll lose 50 pounds in a healthy way!
Remember that no one can stop you from eating junk food or doing cardio besides yourself!
3) Do Core Exercises
Without a proper diet and cardio program; you can’t expect to lose belly fat by doing only crunches. On top of these two, core exercises are only accessory exercises to your main workout.
Please check the articles below to find the best core exercises:
9 Awesome Exercises to Lose Belly Fat FAST & Effectively
Lose Fat Quick with this Intense Workout for Lower Abs
Fat Blasting Love Handle Workout – ONLY 8 MINUTES
Conclusion
Do crunches burn fat? No, they don’t. You can do thousands of crunches per day but they can’t take the place of a proper diet with a cardio program. In fact, following a healthy diet and doing cardio is much easier than doing that many crunches every day!
Let us know in the comments that, which tips helped you to lose belly fat?
Thank you for reading.
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