How do I get rid of my gut?

The million dollar question! If there was a way to just get rid of “the gut” the world, including myself, would be a happier place.

Though the “gut” is an area many, especially men, have trouble losing fat in my answer will relate to pretty much any pocket of fat; hips, butt, back of the arm, etc.

What we all wish could happen is called “spot reduction” or losing fat in just our troubled areas. Unfortunately spot reduction does not exist. This means a couple things. Training that area (weight lifting, crunches, etc) will only tone the nice muscle buried under that fat, it will not magically melt it. This leaves us with but one choice, total fat loss. Burning calories and burning calories alone is the ONLY way to lose fat (adipose tissue) in any and all areas of the body.

It is often our genetics (we hate that word) that determines where fat is stored. Generally men store their fat in the stomach area (visceral fat) and women hold theirs in the hips and glute areas. The body through evolution has assigned these places as the best to store fat. Damn evolution! These areas can also be very stubborn. Our genetics burn all other fat before it ever gets to our stubborn fat pockets. Here is my advice. Train those stubborn areas and stick with a cardio and diet plan that will allow you to lose weight. If the muscle becomes more conditioned and the fat slowly strips off at least the look you are trying to achieve will be found sooner in the middle. If actually viewing your abs is the goal you are better off on the treadmill than on the mat doing crunches.

If you would like nutrition consulting, a diet plan, or a workout program that WILL get rid of your GUT email me at

 joshgould@exerciseexpertise.net