This arrived in my e-mail just in time to help with your dilemma:
4. ASK COACH FRED MATHENY
Which Exercises Will Get Rid of My Gut?
QUESTION: I have more belly than is good for me. At 45, I
changed my life and started bike commuting. I've dropped
some weight and three inches off my waist, but there's lots
more to go. Is there something better than basic situps and
leg lifts for trimming the stomach? -- Michael R.
COACH FRED: It's important to do "core" exercises like
crunches to keep the abs toned and reduce lower back
problems. You can do them at home on a carpet or exercise
mat. No health club needed.
However, remember that strong abs won't reduce the size of
your waistline. You can do crunches from now till doomsday
and all you'll get is an extremely strong abdominal wall
covered with the same layer of fat that presently exists.
Here's why: Fat is lost at the same rate from all over the
body. Further, it's lost only by increasing the number of
calories burned and reducing the number taken in. There's no
such thing as "spot reducing" -- exercising a certain part
of the body to take fat off that specific area.
Crunches alone won't burn enough calories to help you shed
fat. To lose weight, continue to bike commute. Two rides a
day may be more effective than one ride of the same total
length because your metabolism is boosted twice. (Ed goes
into this in an eBook we sell on our website, Bicycle
Commuting for Fun & Profit.)
Ride on the weekends, too, to incinerate more calories. The
longer you can go on Saturday or Sunday, the better. Combine
your cycling with a sensible nutritional plan and you should
see steady weight loss.
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