If there is one common misconception for how to get rid of belly fat, it is that ab crunches and sit-ups will make those pockets of fat on your abdomen disappear. In reality, crunches burn very little calories or fat and fat is what covers the abdominal muscles and you most want to get rid of. Losing belly fat and gaining washboard abs are never going to come out of ab crunches alone. You need to change your eating and exercise habits in order to thin your mid section and stop feeling disgusted by your flabby tummy.

The anatomy of the body is simple. The fat collections and stores are nearly always situated on top of a layer of muscle. This means, your abs can be strong and ripped, but never seen thanks to the extra fat on the body. So, how do you achieve those firm abs and lose your tummy fat? You have to burn off the extra fat with a fat burning workout and a diet that helps the body to lose fat and gain muscle.

The first step in getting that sexy stomach is in your eating. Eating unhealthy foods that are laden with calories, fats and sugars are a nightmare to burn off. Your body needs to burn the extra fat on top of those abs in order for the muscles to show through the skin. A diet slightly lower in calories and high in protein and fiber will help the body to stay fuller, longer and thus you will eat less and burn more fat. Once you have healthy eating in place, you will need to burn fat all over the body not just the fat on the abdomen.

Fat burning exercises are exercises that continue on for a long enough period of time to burn off the extra carbohydrate stores. Once all the carbohydrates are gone, the body will need to find the next best source of fuel and that source is fat. By burning the extra fat on the total body, the stomach will slowly and consistently appear smaller and smaller until those ab muscles begin to peak through the thin layers of skin on the stomach.

The most effective fat burning workouts are ones that utilize weights. Adding weights to your routine builds your muscles and the more muscle you have in your body the more fat that is burnt, even while you're not exercising. This will burn the belly fat you desperately want to lose.

Yes, you do need to do ab crunches in order to strengthen and define the abdominal muscles, but those crunches are not going to make your stomach fat disappear. The ab muscles are relatively small muscles and burn very little calories. Calories are the source of that abdominal fat so eat less, move more and burn that extra fat with fat burning workouts to make your hard work show through.