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Contrary to popular belief a lot of crunches, leg lifts and other abdominal specific exercises will not help you lose belly fat quickly. It will surely strengthen your abdominal muscles though, and when you manage to melt the bulge around your middle away you’ll have a nice six pack to show off so the effort will not be entirely wasted.

You might be breathing a sigh of relief right now if you were not looking forward to an intense exercise program. Don’t get too excited though. Exercise remains a key component of any plan to lose belly fat quickly, and both cardiovascular exercise and weight training will be important for you to achieve your rapid weight loss goals.

Any form of cardiovascular exercise will be beneficial, and does not need to be of high intensity to achieve results. However, you will need to spend a minimum of 30-60 minutes a day if you want to achieve rapid belly fat loss. The reason for this is that your body will not start to burn fat immediately. First it will deplete your glycogen stores, and only once that reservoir has been drained will it turn to fat as an energy source.

Weight training is also important in helping you lose belly fat quickly. The development of lean muscle will actually increase your metabolism and serve as a fat burning furnace even at rest. Do not ignore weight training as part of your exercise regimen.

Finally, a proper diet cannot be ignored if you want to lose belly fat quickly. High fat foods like chips, burgers, and pizza are tasty and convenient, but you will never make any progress if you don’t limit these foods in your diet. They are fine as an occasional treat providing you’ve been adhering to your exercise program, but they cannot be a core component of your overall diet. Instead focus on foods like lean meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains. These foods will give your body the energy it needs without the extra calories that erase your progress in your attempt to lose belly fat.

If you stick to these three simple techniques you should start to see the pounds melt off in no time at all, and if you add in regular abdominal exercises you could be sporting a ripped six pack next time you head to the beach.