Over 50% of adults in America want to lose weight. One of the most targeted areas of the body for weight loss is the belly.
Most people want rock-hard abs or a smaller waistline, but it’s not always easy to get there. Belly fat can be stubborn.
So what are some exercises to lose belly fat? What exercises can you start implementing into your routine today to melt the fat away?
If you’re wondering how to lose belly fat, keep reading to learn more about belly fat and what workouts to lose belly fat work best.
Why You Should Reduce Belly Fat
Americans desire slimmer abs, but did you know that belly fat may actually cause serious health problems?
Excess fat around the waistline is called visceral fat, which means it’s stored closest to the internal organs. Because of this, visceral fat may cause certain types of cancers, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The more visceral fat you have, the greater the risk.
Muscle loss occurs as you age, and you’re prone to packing on weight more quickly than when you were younger. Staying as physically active as possible is one way to keep the belly fat, and potential for disease, at bay.
Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
Taking off the belly fat can be challenging, especially with family, jobs, and other responsibilities. Exercising for weight loss doesn’t always fit easily into schedules.
There are some quick exercises that help reduce belly fat that you can try throughout the day or combined with other weight loss programs like ChinoThin. In fact, combining exercises with other activities like cardio and diet can improve your results.
Here are some of the best exercises to try for removing stubborn belly fat.
Burpees
Burpees are not welcomed in almost any exercise setting because they’re extremely challenging. However, they target so many parts of the body: abs, arms, legs, core, and shoulders, that they’re worth trying.
You begin a burpee by standing with your feet apart, parallel with your shoulders. Squat down, put your hands on the floor, and jump your feet back so you’re in a plank position. Do a push-up, jump your feet to the front, hop back up, and repeat.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are easy enough because they require no special equipment, and you can do them almost anywhere. Jumping jacks are a great quick cardio workout for building stamina and burning calories.
To start jumping jacks, stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart. As you jump out, spread your legs apart and bring your arms up over your head. Bring your arms back to your sides, and feet back together, and this counts as one jumping jack.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are another great exercise to scorch belly fat because not only are you crunching your abs, but you’re doing cardio. They can be challenging at first, so you’ll need to work up to doing several reps. Start in a plank position and squeeze your abs tight. Bend one leg and bring it forward to your chest, and then place your foot back in the original position. Do the same with the other leg and work on increasing your pace.
Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is an exercise that combines weights and cardio to help blast belly fat. It’s simple enough to do, and if you don’t have a kettlebell, a regular dumbbell works fine.
Holding your kettlebell (or dumbbell) in front of you, stand shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, and bring your weight up parallel with the floor, using your muscles and not the momentum. Lower the weight down to starting position and repeat for more reps.
Russian Twists
Twists help strengthen your core on all sides via rotation. Beginners can decide whether to use a medicine ball, but work on the form before you incorporate any type of weight.
Sitting on the ground, bend your knees and raise your feet comfortably off the ground, feeling some tightness in your core. Lean back slightly, clasp your hands in front of you (or hold on to a medicine ball) and twist from one side to the other. Keep a straight back, and use your ribs to twist and not your arms.
Planks
Planks look simple, but they can be challenging, yet incredibly effective for burning fat. This is because planks build core muscle, and muscle builds fat.
Coming into a push-up position, place your arms directly under your shoulders with your legs out and toes tucked. Pull your belly button in towards your spine for support and tighten your abs. Be sure to breathe and stay in this position for about 30 to 60 seconds, or as long as you can, working up to a longer time.
Running
Running burns more calories than walking, but running on an incline burns the most. Running is an easy activity to start because all you need is a pair of good running shoes.
You can run on an incline using a treadmill, or visit your closest park to take advantage of the natural hills and scenery.
Interested in Losing Weight?
There are many exercises to lose belly fat that require little equipment and little time. You can spread these exercises out, or block out a time to accomplish them all. Be sure to give yourself a day or two of rest to strengthen your muscles and enjoy a healthier you.
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