If there is one thing everyone dreams about, it’s having a flat tummy. It can be that you desire to fit into that sleek, new dress, or simply to feel good in your body. You can achieve this through a bit of perseverance and the right type of exercise. In this article, we shall see the various exercises to lose belly fat.
Exercises to Lose Belly Fat:
The first thing you must keep in mind is that it is not really possible to spot-burn fat. It is better to focus on an overall weight loss regime. But what you can do is to incorporate ab exercises into your regular workout routine. These exercises help to lose belly fat faster.
1.) Crunches to Lose Belly Fat
This exercise is hailed as a surefire way to burn belly fat. Most workout regimes have this basic exercise in their repertoire. Here’s how you can do this to lose belly fat:
- Step 1 – Lie down flat on a mat. Bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands behind your head. Otherwise, if that is uncomfortable you can keep them crossed over your chest.
- Step 2 – Now inhale deeply, and lift your upper torso off the floor. As you do this, slowly exhale. Once more, inhale as you go back down, and exhale as you come up again.
- Repeat this 10 times to complete a set. You should repeat 2-3 sets of these regular crunches to complete the belly workout part of your exercise regime.
- When you get to a more advanced stage, you can lift your legs off the floor at a 90-degree angle. This puts better pressure on your abdominal muscles.
Tips: When lifting your torso, make sure you back is at a 30-40 degree angle from the floor. Do not sit all the way upright. This ensures maximum impact on your ab muscles. Another thing to keep in mind is that you should not jerk your head forward. This strain will result in neck pains.
2.) Burn Belly Fat with Twist Crunches
One way to keep your body revving up is to occasionally switch up the intensity of the exercises. Once you are used to regular crunches, you can modify the basic crunch. This gets you an even more effective exercise to lose belly fat. Here’s how to do it:
- Step 1 – Lie down flat on a mat. Bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the ground. Now, place your hands behind your head.
- Step 2 – In the regular crunches, you simply lift your upper torso. For the twist crunches, you have to lift only your right shoulder towards the left. While doing this, ensure that the left side of your torso remains on the ground.
- Step 3 – Alternate this with the left shoulder now, and keep the right side of your torso on the ground.
- Repeat 10 times on each side to complete one set. You may perform 2-3 sets of this exercise.
Tips: Make sure not to lift your head up too fast to avoid strain in your neck. Instead of trying to sit up all the way, lift your back just a few inches off the ground. This ensures you do not hurt your back.
3.) Plank to Lose Belly Fat Fast
Performing the plank exercise is a good way to lose belly fat. This particular exercise is designed to tighten the lower ab muscles. It can be a bit strenuous so the key to this exercise is build up the time each day. Here’s how you can do this exercise to lose belly fat:
- Step 1 – Kneel on a mat with your knees and elbows resting on the ground. Now stretch your legs back till your come into a plank position.
- Step 2 – Press your hands firmly into the mat, while pressing back strongly with your heels. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Now drop back to the starting position.
- Do 3 reps of this exercise. With each rep, try to build up the holding time till 1-2 minutes.
Tips: This exercise is to engage your lower ab muscles. Keep your body straight and long. Make sure your hips don’t rise too high or sag too low. Remember to breathe normally during this exercise. Keep your head up to prevent your neck muscles cramping.
4.) Lose Belly Fast with Rolling Plank
This exercise to lose belly fat is a little more advanced version of the regular plank exercise. This exercise works the muscles around the abdomen, lower back, and hip. Follow these steps to perform this exercise to lose belly fat:
- Step 1 – Get into the position for the regular plank exercise. Start off with a plank, holding the position for 30 seconds. Keep breathing normally.
- Step 2 – Now lie down on the floor sideways. Support your weight on the elbow and leg on the right of the body. Keep the elbow perpendicular to the shoulder, and the left leg above the right. The legs should be together.
- Step 3 – Hold this position for 30 seconds. Do 4 reps, 2 on each side. With each rep, try to hold the position for 1-2 minutes.
Tips: Keep the knees straight throughout this exercise. Do not touch the hips to the ground. Do not hold your breath while performing this since you may suffer from dizziness or nausea. As an additional tip, once you are more comfortable, try and lift the leg on top. Then bring it down again. Doing this works out your thighs and hips as well.
5.) Lunge Twist to Lose Belly Fat Fast
This is an excellent exercise for beginners who wish to lose belly fat fast. You can incorporate this into your workout regime. Follow these simple steps to perform this exercise.
- Step 1 – First, stand on the mat with your legs at hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly.
- Step 2 – Lift your hands till they are parallel to the floor. Your hands should also be aligned with your shoulders.
- Step 3 – Now, lunge forward. Take a big step forward with your left leg and imitate sitting down till your knees and thighs make a 90-degree angle with the ground. Position your right leg backward and support with the toes.
- Step 4 – Twist your torso first to the left and then to the right. Do 15 reps on each leg.
Tips: Keep your spine straight throughout the exercise and don’t bend it forward. This ensures maximum effectiveness. When twisting, only twist the torso. The legs should be kept firmly in place.
6.) Bicycle to Get Rid of Belly Fat
Unlike what you may be thinking, you do not need an actual bicycle to perform this exercise. The bicycle exercise is effective to work your calves, thighs and abdomen muscles. Follow these steps to help lose belly fat faster:
- Step 1 – Lie down flat on the mat. Keep your hands on either side of your torso, or behind your head. This starting position is similar to that of the crunches.
- Step 2 – Lift both legs off the ground. Bend them at the knees.
- Step 3 – Bring the right knee close to your chest and slightly stretch your left leg out. Now do this vice-versa and bring the left leg in close to your chest, while stretching the right.
- Step 4 – Repeat this motion to imitate as if you are peddling a bicycle. Perform this exercise for 5-10 minutes.
Tips: In step 2, keep your bent knees and calves perpendicular to the ground. Place your palms flat on the floor to gain better balance. Your arms should be straight and tucked in beside your torso.
7.) Bending Side to Side to Lose Weight
This is another good exercise to lose belly fat quickly. Doing this exercise helps to trim any excess fat protruding from the sides of the torso. These are generally called ‘love handles’. Follow these steps to perform this easy, yet effective, exercise.
- Step 1 – Stand straight with your feet close together. Place your hands at your sides. This is your starting position.
- Step 2 – Keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground, place your left hand on your left hip and raise your right hand straight above. Now bend at your waist, as far as you can to your left. Stay in this position for 15 seconds.
- Step 3 – Return to original position and repeat on the right side.
- Do 15 reps on each side. Once you are more comfortable, increase the holding time to 30 seconds.
Tips: In the starting position, keep your feet only about a foot apart from each other. When bending at the waist, ensure that the both feet are kept flat on the ground.
8.) Vertical Leg Crunch to Lose Belly Fat
Another modification of the basic crunch, this advanced exercise is useful to burn stomach fat. This can help to achieve a flat stomach. Follow these steps to perform this exercise:
- Step 1 – Lie down on the floor or the exercise mat. Extend your legs up toward the ceiling. Place one knee crossed over the other.
- Step 2 – Repeat this step as you would with regular crunches. Breathe in and lift your upper body from the floor. Breathe out slowly.
- Step 3 – Breathe in once more as you lower yourself back to the ground. Now lift yourself up and breathe out.
- Do 12-15 reps of this exercise. Work your way up to 3 sets.
Tips: Initially, do only a few repetitions of this exercise. It is easy to make your muscles feel sore if you overdo it. Gradually build up the repetitions till you can perform 3-4 sets.
9.) Captain’s Chair for Weight Loss
This exercise is quite simple and effective to burn belly fat. It works to tighten your ab muscles. It also helps to strengthen your thigh muscles. To perform this exercise, you simply need a chair and these steps:
- Step 1 – Sit on the chair, keeping your spine straight and shoulders relaxed. Keep both of your hands with the palms facing downward, by your hips. Inhale deeply through your nose.
- Step 2 – Exhale and bring both legs up towards your chest, bent at the knees. Hold this position for 5 seconds.
- Step 3 – Slowly bring your legs down and repeat. Do 5 reps of this exercise.
Tips: While you lift your knees towards your chest, you must not bend forward or arch your back. Once you are more comfortable, do 10-15 reps of this exercise.
10.) Stomach Vacuum to Burn Belly Fat
These are low-impact exercises that focus on steadying your breathing rather than increasing your heart rate. This type of exercise is also important while working out. It builds lung-power and stamina. It is also good to lose belly fat.
- Step 1 – Kneel down on the mat, on all fours. Support yourself with your hands and knees.
- Step 2 – Inhale deeply through your nose and loosen your abdomen muscles.
- Step 3–Exhale sharply through the nose, while tightening the abdomen muscles. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
- Do 3 reps of this exercise.
Tips: This exercise must only be performed on an empty stomach, to prevent indigestion. If you suffer from heart or lung conditions, avoid this exercise.
