When people think about getting a flat stomach, what usually comes to mind? Probably something along the line of, ‘I need to start exercising…’. This is probably the most prevalent myth that is out there about losing weight. Let me just say it, exercise by itself will do little or nothing to help you lose weight. Some of you probably just fell off your chair after this seemingly outrageous statement, but it’s the truth.

Let me give you an example. One Oreo cookie contains around 65 calories or so. On average, it would take approximately 7-10 minutes of jogging to burn that off through exercise! And that isn’t even a double stuffed Oreo. Exercise does not make a meaningful dent in losing the excess fat on your body. In other words, exercise isn’t enough to make up for over eating.

What does exercise do for you?

Ok, exercise may not be the main key to weight loss. So what is the benefit of exercise? There are many health benefits that come from a regular exercise routine. Including:

• Greater stamina
• Increased energy
• Firmer and more toned muscles
• Increased muscle mass
• Healthier heart
• And much more…

These are all very important benefits of exercise, but weight loss really isn’t one of them. However, exercise can be a good compliment to an actual dieting regiment. If you exercise regularly while losing weight, then it can give you greater energy, a clearer mindset, and an increased metabolism to help you burn fat.

Extra fat is a result of you taking in more than your body burns for energy. So, if your body burns around 2000 calories per day and your intake is 2200 calories per day, then your body would store the excess somewhere on your body until it is needed. If you keep eating more than your body uses, then over time your body will store a fair amount of fat, usually starting with your stomach area.

So what is the obvious solution to that problem? Consume less and your body will use the stored fat when it needs it. The idea is that you eat less until your body starts to burn that extra fat on your body. You want to get to the point where your body burns slightly more than the calories that you consume each day, and therefore having to burn the reserve fat that is stored on your body. Eventually you will get down to where most of that fat has been burned off, then it is simple a matter of maintaining your new found weight equilibrium. Which means that you don’t start over eating again once you have lost the extra fat.