Fighting abdominal fat is part of the struggle many individuals hoping to lose weight go through each year. Among every other Fatty tissue found in the body, stomach fat should be given more attention if we intend to lose fat.
Medically known as “Visceral fat”, Belly fat is that deep fatty tissues around your stomach that cover major organs of the body, including the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Not necessarily peculiar to obsessed persons, you can still possess a large amount of visceral fat around the abdominal region even if you’re thin.
While being overweight is generally unhealthy, having excess belly fat can lead to increased vulnerability to various types of disease including Coronary heart disease, Cancer, Stroke, Dementia, Diabetes, Depression, Arthritis, Obesity, Sexual dysfunction, Sleep disorders and mortality.
Although the road to weight loss all “starts in the kitchen” adding the following simple Exercise for losing belly fat will ensure you get back to shape. These exercises are specially designed to train your abdominal muscles and make you lose those belly fat. Here are a few of that weight loss exercises to lose belly fat.
“Losing weight, either in the belly part or in your overall body, everything starts in the kitchen. What goes on your plate daily will determine how much fat you can lose in your abdominal”
#1: Walking or Running to lose belly fat
First, on our list is running which is one of the most effective methods for burning calories. Running or walking long distances can stimulate high energy burn out. Consistent running will go a long way to boasts your self-esteem leaving you with more energy for your daily routine and targeting abdominal fat.
#2: Crunches for belly fat
There is no effective exercise regime to burn abdominal fats without the crunches. Crunches are specifically targeted at our superficial surface muscles and help to strengthen the abdominal walls, A perfect exercise to gain a 6 pack and even if you are not interested in a six pack crunches are a must to lose that excess stomach fat.
Crunches come in many variations and you may try a combination of one or two for more effective weight loss.
“Put on your shoes and get on the road daily; jogging is a great place to start losing abdominal fat”
How to perform the regular Crunch Exercise
- Lie down with your back on the floor.
- With your feet flat on the floor Bend your knees
- Place your hands behind your head, or position your hands crossed on your chest
- Take a deep breath as you lift your shoulders off the floor using your abdominal muscles until you reach a peak then you exhale
- Inhale again as you get your shoulder back to the ground and exhale when you return to your starting position.
- Repeat step 2-5 for 10 times.
Other Variations of Crunches are:
Side Crunches for belly fat
This exercise is especially focused on your oblique, which is the muscles on your side and is effective in trimming belly fat.
PROCEDURE:
- Lie down with your back on the floor.
- With your feet flat on the floor Bend your knees
- Place your hands on either side of your head your head
- Lift your upper torso with your abs muscles to perform the crunch while tilting your legs to the same side simultaneously with your shoulders.
Crunch and twist for belly fat
This exercise works especially on the oblique muscle of the stomach
PROCEDURE:
Start with the regular crunch exercise but this time while raising yourself with your abdominal muscles twist your body from the waist and try to touch your left knee with your right elbow,
Untwist and go to starting position. After which you repeat with the opposite side and try to touch your right knee with your left elbow. Repeat procedure on each side 10-15 times for maximum impact.
Vertical Leg Crunch for belly fat
Another great exercise is the vertical leg crunch. This is one great crunch exercise with a twist. To carry out this exercise, position by lying on the ground with your legs raised straight up. This will form an angle of 90-degree with the rest of your body. Then do the regular crunch motion. This exercise works specifically with the abs and side muscles.
Reverse Crunch for belly fat
In the reverse crunch, you lie on the ground with your hands behind your head and knees bent.
Raise your both legs off the ground bending the knees to 90 degrees.
As you exhale you pull your knees in toward the chest and hold for 2 seconds. After which you lower your legs slowly as you return to your starting position.
“Crunches is a very important exercise when it comes to losing belly fat. It targets your Oblique muscles and tend to help you tone up the rectus abdominus for better fat loss”
#3: Bicycle Exercise
This is another simple exercise to lose belly fat it works by targeting your stomach wall and side muscles.
It is one of the simple exercises for the abdominals, producing more than 148% activity in the rectus abdominus when compared to the traditional crunches
PROCEDURE:
- Position yourself by lying flat on your back
- Place both hands behind your ears
- Raise your legs in the air and bend your knees so that your legs form an angle 90 degree.
- Move your legs as if you are riding a bicycle. Before your left knee reaches your body, bring your right elbow forward to it. Do same with the right knee, As it approaches your body, reach out to it with the left elbow.
- Repeat step 3 -4 for 1 minute until you get
#4: Seated Knee Lifts with Chair/ Captain’s Chair
PROCEDURE:
- Sit on edge of a chair with your knees bent and feet flat.
- Hold both sides of the chair and lean back slightly.
- Exhale as you pull your knees toward your chest making use of only your abdominal muscles.
- Inhale as you Lower your feet almost close to the floor, but don’t let them touch the ground.
- Repeat step 3 – 5 for 10 times in a slow but controlled manner for effective belly fat loss.
#5: Plank
The plank exercise is another simple routine to train the muscles found around your stomach, hip, and lower back.
PROCEDURE:
- Get yourself into position by lying flat on your stomach placing your palms next to your shoulders as seen in the picture below. Your feet and legs should be placed together with toes down. (See picture above)
- Lift your entire body up, with your arms straight ensuring your weight is evenly balanced between hands and toes. The body should be kept in a straight position as much as possible.
- Hold for 30 seconds and work up to 1-3 minutes.
- Repeat 10 times and remember not to let your hips rise or drop during the procedure.
Side Plank
Like the Plank exercise, it is also aimed at working on you oblique, abdominal muscles especially the side of your stomach.
PROCEDURE:
- Get yourself in position by lying on your side, legs straight, feet piled together
- Straighten your bottom arm out ensuring it is in line below shoulder,
- Position your free hand on your hip. Flex your feet while still maintaining a balance.
- Using your abdominal muscles maintain your hips lifted for 30 seconds. Work up to 1-3 minutes.
- Repeat procedure with the other part of your body, while ensuring your hips don’t drop to the ground
#6: Bending Side To Side:
This is yet another perfect exercise for reducing belly fat.
PROCEDURE
- Stand with both feet apart with your hands on your sides.
- With your legs firm to the ground, tilt your entire body to the right side until you feel a pressure on your left side of your waist.
- As you proceed, make sure you position your right hand on the right hip, while raising the left hand upwards.
- Maintain this posture for the next 15 seconds after which you return to your starting position.
- The next step is tilting your body to the left with your left hand firmly on the left side of your hip and your right hand raised up. This position should be maintained for additional 15 seconds
- Repeat step 2-5 until you feel exhausted.
#7: Leg Drop, Hip Lifts and Exercise Ball
Exercise Ball – An exercise ball can be a great tool for you to start working your abdominal muscles. It allows for a large range of movement, and easily works all the muscles in your stomach.
PROCEDURE
Sit on the exercise ball and then proceed to do basic abdominal exercise regimes on it. Crunches and sit-ups work effectively using the ball. Regular use of the exercise ball can help you lose lots of belly fat.
Leg Drops
- Get yourself into position by laying on the floor with your legs over your hips an angle of 90 degrees.
- After which you gradually low down your legs as much as you can making sure it does not touch the floor, As you do so, maintain the position of your lower back ensuring they are not lifted up.
- Finally, raise your legs returning it to the initial starting position.
- Repeat 10 times.
Hip Lifts
- Take position by lying on the floor with your arms by your sides.
- Place your palms down and your legs over your hips at 90 degrees ensuring your feet are loosened.
- Raise your hips off the floor using your core abdominal muscles while your legs are reaching towards the ceiling.
- Then return to the starting position.
- Repeat 15 times for optimal effect.
There are many other exercise regimes to weight loss but reducing stomach fat can be easily achieved if you follow these simple exercises for losing belly fat. Combining exercise with the right nutrition, determination and a lot of stamina, you can achieve your dream shape at home without the help of any personal trainer.