How to Lose Belly & Breast Fat

Both men and women can accumulate fat in the belly and breast areas. Although you can't spot reduce, you can kick up your cardiovascular activity to lose overall body fat -- which will result in slimming down your belly and breast.

Things You'll Need

• Gym membership or home gym

Tips For You

1. Build more muscle. The key to losing fat is to burn more calories than you ingest -- building more muscle raises your metabolism. Start a weight training program that focuses on the major muscles in your body: legs, chest and back. Incorporate squats, lunges, bench presses and pull-ups in your workout. Exercises such as these work the larger muscles and will also train the smaller muscles in your body at the same time. An effective total body routine would be three sets of 12 repetitions per exercise. For example is, three sets of 12 squats, followed by three sets of bench presses, then three sets of lunges and pull-ups. By alternating between lower body and upper body exercises, you will give your muscles enough time to recover before using them again. Have a friend or trainer help design a workout to fit your needs if you are not familiar with the gym and these exercises. Plan on doing resistance training three times per week, with at least one day of rest between workouts.
2. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates raise your insulin level dramatically, especially when a large amount of carbs are ingested in one sitting. Your body does not burn body fat as a fuel when your insulin level is too high, and it will store all excess carbs as fat. In addition, excess insulin in your bloodstream lowers your blood sugar, and will cause you to become sluggish and lethargic. Instead of eating large amounts of bread and pasta, eat more vegetables, fruits and nuts.
3. Eat lean protein such as chicken, fish, egg whites or low fat beef. Protein will help keep you from feeling hungry, and it is also needed to build new muscle tissue while you are on a weight training routine. Make protein smoothies if you're in a hurry or you don't like to eat solid food after a strenuous workout. Mix a high quality protein powder with some fruit and water -- and you'll have a healthy protein-rich meal.
4. Perform cardio exercises on days that you do not train with weights. Try to limit your cardio sessions to 45 minutes or less, depending on the intensity of your workout. If you do too much cardio your body will begin to burn off muscle tissue instead of fat. Walking is an excellent low impact cardio workout. Walk outside or on a treadmill for 30 to 45 minutes, three times per week. Other cardio exercises you may choose to do include jogging, elliptical machine and step aerobics. Remember to alternate your cardio with weight training days. Over-training your body will impede your progress and maybe discourage you from continuing your weight loss program.