Mike Geary has become something of a legend in fitness circles thanks to The truth about Six Pack Abs. This guide is consistently on the best sellers list and even a quick glance at the content is enough to reveal why. Mike often shocks, is always informative and really knows his subject inside out.

A Little about Mike Geary

Mike rocketed to fame after writing the internationally best-selling e-book The Truth about Six Pack Abs. Right now, according to Clickbank which is the worlds #1 e-book marketplace, his guide is by far the best selling abs development guide. He has a grown a worldwide following of over 263,000 readers in 154 countries and this number is increasing on a daily basis. He has now become the recognized expert in fitness circles on developing abdominals and has authored hundreds of articles for the leading fitness publications on the subject.

So What makes The Truth About Six Pack Abs Special?

The thing that really makes The Truth About Six Pack abs different is the level of detail that it goes into. I have seen some people complain that this is actually a bad thing, but to be honest if I’m paying for a product I like to get as much information out of it as possible, and I’m sure you do too. Hey, if you don’t want to read parts of it then just skip over them, but I recommend that you take the time to go through it completely before starting he program. Mike’s main focus is reducing overall body fat, not just concentrating solely on the abs, and when you think about it, this makes perfect sense. After all, how many Olympic athletes have great abs and a big butt – exactly!

Don’t expect to see great results in a week either! Mike is realistic about the time and effort required to see results from the program, and in my opinion that’s a good thing. Unlike some of the more aggressive infomercials that abound which claim that you will have a hard stomach after 7 days just by using their rowing machine or exercise ball, The truth About Six pack Abs makes no bones about the fact that you are going to have to work for your new look.

I really liked Mikes holistic approach to solving the problem of getting firm abdominals. The information is equally shared between 3 core components of his system

• core body training
• diet and nutrition information
• total body workout routines

Nutrition is given some special attention in The truth About Six Pack Abs and with good reason.  As Mike points out, the correct diet contributes almost 80% to your ultimate chance of success.

Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to eat fewer calories – you need to actually eat more! As the guide points out, it’s the right kinds of food that are important. Foods with  a high percentage of protein to get a body ready for a competition for example are detailed as well as the correct foods to eat if you are just out to lose some tummy fat

Another thing  I really liked about Mikes approach is that there is not a single sit-up in sight! All of his abs exercises can be performed in under 15 minutes so it’s a breeze to fit them into your daily routines if you are a busy always on the go kind of person. No more excuses I’m afraid now that you don’t have to do 1000’s of sit ups in the gym every day!

Another plus point in my opinion is that Mike teaches you not to obsess about getting a great six-pack. His total body workout routines only need to be done 3 days a week, and in fact he actively discourages any more than this. The exercises are complemented by the nutritional plan which requires that you eat 6 meals a day – don’t worry it all very tightly controlled – so you don’t need to feel guilty on your ‘days off’

So, Whats The Verdict On The Truth About Six Pack Abs?

Well, there’s so much to like about this program that its kinda hard to find fault. The author is a recognized expert, the information is comprehensive and the results are impressive. Heck, theres even a trial period offer so that you can try the product for under $5 so you really have no risk at all.

Mike also includes some great bonus material including a great series of MP3’s that can be used interactively on your iPod at the gym. In these MP3’s he explains the workouts in detail and talks you through each one – its really like having your own personal trainer standing right next to you!

Given the detail, the results and of course, the price of this product I have to say that if you are looking to get your abs ripped, and lose the tummy fat for good then The Truth About Six Pack Abs is my #1 choice product. You simply have to have it!

Website:http://fatburningfurnace.com
Author: Rob Poulos
Price: $39.97
Guarantee: 60 Day Money Back
Extras: 3 months E-Mail Coaching, Full updates for a year (Basic Package)
Discount Available: Reduced From $210.00

How would you like to shed a pile of tummy fat but only work out for 45 minutes a week! Well with Rob Poulos’s Fat Burning Furnace that’s exactly what you can do. Now, you are probably asking yourself how this can be possible. After all you watch those other folks sweating away for hours every day at the gym, so surely it can’t be as simple as this .. or can it?

Well, I got my hands on a copy of Fat Burning Furnace to see just what the skinny (no pun intended) was. What did I discover? Well, read on my friends and prepare to be amazed.

Step 1: The Basics Of Fat Burning Furnace

At the heart of The Fat Burning Furnace program is a concept known as interval training. Now, Rob may not claim to have invented this concept but he sure stands by it, and I can see why. The theory behind interval training is that you can boost your metabolism – and so lose weight faster – by building lean muscle. This muscle is built in short, intensive bursts of training lasting between 15-20 minutes at a time. It’s a great concept and one that I love because it’s much more attractive than spending half your life in the gym! Rob starts out by taking a firm stand against the kinds of training that most of us normally undertake. The slow, gradual approach has long been favoured by both gyms and fitness coaches alike, but Rob does a great job explaining why it’s not nearly as effective as interval training, and why you should avoid the more popular methods if you want to see fast results. Just 3 sessions a week will have you seeing results that you didn’t think possible with such a little amount of effort.

Step 2: The Theory Behind Fat Burning Furnace

Fat Burning Furnace relies on the theory of muscle failure. Although it sounds quite alarming, it’s really a very good thing. Muscle failure goes like this:-

When you lift a weight to the point where you cannot physically lift it any more, then this point is known as the muscle failure point. It’s important to note that you have not actually  injured yourself at this point but the muscle will require some strengthening by the body’s defence mechanisms. Your body then needs to expend a lot of energy repairing the muscle, and this burns a lot more calories than you normally would. This regenerative process also has a hidden bonus. Because your body has to work harder to maintain lean muscle compared to fat,  you’re also increasing your metabolic rate by something like 50 calories per pound of muscle every hour. The simple fact is that you will burn more calories per hour the less fat you have, and that includes if you are just sitting around watching tv! Research has shown that the effects of Rob Poulos’ approach can last for up to 72 hours after you last exercised.

Step 3: The Fat Burning Furnace Workouts

This is where we really get down to the business in hand – the Fat Burning Furnace workouts. These workouts have been specially designed by Rob and are proven to be highly effective. They involve a lot of circuit weight training, something that can put people off, but don’t worry for they are structured in such a way as to tone rather than bulk and so you won’t end up looking like a bodybuilder – well unless you really want to that it!

Step 4: Nutrition The Fat Burning Furnace Way

Every good weight loss guide has to include some sound advice on nutrition and The Fat Burning Furnace is no exception. In fact, the Fat Burning Furnace has some of the most comprehensive and detailed nutrition advice that I have experienced in any weight loss guide so far. It’s clear to me that Rob not only knows his stuff when it comes to the workout regimes but he is also definitely clued up on the finer points of nutrition as well. He writes with a very easy to read style and I found myself literally having a Homer Simpson ‘Doh!’ moment or two when he explained some of the common mistakes we all make when it comes to nutrition and weight loss. I’m sure that when you read it you will see what I mean – its really incredible how much of his advice is just good common sense, but its often    overlooked by many people when trying to lose weight.

As you might expect, the guide provides a whole host of in-depth detail regarding what foods to eat, and, just as important what foods to avoid. A nice touch is the inclusion of some sample eating plans to help you stick to your regime. I found all of the information to be well presented, thoroughly researched and very practical, and I scored the guide very highly on this aspect.

Fat Burning Furnace – The Verdict

What really makes Fat Burning Furnace stand out from the rest of the products I have reviewed on this site is that it’s easy to use and fun to do. It’s a very well rounded plan that not only boosts your cardio health but also dramatically improves your overall fitness. Add to this the fact that it’s one of the best guides around at getting results for relatively little work and I have to recommend it. If you are one of those people who break out in a sweat at the mere thought of sitting for hours on a rowing machine or exercise bike then Fat Burning Furnace is definitely for you.

The presentation is very slick with great use made of photos to back up the well written text. My only real complaint was that there weren’t really enough photos used to show the full range of motion employed and techniques used while doing the exercises and I felt that newcomers might be slightly put off trying them without getting the help of a qualified instructor first. A better solution would have been to incorporate some videos as part of the download, but overall it’s a fairly minor complaint.

There’s no doubt in my mind that this guide will deliver the results it promises in the vast majority of cases, and given it’s so easy to get into, then you only have yourself to blame if you don’t see great results.

If you really want to lose tummy fat quickly, and have fun doing it then you need to visit the site below and get your hands on a copy of Fat Burning Furnace today.

Website: www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Author: Craig Ballantyne
Price: $39.95
Guarantee: 60 day money back
Extras: free membership to forums and lifetime support, range of e-books
Discount Available: $4.95 21 day trial available

Turbulence Training is one of the more popular abs development programs going around at the moment. Its well prices, gets great reviews and is headed by one of the nicest guys you will ever meet in the business. So why didn’t it get my top score? Well, read on friends and find out for yourselves.

A Bit About Craig Ballantyne

If you haven’t heard of Craig Ballantyne by now then you are probably just the kind of person who would benefit greatly from Turbulence Training. You see, craig has become one of the best known fitness figures in the business and has recently written magazine articles for such esteemed publications as Mens Health and Oxygen magazine. His products have even been featured on national television following an appearance on the popular series Biggest Loser.

So What Is Turbulence Training?

Realizing that many people were simply too busy to spend a lot of time at the gym, fitness expert Craig Ballantyne, came up with the idea of short but super intense workout sessions to enable busy people to get the most out of the time they had available for exercise. The result is the super intensive fitness course called Turbulence Training

Turbulence Training, as the name suggests, focuses on short sharp sessions rather than spending hours on an exercise bike or rowing machine in the gym. In fact, just 3 Turbulence Training workouts per week are enough to lose tummy fat and get the six pack abs that you have dreamed about – and all for just 45 minutes a week!

Craig achieves this amazing feat by setting you up for 25 minutes of strength training followed by 20 minutes of Interval Training – Turbulence Style! The reason it’s so successful is that Craig has discovered the secret to boosting your metabolism to unheard of highs – something that causes accelerated weight loss and muscle production.

Craig has obviously spent a great deal of time and effort researching and developing these techniques and the testimonials on his site lead me to believe that the results are quite extraordinary. Of course, even he admits that one of the barriers to success in Turbulence Training is that most people simply won’t believe that so little exercise can bring about such great results. However, after watching some of my gym buddies (Ross & Mike – Thanks guys) go through the routines I can say that the feedback they gave me was more than encouraging – they were really stoked about the whole program.

The real secret to Turbulence Training’s success is the concept of the exercise supersets. What Craig has done here is to combine sets of related exercises into one larger exercise regime. The 2 sets are performed one after the other and are formulated so that your metabolic rate is raised to crazy levels and you continue to burn fat for almost 2 days after you stop! Wow – talk about exercising on autopilot. Confused? Well, don’t worry, so was I to begin with but a couple of e-mails from Craig later (yes he really does support his product well) and I can now explain the theory such, with apologies to Craig if I’m off the mark!

Here’s an example of a superset

1a. Bench Press (3×8)
1b. DB Squat (3×8)

Simple really, but that particular set, Craig assures me, is powerful enough to get your metabolism firing for the rest of the day – amazing!

Craig also believes in mixing the exercise sets up for maximum effectiveness – something he calls the variation theory. The reason behind this is that your body learns to adapt to your routines and therefore they become less efficient. By changing them every 3-4 weeks you maintain their optimum effectiveness. I have to say that Ross (my gym buddy guinea pig) said he could really feel the effects of this when the exercises were changed – it was like being given an immediate boost!

Diet According To  Turbulence Training

Again, Turbulence Training, like the other guides I reviewed places a strong emphasis on the role of an effective diet for raising your metabolism. Here it differs from many other programs is that its not an exercise in counting calories! Instead, one of the bonuses in the pack gives you some guides to help you calculate your daily requirements and ways to monitor what you are eating. It also lists a load of common foods and gives you information about their calorific values and nutritional values. Obviously it can’t cover every type of food, but as a planning tool it’s a great help. I really liked this because it removes the tiresome task of counting the calories and sticking to a rigid diet – something I’m particularly bad at, while still enabling you to get great results.

One place where Turbulence training scores well above average is in the support it offers to its members. You get access to the TTmembers.com forums where you can communicate and get advice from a whole spectrum of fellow users, as well as Craig himself. As I mentioned earlier, he also actively supports his customers wand responds within 24 hours of getting an enquiry. My experience bears this out and I can recommend the support aspect of the program very highly indeed.

Of course, it’s not all a bed of roses. For one thing, it’s a bit of a harsh regime – a little too much for me, but I have to say that if you want results and you are prepared to work for them, then turbulence training really delivers the goods. Craig also advises you how to do many of the exercises in the safety and comfort of your own home, but tends to overlook the fact that many of us don’t have access to all of the equipment that he mentions. I didn’t expect you would be too happy having to go out and buy dumbbells, exercise balls, jump ropes and the likes just to follow this course.

Whats The Verdict Then?

Well, I personally liked the product, it was well rounded and offered a good deal of information. Speaking to many people who have tried the program, it certainly seems that it is very effective, but I have to say that I just found it a bit too hard going. I don’t believe that Craigs approach is anything unique nowadays, and while he was no doubt one of the pioneers of the turbulence approach, other products have appeared that are a bit more polished and offer even better results. Its still a good buy, but I would recommend it only to people who have tried to work with other programs and failed.

Getting rid of tummy fat and building a set of flat and toned abs is dependent on 2 crucial factors – nutrition and exercise. No matter what these fitness ‘gurus’ proclaim, when you strip away all of the fluff and filler, every guide on the market focuses on these crucial elements.
In fact, the author of ‘How to get Ripped Abs’ Mr. John Alvino even goes as far as to proclaim that without the correct nutritional information and exercise regimes then you could literally spend your entire life going to the gym and still not see the kind of results that his guide can produce!!

Down the years, there have been many guides that concentrated on losing tummy fat with Turbulence Training and The Truth About Six Pack Abs being particularly good examples of the genre. While these guides are still excellent, How to get Ripped Abs really takes the science to another level.

So, how does the ‘How To Get Ripped Abs’ guide measure up to its hype and marketing spin? Well, I grabbed a copy and handed it straight to my gym buddy – hey why should I do all of the work – and here’s what we found out.

First Up – Who Is John Alvino?

Well, he’s only one of the world’s most respected nutrition and exercise experts. Over the past 16 years he has made a global name for himself thanks to his unique and revolutionary fat loss and extreme exercise regimes. He owns his own training centre in New Jersey and his client list reads like a veritable who’s who of sporting celebrities with NFL superstars and PGA golfers among the many clients who regularly attend. One of the unique things about John is that he practices what he preaches – that’s right he tries every single piece of advice and routine on himself to verify its effectiveness before he tells anyone else. So, in my book at least, his credentials are mighty impressive.

What’s In The How to Get Ripped Abs Program?

The program itself is a comprehensive guide to help you gain accelerated fat loss over your entire body, but as you might guess from the title, special emphasis is given to the stomach and abs area.
I particularly liked the fact that John leaves nothing open to interpretation, for the guide really does cover an entire A-Z of how to get Ripped abs. There’s no fluff or filler, just great, straightforward and easy to follow advice. In fact, the course is so detailed that it actually comprises of several separate manuals. So, without further ado, let me explain what this amazing course contains.

Guide 1: The Main How to Get Ripped Abs Manual

This manual really concentrates on the many specialized exercise regimes that John has developed as part of the program. As I said in the intro though, there are 2 parts to your ultimate success and he hasn’t forgotten nutrition either. His unique approach to the problem involves a 2 phase approach to getting ripped abs..
Phase 1 covers the first couple of weeks of the course and is aimed at fixing your metabolism. Most people need this because we are accustomed to eating 2 or 3 set meals a day. John explains why this is generally a bad thing for us and gives us the tools to get around the problem. I liked this part, but both Tim and myself had problems sticking to the advice in this phase – willpower is not supplied I’m afraid! Phase 2 then kicks in once your body is ready for it. This involves a series of Fat Loss Meltdown techniques as john refers to them as, that are guaranteed to give you twice the results in half the time.
The guide handily outlines a load of tasty meals to get your through this phase, all with detailed calorific and nutritional information so all you really have to worry about is getting on with the exercise regime and sticking to the plan. At the end of this phase I could see definite improvement although, by my own admission I was not the best pupil. Still, if I can see a change then you definitely can.

Guide 2: Fat Loss Meltdown

This manual is worth the price of the product on its own, at least that’s what Tim, my gym buddy who trialed the product for me says. In the Fat Loss Meltdown manual John lays out 24 weeks of workout routines that vary every 3 weeks. These routines are designed to keep your metabolic rate at its peak during the entire 6 month period, and are a great way to stay motivated and on-track. One of the best things about this guide is that it details for you how to achieve amazing results without the need for expensive gym equipment. Ok, if you have a gym membership that’s maybe not a great advantage, but even the certified fitness fanatics among us can gain a lot of ideas from his techniques and training routines for all kind of equipment including jump ropes, bikes and even sandbags.
The meltdown Course is really intensive stuff, in fact it’s the kind of training used by Special Forces around the world, so you shouldn’t be upset if it’s a bit too much for you. Of course, if you relish a challenge…

Guide 3 : The Nutrition Guide

This is actually my favorite part of the guide because it deals with my favorite subject – food. I am personally using this guide every single day because I am trying to achieve my target body fat percentage, but the idea is that, once this goal is reached then its back to Phase 1 and those 6 small meals a day.

So Whats My Verdict Then?

If you are serious about losing tummy fat and don’t mind some hard work then you simply cannot get a better program than How to Get Ripped Abs . But beware – this is a very strict regime and requires dedication. On the plus side, however,  it will  definitely give you results twice as fast as any other fat loss or abs enhancing program available today. The only reason I couldn’t give this product a 5 star review is because of the price. Its quite a bit higher than most of the other programs, but then again, you get what you pay for. Remember, if you don’t get the promised results (and I honestly don’t believe that would be a fault of the guide) then you are still able to get a full 60 day money back guarantee.

So, to summarise, How To Get Ripped Abs covers

1. Metabolism boosting tips to really turbo-charge your weight loss efforts.
2. John Alvino’s Unique workout regime that’s specially designed to ditch the tummy fat and get your abs defined like you never thought possible.
3. Nutritional guidelines which are made to prevent fat loss sabotage and increase your calorie burn rate. Sometimes by as much as 50%. Now, some of these guidelines may surprise you. I know they surprised me and I’m mighty glad that I don’t need to make these kind of mistakes anymore.
4. Special stomach toning exercises, both for the lower abs and upper abs which will help you get that firm look that you desire.
5. General motivational information.
6. A dedicated support system for you to help you with any fitness goal.

To be honest I wasn’t really sure whether to include this product in my reviews since its aimed more at straight forward weight loss than developing abs or getting rid of tummy fat. But, after reading it, I decided that it was actually well suited to people who don’t necessarily want to get fit, but rather just want to lose some weight and generally feel healthier. The Top Secret Fat Loss Secret (whew! Quite a title) is written by a real genuine doctor – Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst to be precise, and really takes quite a novel approach to weight loss. The good doctor has been researching the human digestive system for the past 10 years and has become something of a recognized expert on the subject. Good credentials then.

The first thing to notice about the Top Secret Fat Loss Secret is just how much information is crammed into it. Dr Gudankunst is, however, a little obsessed with the role of the colon in our general health, still, that is her area of expertise so it’s only to be expected.

She certainly doesn’t hold back with the graphic imagery either, as her sales page demonstrates and the guide is filled with more of these lovely images – I actually thought it went a bit over the top, but the images of parasitic worms and plaque certainly get your attention.

As I said, in the intro it was difficult to make a direct comparison between this and the other products as they essentially approach the problems of weight loss and fitness in different ways. However, that doesn’t mean that the Top Secret Fat Loss Secret is without merit, and it certainly has a growing number of followers if the Clickbank stats are anything to go by.

Where it is easy to compare with the other guides is in the area of nutrition, and it fares very well here. All of the basic dietary information and advice covering eating plans, the amount of fiber intake required, protein intake and the importance of water to name but a few are covered in very high detail. Dr Gudankunst’s scientific background is evident and one small complaint I have is that it’s not always an easy read for the complete layman as she tends to use medical terms quite liberally.

One part I found particularly interesting was Dr Gudankunst’s advice on identifying your metabolic type. Your metabolic type, she explains, is basically like your fat-burning fingerprint and everyone has a unique one.  Most people’s metabolic type can be placed into one of 3 broad classifications, and here Dr Gudankunst once more calls on her medical training to advise on the correct macro nutrient ratios i.e. the ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats that you need according to your classification. Just to make sure you are paying attention, she has a little quiz for you ate the end – that’s how important she deems this information to be!

One of Dr Gudankunsts pet theories is that your liver and colon are directly related to your ability to burn fat. This, she claims, is why some people literally watch the weight drop off while others are forced into years of trying with little or no results to show for their efforts. To combat these issues she has formatted a detailed detox plan to help cleanse your colon in a natural and perfectly safe way. This information is essentially what makes the Top Secret Fat loss Secret so successful.

According to Dr Gudankunst, if you stick to this detox plan you could immediately lose between  20 lbs to 50 lbs in a month! How’s that for fast results. My own personal experience is limited here as I have to admit I just read the guide, but I have contacted several people who swear by her program and they have confirmed to me that the weight loss is indeed substantial in the first few weeks. Don’t, however, expect to maintain this rate of weight loss in subsequent months as you will find that the rate of loss decreases dramatically.

Like many such weight loss programs the initial weight loss can be dramatic and while its impossible to maintain this for a sustained period of time, the initial progress acts as a great spur to many people.

Physical Exercise the Top Secret Way

Once again, like many of the guides I have reviewed Dr Gudankunst recommends a form of interval training to raise your metabolic rate, work out less and achieve greater results. Unfortunately, this is where the real differences are evident in her background as I found that the guide merely plays lip service to the physical exercise aspect of the program. For example, she neglects to mention anything about strength training in the guide, something that I feel is a major omission.

So What’s The Verdict?

Well, for an all round weight loss program you could certainly do a lot worse that The Top Secret Fat Loss Secret. The author clearly has a scientific background and is definitely something of an authority figure in her field. Those are both big plus factors. However, if you are after a set of ripped abs or want to get strength as well as weight loss then there are many more focused and ultimately better guides available. Its good value for money and, as a backup to some of the other products I have covered it would be a great addition to your weight loss arsenal but on its own I cant really recommend this guide over my number 1 choice.

So, we know it’s not going to be straightforward and it’s going to involve a lot of work but what makes the best abs workout and what other things, apart from exercise, do you have to consider when trying to get those ripped abs?

Well, the first thing is to make sure that you are taking a holistic approach to the problem. By this I mean, don’t just expect to do some crunches and sit-ups at the gym and suddenly end up with perfect abs. You also need to consider nutrition and the all important mental fitness as well. In this aspect, your diet is every bit as important as your exercise regime. You need to ensure that your metabolism is running at its peak performance so that you can turn that fat tummy into lean hard muscle. Of course the exercise is important but if you metabolism isn’t functioning properly then you will have to do much more exercising in order to achieve similar results. Make sure that you eat smaller meals and space them out evenly throughout the day. Its also a great idea to do your exercising first thing in the morning as your raised metabolism will burn fat off for the rest of the day and you will see amazing results, especially in the first few weeks.

You also have to be mentally prepared when trying for a set of ripped abs. Most abs workouts take between 2-6 months to show any results and can often take longer. That means giving up the sugar laden junk foods and exercising regularly, usually at least once a day. This can become both physically and mentally tiring and there are many times that you will find a whole load of excuses for eating the wrong foods or missing out on your session at the gym.

Of course, you also have to be wary of going to the other extreme. Its easy to actually become obsessive about getting that great 6 pack and it can take over your entire life. If you overdo the exercises you can often cause an injury which can set your plans back by weeks or even months at a time. Slow and gradual progress is my advice for the best abs workout.

You also need to chart your progress and set milestones. This is especially important for abs workouts since you need to vary the kinds of exercises being done every 4 weeks or so. By varying your workouts your body doesn’t become attuned to one particular set of movements and you can get actually accelerate your results as a consequence of just changing your exercise pattern.

There you are then, after all’s said and done there aren’t really any secrets to the best abs workout – just common sense. If you are mentally attuned and you have an understanding of what your exercising and diet is helping to achieve, then your chances of success will be much better. Oh, and you wont have to spend endless hours in the gym getting those results either. Like most things in life it pays to work smarter instead of harder.

If you are trying to get a set of ripped abs then developing the best abs workout for your own circumstances is often best done with the help of a professional. A great idea is to get a good guide to motivate and educate you and one of the best is the Truth About Abs by Mike Geary. I have reviewed it in full on my site, just click on one of the links to read what I think about it, and discover how it can guarantee you success.

No, you see, if you really need to successfully loose belly fat and help keep it off for the long term then you need to take a much more holistic approach to the problem, and that starts with educating yourself about how the body works.  Of course, regular exercise is a must, but it must be aimed at improving your overall fitness rather than just concentrating on one particular part of your anatomy. The reason is that fat tends to build up around your belly faster than in other parts of your body, but the reverse is also true – when you start to exercise and lose weight, belly fat is some of the first to go. So you see, you don’t really need to treat belly fat as a special case – simply exercise and diet and it will go of its own accord.

As you may also be aware, exercise on its own, is not enough to guarantee success for  diet plays a critical part in the overall process of losing weight. In fact its possible that if you don’t control your diet but exercise more that you will actually gain weight! Losing weight requires a two pronged approach. The secret to sustained and successful weight loss is learning to adjust your diet so that you are burning more calories than you consume. Sound simple, and it is, but this takes the right mental and physical approach to pull off successfully.

Developing the right mental and physical approach, however, is not always as easy as you might think. That’s why I recommend that you get a good weight loss guide is you are serious about trying to loose belly fat, or indeed if you are wanting to lose weight and get fitter in general. One of the best guides around at the moment is The Fat Burning Furnace guide that I have reviewed in full here. Its author Rob Poulos is one of the most respected fitness guides (I hate the word guru!) in the world and he has developed this guide specifically to get quick and dramatic results. This helps to motivate even the most reluctant dieter around to press on and reach their goals. Why not take look at Fat Burning Furnace and see what all of the fuss is about – you wont be disappointed.

Like most problems, if you want to successfully lose your fat tummy and get a set of rippling abs in its place then it helps to understand the exact nature of the problem.

Of course, most people will just tell you that your fat tummy is down to unhealthy eating and not doing any exercise. Although these are the most common causes of the problem, there are many other contributing factors which need to be taken into account. I will now discuss the most common ones and what you can do to fight them.

Cause 1: A Slow Metabolism

Its a proven fact that, as we get older, our metabolism starts to slow down – along with the rest of us! If you are trying to lose weight, then this is not a good thing, as it means that our bodies burn calories at a slower rate.The slowing of the metabolism also leads to increased fat storage – particularly around the middle leading to the dreaded fat tummy!

Cause 2: The Menopause

Luckily, this only affects half of the population, but it is still a major contributing factor to the problem of fat tummy.With the onset of the menopause, many women find that fat tends to build up around the middle as well as a whole range of other non-too-pleasant changes.

Cause 3: Stress

This is one of the biggest factors in weight gain for most people. What you may not know is that there’s a physical reason for this, and its all down to a hormone called cortisol, that is released by the body during times of stress.Cortisol causes your liver to create more sugar and you start to feel hungrier as a result leading you to eat more.No prizes for guessing where most of the calories end up.

Cause 4: Genetics

We are actually genetically pre-disposed to having a fat tummy in some cases. We are often referred to as pear or apple shaped because of this. People who tend to gain weight in the lower part of the body are called pear shaped, whereas those who tend to gain weight around the top and middle section are referred to as apple shaped.

Check out what kind you are by looking at your relatives who are overweight.

If they are apple shaped then it may be the case that you will find a fat tummy comes naturally to you no matter what you do.

Cause 5: Poor Digestion

Rather that gaining weight, some people are actually suffering from gas and bloatedness as a result of poor digestion when they complain of a fat tummy.

Cause 6: Poor Posture

Most people don’t even consider this one.Poor posture can make your tummy look “pot bellied” in appearance.To check the effect that your posture is having, just stand in front of the mirror and raise yourself up erect, check out the difference! Now poor posture is unlikely to be the cause of a fat tummy on its own – chances are there is also excess fat there, but the poor posture can accentuate the appearance of the belly fat.

Cause 7: Eating Late at Night

Its never a good idea to eat late at night, especially if you are trying to lose belly fat.Not only will you feel bloated and get a bad nights sleep, but your body wont have the chance to digest the food properly. Going to bed on a full stomach greatly increases your chance of weight gain, particularly around the middle.

What Does This Mean For Me?

As I said at the beginning, diet and exercise are the two most likely things that are causing your fat tummy, so you really need to take them into account.

There’s no doubt that, if you can afford the time and money, surgery is the fastest way to lose tummy fat. The problem is that even for many people who can afford the surgery, the thought of going under the knife in the name of weight loss seems a bit drastic. Most people would actually prefer to fight tummy fat in a more natural and gentler way using exercise, a suitable diet and a change to a healthier lifestyle. One problem with this, though, is that even a quick glance at the high street bookstores or worse still the internet can leave even the most insightful person totally confused, thanks to the bewildering choice of different tactics, plans and techniques for losing belly fat. Well, fear not, for if you fall into the confused category then here are some simple tips to straighten things out for you and get you started.

Start Exercising. Regular cardiovascular exercise is not only great for your heart, it can also help to reduce tummy fat. You might be surprised to learn that even simple breathing exercises can have an effect and contribute to a tighter abs and slimmer you. Of course, if you are serious about losing tummy fat, then you really should do more than just the bare minimum. Spice things up a bit and try dancing or aerobics – they’re a lot more fun than just jogging and can actually be more beneficial. If you’re a bit shy or have 2 left feet then you can try swimming or circuit training, or even a ski machine or cycle machine will soon have those pounds falling off. Any exercise regime should only take up about 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week – any more than this and you actually risk doing more harm than good through injury (and boredom), at least in the initial stages. I would always recommend getting a medical exam first and ask your GP what your peak heart rate is, then work out until you reach it. It goes without saying, of course that you should warm up and down before and after your exercise regime to lessen the chance of muscular damage.

Refine your Exercise Regime. If you are concentrating on losing tummy fat then it’s a good idea to target that area for some special attention. Although belly fat is some of the first to go in any weight loss program, there tend to be more of it than fat elsewhere on the body so it still takes more work to get rid off in the long run. Make sure you do plenty of abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crunches to build your stomach muscles. Having more muscle will also burn fat more calories and help reduce your tummy fat even faster. Oh, and it looks great as well!

Get inspiration from others. Going to the gym can be a great way to boost your efforts. Not only will you have a wider range of exercise equipment but many gyms provide access to a personal trainer who can help you really get the best from it. Best of all though, you can meet and befriend fellow belly fat sufferers. This is a great way to get inspiration, you can even join in communal classes such as aerobics or Pilates and, of course you can enter into some fun competitions with your companions. Just make sure you keep it fun and motivational.

Finally, there would be no use in exercising if all you were doing was piling the weight back on by eating a rubbish diet. Yes, diet and regular exercise go very much hand in hand when trying to lose tummy fat. The usual advice applies, eat plenty of fruit, nuts and wholegrain foods, but also remember to avoid foods high in sodium. Mix carbs into your diet with your exercise regime and eat plenty of lean meat if you want to. Things to avoid are heavy meals at night and high fat foods such as chocolate and of course, alcohol. It’s also a good idea to drink plenty of cold water as this keeps you hydrated, especially when exercising, and it also boosts your metabolism and helps you to burn fat up to 20% more efficiently.

If you want to lose tummy fat, then it doesn’t have to be difficult, or time consuming. Just a few minutes every day and a healthy diet can easily have the weight falling off. With determination and the right motivation anyone can achieve the results they desire.

I’ll say that again – dont skip your meals – its a really bad idea. Funnily enough you need to keep eating in order to lose weight, and I can explain why. Suddenly stopping your food intake can trigger underlying health problems.Your body still needs essential vitamins and minerals to function properly and stopping eating can dperive you of them. Skipping meals also encourages binge or comfort eating patterns to develop.

Instead, try increasing the number of meals you eat every day from 3 to 5 – but make them smaller.This will make you feel less hungry through the day, and will actually lead to you eating less than under the old eating plan. You will also be much less likely to binge eat.You will actually shift the stubborn tummy fat quicker by eating more regularly as your metabolic rate will become optimised to burning calories faster.

You also have to keep a close eye on the kinds of foods you eat.Always check the packaging. You would be amazed at what is contained in some of the so called ‘healthy foods’ that we eat. High levels of salt, sugar and even fat are not uncommon.Also, beware of ‘add-ons’ such as toppings or sauces that can really add to the calory count of things like salads which seem healthy on the face of things.

If you are serious about shifting that tummy fat then just eating sensibly is not enough on its own I’m afraid.. A good diet has to go hand in hand with regular exercise if it is to work. Evcen the busiest businessman or woman needs to find time to do some regular exercise. Abs crunches, sit ups and even press ups are all free to do at home, you dont need any equipment at all and they can be very effective in helping to get rid of tummy fat. The vital thing is to plan out an exercise program and stick to it.Even doing a small workout several times a week can make a huge difference – you dont need to set aside hours for doing this stuff.. You should also build in short warm up and wartm down routines to your exercise program to minimise the chance of injury through torn or damaged muscles.

Apply these simple tips and stick with the programme and pretty soon that tummy fat will be a thing of the past..