How to Reduce Belly Fat
There is a crowd of gym subscribers who all agree on one thing: belly fat is unhealthy and unwanted. There are many health specialists who believe that having belly fat can be a precursor to diabetes, stroke and some heart diseases. The stubbornness of belly fat and how to get rid of it for good are reasons for our frequent scouting of webpages dedicated to fitness and health. If you have been looking for effective means to reduce your belly fat, you have come to the right spot. We will be looking at some exercises and expert fitness tips ideal for burning belly fat.
14 Exercises for Burning Belly Fat
Russian Twist
This exercise helps you to reduce your belly fat and tone your muscles like your abs, glutes, and obliques. This exercise isn’t too intense, all you need to do is follow the instructions and breathe normally without holding your breath.
While sitting on a mat, raise your legs and lean backward. Keep your knees flexed and close both your palms together. Then you should begin to twist the upper region of your body to the right and to the left. Keep going in this position for a few minutes.
Crunches
Crunches develop your upper and lower abs. Lay still on your mat and flex both knees to keep your feet on the floor. Put your thumbs at the back of both ears and lift your head from the floor by holding your head with the remaining fingers. This will be the starting position of the exercise. Try to curl your body up till your head reaches your knees, then you go back to the starting position. Repeat this movement several times, inhaling as you curl your body up and exhaling as you go back down to your starting position.
Plank
Plank targets the muscles of your abdomen, shoulders, glutes, and biceps. You can start by kneeling on a mat and support with your elbows on the mat. Stretch your right leg and your left leg back. Keep your back, hips, and neck in line, as this makes your core taut. Maintain the pose for no less than thirty seconds before you disengage. Do this about three times at once. Keep your back straight without drooping.
Sit-ups
This is a common workout for your abs and is a great way to reduce your belly fat. Lie down and bend your knees, keeping your heels on the ground. Look directly at the ceiling. Lift your body from the lying position to a sitting position without using your hands or legs as a support. Rise to the sitting position with the strength of your abdominal muscles alone. Return to your lying position slowly, and repeat the process as much as a dozen times. You may start in sets of threes and six till you are able to go on.
Burpees
Burpees is another well-known exercise for your muscles, and it reduces belly fat. You will start this workout standing, keeping your feet apart. Assume a ‘frog position’ by bending your knees and placing both hands on the floor. Jump and push both legs back to get into a push-up position. Then hop up and return to the frog position. Leap vertically while extending your hands over your head together, and land gently. Repeat all these moves in cycles four or six times before resting about 20 seconds. Prioritize doing this with the right position. Burpees can be demanding, so start slow and pick up the pace over time.
Lying Leg Raises
This workout affects your abs, glutes, quads and hamstrings. Lay still on your mat and keep your thumbs beneath your hips with both palms facing the floor. Raise your feet from the floor just a bit, while looking at the ceiling. This will serve as the starting position.
Gradually lift your legs till they are at 90 degrees, then bring them down carefully until they are just a little off the ground. Don’t let your legs touch the ground as you slowly lift and drop your legs repeatedly. Continue till you complete 3 sets of 15 reps.
Scissor Kicks
This is an exercise you should execute slowly. It targets your lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Keep your hands under your hips while lying flat on the ground, then raise your head, the upper part of your back and your legs from the floor. Lower both legs and raise them alternatively, like the movement of a pair of scissors, without touching the ground. Continue this motion a dozen times for a set, and you can do three sets at once.
Bicycle Crunches
This is an interesting workout for your belly. It works on your lower abs, upper abs, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and obliques.
Lie down on a mat, bend your knees, and gently raise your feet from the floor. Put each thumb behind both ears and leave your head in the grasp of your remaining fingers. This will be the starting position of your workout.
Extend your left leg until it is completely stretched out. At the same time, twist toward the right as you curl your body up. Reach out to touch your left elbow with your right knee before you curling back to flex your left leg. Repeat this with your other leg and keep going in two sets of twelve reps. Try not to rush over each set.
Half Seated Reverse Crunch
Another abs and glutes workout, the half seated reverse crunch could be ideal for you. Bend your knees and keep both feet on the ground as you are seated on your mat. Lean backward as you hold up your body with both elbows. Raise both legs so your knees are almost touching your nose, then return both legs to their initial position slowly. Make sure you don’t bend your back and shoulders too much. Keep at these movements for a couple of rounds before giving it a rest.
Leg In and Out
The starting position of this exercise requires that you assume a sitting position with your palms right behind you and flat on the floor, then your back is resting backward a bit as both legs are raised off the mat. After you’ve attained this position, tuck in both legs and pull the upper part of your body to your knees. Slowly return to your starting position and repeat the exercise a couple of times before resting. This exercise works on your belly fat while targeting your abs, quads, and glutes.
Heel Touch
Engaging your upper abs and obliques, this exercise can help you reduce belly fat. How do you do this? Simple. Start by lying down on the floor with your legs bending and your feet wide apart. Your hands should stay put beside you; relax your shoulders and keep your chin up. Start bending sideways to touch your heels alternately, your right heel by your right hand and your left heel with your left hand. Do three sets (20 per set) of this movement at once before resting. Your feet shouldn’t be too close to your hips for this exercise to work.
Jackknife Crunch
Jackknife Crunch affects both your upper abs and lower abs. Use both your hands to reach out above your head as you lie on your mat — this is the starting position of the workout. Raise the upper part of your body while your neck and back are kept within a straight line. Raise both of your feet at once, then use your hands to reach out to your knees. Return to the starting position of the exercise and continue the jackknife crunches repeatedly.
Lying Alternate Toe Taps
Lift both legs as you lie down on a mat. Then lift your hands, the upper part of your body and head. Bend gradually till you can use your right hand to touch your left foot. Relax and bend again using your left hand to reach out to your right foot. Continue this for about five minutes or in two sets. You might not be able to reach your feet with your hands at first, but try to get as near as you can to your feet.
Side Plank
Side planks target your abs, biceps, and shoulders. Allow most of your body lie by a side and put your left foot across your right foot. Place your elbow beneath your shoulder, holding your waist with your left hand. Keep your head, neck and back in line. Then raise your pelvis for almost a minute, breathing as you maintain the pose. After disengaging, you can have a break of ten seconds before turning to your other side and repeating the side plank. You can increase the number of times you do this over time.