A doctor has shared a simple exercise he claims helps tighten and flatten your stomach – and it’s not sit-ups. Taking to his YouTube channel, which boasts 13 million subscribers, Dr Eric Berg DC explained the exercise people who want to shrink belly fat should do.
Dr Berg is a healthy keto and intermittent fasting expert who is the director of Dr Berg Supplements. He is also the author of The Healthy Keto Plan and Get Healthy First.
Although many people believe following a calorie deficit diet is the key to achieving a toned and flat belly, Dr Berg claims this is not the best approach. He explained: “A caloric deficit is not a sustainable way to lose weight or get a flat stomach.
“Most people find that their metabolism slows down in their 20s and 30s after a series of calorie-restrictive diets. Lowering calories increases hunger and cravings, which will require immense willpower and can stifle weight loss. The caloric deficit model is not sustainable.”
Insulin is the hormone that controls whether you burn or store fat. Dr Berg says you can tap into your body fat for energy if you reduce insulin.
“Carbohydrates have the most significant effect on insulin, while fat is neutral and protein has a moderate impact,” the health expert said. “All calories are not the same. To lose weight, you must lower insulin, which means you must reduce your carb intake.
“If you’re on a low-carb diet, your body can use both food and body fat for fuel. This eliminates hunger and cravings between meals. Fat provides more than double the energy of glucose.”
Without doing hundreds of stomach crunches and sit-ups, Dr Berg recommends just one type of exercise that’s more effective at getting rid of a flabby gut. Known as the dead bug, he says the exercise “stimulates the fascia and muscles that can act as a girdle, giving you a flat belly fast.”
He went on: “It will give the optimum tension in the middle section to stimulate the fascia and the muscles to get really nice and toned – versus, if you did sit-ups or crunches. The problem with that is you’re going to activate the deeper muscles called the psoas, which are the hip flexors and that is going to cause your back to be out of balance eventually.”
What is the dead bug exercise?
The dead bug involves lying on your back with your arms outstretched in front of you, with your fingers pointing to the ceiling, and your legs bent at the knees over your hips. You then move one arm back towards your head while you stretch one leg out, towards the floor at the same time – then do the same on other side. It is important to make sure your back is always in contact with the floor.
Dr Berg said: “Do this every day, and within one to two weeks, you will start to see amazing results.” The exercise gets its name from the fact it resembles what a bug looks like on its back.
Explaining the benefits of following a keto diet, Dr Berg added: “It takes two to three days to get into ketosis and two to three weeks for fat adaptation. Fat adaptation means your body is burning the most fat possible.
“Your body can burn ketones and fat, which are two different fuel sources. To get your body into ketosis, carbohydrates should make up about 5% of your diet, protein 20%, and fat 75%. Visceral fat in the abdomen may prevent a flat belly, but you can eliminate it with this diet.”
You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.