Ten Exercises To Target That Stubborn Belly Fat

Jul 24, 2019 by apost team

Take a tape measure and see how large your waistline is. According to the Harvard School for Public Health, Women with a waistline larger than 35 inches are considered "abdominally obese" and are at higher risk of having health problems in the future, such as heart disease, for example. 

Visceral fat deep in your abdomen affects your insulin production while increasing stress hormones. Keep your abdomen in good shape to prevent this from happening.

It is worth noting that exercise alone is not the solution, so keep in mind that this work-out regimen should be accompanied by a healthy diet in order to obtain desirable results. 

Let's look at 10 exercises to help you burn that fat away.

#10 Reclined Spinal Twists

  • To get started, lie flat on your back. Stretch your arms out to the sides.
  • Bend your right knee and bring it up towards your chest, until it's just above your waist. Slowly, roll the right knee towards the left, eventually settling your right foot behind the left thigh.
  • Reach out your left hand and touch your bent right knee. Press on it and intensify the stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.

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#9 Reverse Plank Kicks

  • Assume the reverse plank position. Arms and legs straight, face towards the ceiling. The hands should be on the floor with fingers pointed towards the feet, with your heels to the ground.
  • Lower your buttocks slightly towards the floor while raising your left foot up at a 45 degree angle. Lower the leg and repeat on the right side. Do 10 repetitions on each side.

#8 Criss-Cross

  • Lie flat on the ground with your legs straight and your hands placed gently behind your head with arms bent.
  • Bring your legs up off the ground while tightening your abdominal muscles to bring your shoulders off the ground. Bend the right knee and move it towards your left elbow. Gently twist your torso to bring your left elbow to the right knee. Keep your left leg straight.
  • Return to starting position and repeat on other side. Do 15 repetitions on both sides.

#7 Knee-to-Elbow Plank

  • Assume the classic plank position, with arms straight, your hands flat, your legs straight and the heels off the ground.
  • Bend the right knee and move it forward to try to meet the left elbow. Hold for three seconds, and resume to initial position. Repeat using left knee to right elbow.
  • Do the exercise 10 times on either side.

#6 Russian Twists

  • Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Bend the knees and draw them up until you can plant your feet flat on the ground. Clasp your hands in front, with your arms outstretched but relaxed.
  • Lean back until your torso is at a 45-degree angle. Keep your heels flat.
  • Bring your arms in a sweeping motion to the right side. The goal is to touch the ground with your hands.
  • Return arms to the center position, then repeat to the left. Do 10 repetitions before returning torso to starting position.

#5 Toe-Touch Crunches

  • Lie on your back with your arms above your head and your legs straight.
  • At the same time, raise your legs and arms up towards the ceiling. As you reach the top, you should be balanced on a single point of your lower back. Try to touch your toes.
  • Go back to the flat position and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions.

#4 Low-belly Leg Reach

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head.
  • Breathe in and pull your torso towards the ceiling. Hold that position for 5 seconds.
  • Exhale and straighten your legs, so they are at a 45-degree angle from the floor. Hold this position for 5 minutes.
  • Lower your torso and legs back to starting position. Relax for 15 seconds and then repeat this exercise between 10 and 15 times.

#3 Butterfly Crunch

  • Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees then lower them to either side, with the bottom of the feet together. Stretch your arms over your head.
  • At the same time, curl your upper body towards your feet and your legs towards your torso. Bring your arms forwards between your legs.
  • Lower both the torso and the legs down, returning to starting position. Repeat the entire sequence 10 times.

#2 Single Leg Hamstring Bridge

  • Lie flat on your back. Bring the left knee up to a 90-degree angle, with your left foot flat on the floor. Bring your straight right leg up and extend it towards the ceiling.
  • Using your glutes, lift your hips up towards the ceiling to form a bridge. Hold that position for 3 seconds, then lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat this motion 12 times.
  • Repeat on the other side with the right knee bent and the left leg to the ceiling.

#1 Leg Lifts

  • Lie flat on the floor with your arms straight at your side and your legs stretched out.
  • Raise your torso up, and bend your elbows back to support your weight at a 90-degree angle. Using your abdominal muscles, raise your legs until the heels are 10-inches off the floor. Lower them, but do not let the heels touch the floor. Repeat 15 times.

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What exercises do you use to burn abdominal fat? Let us know. Also, give your family and friends a chance to learn something new today.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!