Which gym to lose belly fat?

For many people, the ideal silhouette necessarily involves a flat stomach… It must be said that it is difficult to escape the omnipresence of advertisements offering all types of diets, food supplements or other miracle solutions to have rock-solid abs. Whatever the case, the quest for a flat stomach often involves practicing different sports, including gymnastics, which stands out as the most popular practice. But is it really enough to lose belly fat? ? We take stock with Aurélie Debladis, sports health project manager (gym +) within the French Gymnastics Federation (FFGym).

Before discussing the effectiveness of gymnastics for losing belly fat, it is important to understand where abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat, comes from. As a reminder, the latter designates the type of fatty tissue that lies inside the abdominal cavity surrounding vital organs such as the liver, kidneys and intestines.

Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is located just under the epidermis, it is therefore located deeper in the body. Its accumulation is linked to various factors, notably dietary physical activity level stress genetic factors and to age.

What is less known is that beyond the aesthetic aspect, it is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular or metabolic diseases. Hence the importance of preventing its accumulation by adopting a holistic approach, combining regular exercise, balanced diet and stress management.

As Aurélie Debladis explains to us, gymnastics is a complete sport that brings together a wide variety of disciplines (artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, aerobics, tumbling, etc.). She permits to expend energy while strengthening all of our muscles, by improving our flexibility et our cardio-respiratory endurance.

If you are overweight or obese, your doctor can prescribe suitable physical activity (sport on prescription) detailing your possible physical limitations. With this in mind, many sports federations have therefore developed a practice dedicated specifically to improving health. This is the case of the French Gymnastics Federation which recently developed a program called gym +.

“The gym + sessions aim to develop or maintain physical condition (endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, etc.) to improve the quality of life of practitioners. Each session allows you to exercise and balance your energy balance. If you particularly want to lose weight, do not hesitate to discuss with your coach who will be able to set up a program adapted to your goals, your age and your physical condition », explains Aurélie Debladis. And to remind:

As our expert points out, gymnastics is a discipline that uses many muscle groups, in particular the muscles of the abdominal belt, but also:

• back muscles and stabilizing muscles ;
• the muscles of the lower limbs (jumps, flips, lunges, squats, and balance exercises on a beam or barbell work the leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves);
• and the muscles of the upper limbs (pull-ups, push-ups, dips, parallel bars, and ring exercises require significant strength of the arm, shoulder, back, and chest muscles)…

“The different disciplines make it possible to harmoniously strengthen and refine the entire body and it is difficult to guarantee a targeted fat loss in the stomach area ! “, she insists. Contrary to popular belief, even by performing additional muscle strengthening and/or cardio exercises, you will not be able to specifically target fat loss in the stomach area.

As you will have understood, any physical activity is good to take to increase your calorie expenditure and promote weight loss. However, it is better to take an approach that combines cardio and muscle-strengthening exercises targeting the abdominal muscles. To do this, you can rely on:

• traditional gymnastics (plank, lunges, squats, mountain climbers, etc.);
• high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which alternates between periods of intense effort and periods of active recovery or rest;
• and yoga to the extent that certain positions actively solicit the abdominal muscles (cobra, half-bridge, boat, etc.);
• Pilatesa is a muscle-strengthening method that focuses on the development of the abdominal strap;
• etc.

As noted above, many gymnastic exercises work the abdominal muscles. Choose the ones that suit you best based on your physical condition:

• The crunches: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head or crossed over your chest. Contracting your abdominal muscles, lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. Keep your lower back glued to the floor. Then slowly lower your upper body toward the floor and repeat.
• The board: adopt the same position as for push-ups, but place your forearms on the ground instead of your hands. Make sure your body forms a straight line from shoulders to feet. Then hold this position for as long as possible, contracting your abdominal muscles and keeping your back flat.
• Les mountain climbers: Adopt a high plank position, hands placed under the shoulders and body well aligned. Bring your right knee toward your chest, then return to your starting position, then bring your left knee toward your chest, and return to your starting position. Continue like this, alternating legs more or less quickly
• Les Russian twists: sit on the floor, lean back slightly, bend your knees slightly and lift your feet off the floor. Hold your hands together or grab a weight in front of you. Then tilt your torso to the right, then to the left, alternately, contracting your abdominals throughout the movement.
• Leg raises : Lie on your back with your arms at your sides or under your buttocks for additional support. Slowly raise your straight legs toward the ceiling, contracting your abs. Then slowly lower your legs towards the ground without touching it, then raise them back up. Make sure to keep your lower back glued to the floor throughout the movement.

Alternate these exercises regularly in addition to a complete sporting practice and you will gradually observe changes.

It is difficult – if not impossible – to answer this question. In reality, the number of calories burned during a gym session depends on several factors, including the intensity of the workout, the duration of the session, the weight of the person, their age, their gender , metabolism, fitness level, etc. We can therefore assume that an intense aerobic gymnastics session burns more calories than a light stretching session.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, to obtain significant results, it is essential to adopt a global approach:

• Adopt a balanced and varied diet, rich in lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Don’t forget to limit processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats.
• Watch your food portions to avoid consuming too many calories. If necessary, use smaller plates, take your time eating, and listen to the satiety signals your body sends you.
• Drink enough water throughout the day to avoid dehydration which can slow down metabolism.
• Integrate a combination of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and high-intensity interval training into your workout routine to burn maximum calories and tone your abdominal muscles.
• Learn to manage your stress by practicing techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing or walking to relax.
• Make sure you get enough sleep every night because sleep plays a crucial role in regulating weight and metabolism.
• Be patient: losing abdominal fat can take time and requires a long-term commitment!

In conclusion, a gym is a valuable tool in the quest for a toned and firm stomach. By strengthening the abdominal muscles, it helps improve the aesthetic appearance of the abdominal area. However, to significantly lose belly fat, you must adopt a global approach, combining targeted exercises, cardiovascular activity, a balanced diet, and an overall healthy lifestyle. With perseverance, it is entirely possible to achieve your goals!