If you want to see the full benefit of using an EMS ab toning belt like the contour abs or FTC/ FDA-approved Flexbelt and get a flat stomach or six pack abs, then you need to do exercises to lose belly fat in addition to maintaining a healthy diet!

You certainly need to limit your calorie intake since those extra calories that don’t get burned will be turned into fat tissues by your body, most likely in the stomach area. Equally important, you need to make sure that you do regular exercise.

You need to do both full-body weight-training exercises and cardio exercises. Cardio training is important because it is highly effective to help your body to burn more fat. Here are 3 great cardio exercises to help you lose belly fat so your chosen ab belt will help you build stronger, visible abdominal muscles.

Jogging – The first example of great exercises to lose belly fat is jogging. Jogging is one of the easiest and simplest exercises to perform, but it’s also one of the most effective to get your body to burn lots of calories. For maximum benefits, you need to do jogging everyday for 20-30 minutes. I have found that the best time to do jogging is as soon as you wake up in the morning.

Skipping – Skipping is another great example of cardio exercises that can get your body to burn lots of calories in order to lose stomach fat. It’s easy to do and you can practically do it anywhere, whenever you have the time. Try to do it for 15-20 minutes with a high enough intensity so that you reap maximum benefits from the exercise.

Swimming – Another example of great exercises to lose belly fat is swimming. Swimming is a very effective exercise to burn lots of calories if you do it with a high enough intensity. It’s also a perfect exercise to strengthen the muscles in you arms and legs, and to help you build your stamina and endurance.

These simple exercises will, in addition to a healthier balanced diet, allow you to cut belly fat and see how fast an ab toning belt like the contour abs or the flex belt can help you get six pack abs!

Visit the official flex belt website »

How did the Flex Belt do vs. the competition? Read our full ab belt review

One point worth noting is that from all the various electrical toning devices available on the market, those focused on the abdomen are the most popular amongst consumers.

It is also often the case that people who are working out or are trying to tone up often focus on their abdominal muscles. This is partly due to the style of a lot of today’s clothing which is often tailored to show off your abs.

The main reason for wanting toned abs however is often because of the feelings it can result in when achieved. Having toned abs can improve your self esteem incredibly and makes you feel better about yourself due to the increased confidence it will produce.

Whilst excess weight around your stomach can be unattractive, it can also be dangerous. Excess weight increases the chance of illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure amongst others.

It can also cause muscle problems and cause people to feel lethargic and lazy making it harder to motivate yourself to get fitter and more toned.

While using an toning belt will not result in weight loss, it will help you achieve a more toned stomach. When you can visibly see the results achieved through the toning belt it will motivate you further and it may be easier for you to continue with your exercise or diet routine.

If you have no excess weight around your stomach then the results of using a toning belt will be even more apparent as the muscles will not be hidden under any stomach fat.

Muscles in your abdomen (or indeed any part of your body) are hidden by any excess weight you may carry, so no matter how toned your muscles may be, they will not be visible. If you want to achieve the best results for your abs then it is recommended that you carry out some form of exercise routine which will result in weight loss and a sensible eating plan.

The ab belt can then be used as an alternative to abdominal exercises such as crunches or sit-ups to supplement your exercise regime and achieve faster results.

Due to the design of ab toning belts it is easier now than it has ever been to incorporate their use into your everyday routine. The electronic abdominal toning belts wrap around your stomach and hold gel pads over your core muscles. The electrical muscle stimulators (EMS) used in the belt then pass through to the nerves in your muscles causing them to expand and contract at a rate unmatched by regular abdominal exercises.

Because the belt holds the gel pads in place, it can be worn under your clothes enabling you to carry out everyday activities without getting in the way. As you can carry out activities unhindered such as walking, watching TV, working, using the computer etc you are more likely to keep using your toning belt daily, therefore achieving the best results possible!

Ab  belts will however strengthen, build and tone the muscles already there in the same way conventional abdominal workouts will.

It is also advisable to stick to a healthy and balanced diet and keep an eye on what you drink. The way the body works means that if you have any fat, it will sit on top of your muscles and conceal them. So whilst you may have toned muscles, these will be hidden by any excess weight on your body, and in this case around your stomach.

This is why a gym or home exercise routine of cardiovascular/aerobic exercises to lose weight is recommended, along with weights and toning exercises to tone and strengthen your muscles.

The beauty of an abdominal toning belt is that it removes the need to carry out the toning exercises for your abs, giving you both faster results and more time for other activities. Many people who use toning belts also feel that using the belt encourages them to exercise more as they can spend more time focusing on exercises that burn fat, while the belt will concentrate on toning.

The desire to get the most from your results also encourages some users to work out more so as the muscle definition achieved with their toning belt will not be hidden by excess weight on their abdomen.

A common misconception of ab toning belts is that they are a miracle form of weight loss or a quick fix to achieve a ‘six-pack’. This has resulted in some bad reviews and has caused people to be sceptical of electronic toning devices.

It is important that people understand that electronic toning appliances are not an alternative to a sensible diet and a healthy lifestyle and exercise routine. However, they can be used as an alternative to toning exercises for the area of the body they will be used on – most commonly the abs.

This is why the best results will be achieved from your toning belt if you also stick to healthy eating and some sort of exercise regime that will result in weight loss. This will enable you to make the most of your toned abdominal muscles by ensuring they aren’t concealed by fat, making them more visible.

If you are serious about achieving toned muscles from your electric toning belt then it is also a good idea to try to use it on a daily basis and stick to your routine. This has been made even easier to do due to the design used by the majority of toning belts.

The most common design of toning belts means that they wrap around your stomach holding the conductive gel pads in place which cause the electric stimulation which works the underlying muscle.

This design means that the toning belt can be worn under your clothes, which in turn means it can be used while carrying out everyday chores, so there is no excuse not to use your toning belt everyday which will speed up the results you see!

How do EMS devices work my muscles?

The electrical impulses sent through the nerves to the muscles from the gel pads attached to electronic stimulators are designed to stop muscles from ‘wasting away’ – known as atrophying – in situations where a patient’s limb must be immobilized.  A common example of this would be a broken limb where the doctor would use electronic stimulants to help keep the muscle active.

Electronic abdominal toning belts work in the same way, and with continued use will not just keep the muscles active but also help tone and build the muscles.  By employing theses methods, toning belts cause the muscles to continually expand and contract.  This is what causes the muscles to become more toned, just as they would do during normal abdominal exercises.

Whilst toning belts may work the muscles at a faster rate than conventional exercises do, this does not carry any risk and is perfectly safe.

Although it can be said that all toning belts are safe, the only fully FDA approved toning belt available is the Flex belt.  Even though an FDA approval cannot say how well a toning belt works with regards to toning muscles, it does mean that it has been proved safe as an electrical appliance.  Whilst no problems have been reported with any other brands of toning belts, some consumers find this approval reassuring and it is therefore worth noting.

Whichever toning belt you buy it is recommended that you read the instructions as they may not be suitable for people with some medical conditions.  This might sound obvious, but some users often decide to ignore instructions and use the product without properly consulting them.

It is particularly important to read the instructions supplied with toning belts before use as they often can’t be used by people with certain medical conditions, such as those with a pace maker or pregnant women.

Whilst abdominal toning belts can be used by the majority of people, it is always worth checking this out (as with any product) before you decide to use a toning belt.  Although toning belts are safe, some users have found that after using their toning belt they have experience some localised redness.  However, this is completely safe and is usually caused by the skin reacting to the gels pads you place over the muscle groups you wish to work, particularly amongst those with sensitive skin.  In any case this redness will fade very rapidly after use of the ab belt.

As the increasing wide use by major league sports stars and general popularity of these ab belts show, they do not pose any threat to your health or wellbeing.  They are a safe and easy way to achieve toned abs without the time and effort needed to achieve the results through abdominal exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.

Due to the medical background to the electrical ab muscle stimulators used in abdominal toning belts, manufacturers were able to create a safe product that is proven to achieve results whilst posing no risk to the user.