How Mark Busted His Beer Belly

Mark is your average Joe. He works hard, spends time with his family, and enjoys kicking back with bottles of beer with his buddies. After some time though, Mark realized that all those beers were catching up on him. His once flat tummy was getting larger, and his clothes were getting tighter in his midsection. Having been an athlete in college, Mark felt uncomfortable that he let himself go and allowed his stomach to grow. And even though his wife and kids didn't say anything, he decided to take action.

Cardio and Stomach Exercises

He consulted with a fitness expert and together they drafted a plan to bust his growing beer belly. Mark’s trainer put him on strict workout that’s heavy in cardio, stomach exercises, and weights. He exercised 6 days a week until his stomach became flat again.

Here’s a quick look at the type of exercises that Mark performed:

Cardiovascular routines â€" Mark alternated with jogging in the neighborhood, running on the treadmill, and using the elliptical. When he wasn't on serious workout mode, he made it a point to walk faster, and take longer walking routes to ensure that he’s still getting some sort of exercise. According to his trainer, getting ample cardio is crucial to busting belly fat because cardiovascular exercises allow the body to get rid of visceral fat.

On top of getting his big dose of cardio, Mark also stuck to a strict ab workout. For the first two weeks, Mark did 25 sit-ups a day each morning. Once his body got used to the workout, he doubled his output and started doing 50 sit-ups per day.

Cutting Back

Of course, Mark didn't achieve his flat stomach solely through exercise alone. He also exerted a lot of discipline and decided to cut back on his beer intake. He swapped his usual draft beer with light and he also limited the number of bottles that he drank.

But beer wasn't the only thing that Mark had to cut back on. He also cut back on the wrong types of food and instead focused eating healthier and better products. He got so committed that he even got his wife and the rest of the family eating better too.

Prior to his weight loss commitment, Mark and his wife used to buy a lot of pork, processed meats, and sugary snacks. But once Mark started living healthier, his wife and kids followed suit. Now when they hit the grocery, they’re spending more time in the fruits and veggies section, and they’re putting healthier itemsâ€"such as low sugar oatmeal, lean beef, fish, and chicken breastsâ€"into their shopping cart.

Mark went at this for about 6 months before he finally busted his beer belly. Now, his stomach is flat, and his clothes fit perfectly. In spite of this accomplishment though, Mark continues with his strict workout and diet plan, because he has a new goal. He doesn't just want a flat belly, he wants to have a 6-pack. And at the rate that he’s going, he’s actually poised to reach that goal in about 6 months or less!

Image credit: Tobyotter on Flickr