How to Get Rid of Superficial Body Fat

There are three basic types of body fat in the human body. Subcutaneous or superficial fat, which sits between the muscles and the skin, is what causes dimples and rolls in the skin. The second type of fat is intramuscular fat, which resides between the muscle fibers. The third is visceral fat, which sits between the organs. To reduce superficial fat in particular in the most efficient way, you will need to alternate high intensity interval training with weight lifting, and will need to improve your diet. According to studies done on test subjects at Tokyo Metropolitan University in 1997, along with several other studies, high intensity cardiovascular exercise, in particular, helps to burn subcutaneous fat.

Things You'll Need

• Cardio equipment (running shoes, a bicycle, or a swimming pool)

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Instructions

High-Intensity Interval Training

• 1

  Warm up and then stretch for five minutes. You can do this by jogging slowly, light bicycling, or light swimming. If you want to perform a different kind of cardio exercise, simply apply the same principles here and afterward.

• 2

  Break into a sprint at about 90 percent of your possible effort and continue for 30 seconds. If you are swimming, bicycling or anything else instead, do it at 90 percent of your possible effort.

• 3

  Slow down to a walk or light jog at half of your level of possible effort. Continue for 90 seconds. If you are swimming or bicycling, slow down for the same amount of time.

• 4

  Break into another sprint and repeat this cycle six to eight times. When you are done, cool down by gradually reducing your level of effort to a standstill over a few minutes. Do not stop abruptly.

• 5

  In order to burn as much superficial fat as possible, you should perform this cardio routine three times a week, alternating with days of short, intense weight-lifting workouts.

Proper Dieting

• 6

  Do not worry about weight-loss supplements or fad diets. Neither of those are lasting solutions. If you are seriously obese, consult a doctor.

• 7

  Eat more unprocessed food. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, author of "Ultrametabolism," this is the single most important thing you can do to help control appetite and lose weight. Unprocessed food means food not made in a factory---food in as natural a state as possible.

• 8

  Increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Fiber comes from vegetables, fruit, berries, and whole grains. Increasing your level of fiber will make you feel fuller---and thus consume fewer calories.

• 9

  Reduce or eliminate sources of refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, as well as white, starchy foods such as refined white flour that turn quickly into sugar in the body. All of these encourage your body to store fat.