Exercises to lose belly fat

Belly fat. Eek! It’s a troublesome area for many of us. Our flat and toned pre-baby belly seems so far away now. BUT NEVER FEAR you can get your abs back and blast away that belly fat, With these 5 best exercises to lose belly fat. All it takes is a whole lot of determination, healthy eating, and knowing which exercises are best for sculpting those obliques.

In this article (with the help of Healthy Mummy personal trainer Wendy Smith) we reveal 5 of the best exercises to lose belly fat.

5 best exercises for burning belly fat

It’s super important to flag that you cannot ‘spot’ reduce fat. That is, you can’t assume that by just training abs you’ll see a killer six-pack in no time.

Awesome weight loss results come from exercising and looking after the whole body.

However when you combine targeted training (such as the below 5 exercises) with a healthy diet plan like the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge Meal Plan and cardio (think HIIT, Tabata and DanceFit) you’ll notice a more and more defined, less wobbly tummy.

1. Plank with ball roll

Starting Position: Start in a plank position with feet spread wide apart and arms directly underneath shoulders. Place a ball under your right hand. Keep your upper body strong and engage your core, while keeping your back straight.

Execution: Engage your core by pulling your belly button toward your spine and roll the ball over to your left, cupping the ball with your left hand and placing your right hand down onto the mat. Next, roll the ball over to your right hand again, keeping your core and lower back strong and stable as you lower your left arm to the floor and return to the starting position. Repeat exercise.

2. Bicycle 

Starting Position: Lie on your back with your head and neck relaxed and arms by your side. Bend your knees and lift your legs into the air. Pull knees toward your chest and lengthen your right leg. This is your starting position.

Execution: Pulling your belly button toward the floor, lift your left leg up toward your chest and lengthen your right leg. Switch sides by pulling your right leg toward your chest and lengthening your left leg. Breathe in and out throughout the movement. Continue with a ‘riding’ type motion alternating legs.

3. Roll-ups 

Starting Position: Lie flat on your back with palms facing downward and fingers facing forward. Place your arms overhead and your lower back firmly planted on the floor. Extend through your knees and engage your core muscles.

Execution: Inhale and gently lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor. Then exhale as you pull your belly button toward the floor, round through your spine and lift your arms overhead and toward your feet, slowly rolling up to a seated position. Inhale, then exhale as you roll down through each vertebra back to the floor, keeping your feet pressed into the mat.

4. Single leg raise 

Starting Position: Lie on the floor on your back with arms by your side and legs lengthened. Bend your left knee and place your left foot flat on the floor, a few inches from your torso. Straighten your right leg and hold 1 inch off the floor. This is your starting position.

Execution: Exhale and slowly lift your right leg up in line with your left knee, keeping the right knee straight and left foot flat on the floor. Relaxing your head and neck on the floor, slowly return your right leg down to one inch off the floor. Perform the exercise for 30 seconds and then repeat the exercise on the opposite leg for 30 seconds.

5. Pilates Abdominal Swing

Starting Position: Lie flat on your back with legs in a tabletop position and place your hands underneath your thighs.

Execution: Inhale and bring your knees toward your chest. Exhale, lift your head and upper body as you roll forward slightly and lengthen your legs. Repeat exercise.

Exercising to burn belly fat and tone your abdominal muscles

Increase heart rate and burn fat with high-intensity interval training (HIIT), including exercises such as sit-ups, reverse crunches, mountain climbers to help build a flat belly.

If you want to burn body fat overall, a good cardio workout will help you increase heart rate, work up a sweat and burn belly fat if you include exercises that target abdominal muscles.

Get the body moving and work the muscles in your lower body to help flatten your tummy and blast belly fat.

Besides your tummy, you need also to work your left side, right side and back muscle groups using exercises that focus on these areas. Also don’t forget to warm up to avoid any possible injuries.

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