What are the best exercises to lose belly fat?

Waking up to see bulging fat hanging around your belly and waist probably start the trail of memories of when you used to have a perfectly toned body. If the fear of not seeing yourself in your ideal body shape is keeping you up at night, this guide is all you need!

Here's a complete guide on burning belly fat fast, along with expert tips to make this journey seamless for you.

What is belly fat?

Belly fat, in general terms, refers to the fat that surrounds your abdomen. Depending on the level of fat, it can either be Visceral, the fat that goes deep in to surround your organs, or Subcutaneous, which is a layer of fat that sits right under the skin. According to experts, Visceral fat, as it tends to be more harmful to your body, has access to your organs, which can quickly build up to cause more serious health issues if not taken care of.

To make sure you tackle your problem areas at the right time, here's how you can lose belly fat for women.

Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

1. Crunches

Lie down flat on your ground with a yoga mat under your body. Bend your knees so its hip-width apart and align well with your shoulders. Make sure you have your hands on your palms or thumbs behind your ears. Your fingers must not interlock behind your head. Now, inhale deeply before you go on to bend your body. Lift your torso off the floor and slowly exhale as you go. Then go back to the original lying position and repeat this movement.

Remember always to maintain a three-inch distance between your chest and chin, so you don't put much strain on your neck. Your focus throughout the workout should be on your stomach and feel it contract and expand during the workout.

2. Plank with the ball roll

Start your plank with your feet spread wide and arms directly aligned underneath your shoulders. Take the ball under your right hand and make sure your core is engaged in this process. Once that's done, pull your belly button towards your spine and roll the ball over to your right to get a maximum stretch. Now, cup the ball with your left hand while keeping your right hand onto the mat. Roll the ball over to the right and repeat the process.

Here, you need to ensure that your core and lower back are as stable as possible, especially during the transition time when you lower your left arm to the floor and return to the original position. Repeat this exercise 25 to 30 times.

However, if you are a beginner, you can always start slow and gradually build up the intensity to make sure your body is challenged to perform better.

3. Burpees

This exercise makes sure to trigger your core, chest, last, triceps, shoulders, and quads. It keeps your heart pumping and makes use of most of your body weight to burn belly fat fast. To do this, stand with your feet shoulder length apart and slowly go into a low squat position. Now, place your hands right outside the feet and your chest to touch the floor.

Later, push your hands against the floor to lift your body in a push-up position and jump your feet right outside of your hands. You will now have your weight in your heel. Jump high into the air and let your arms stretch out over your head to ensure you're incorporating each part of your body. Then go back to the original position and repeat this 10 times.

It is recommended you do this 10 times 5 to 6 times a week and increase the intensity with time.

4. Turkish Get-Up

This celebrity favorite workout has been around for 20 years. Although it is slightly more complicated than the rest mentioned in this guide, you will start to see how beneficial it is for reducing your belly fat once you get a hold of it.

The workout involves using a kettlebell to make the most out of each movement. Start by holding one kettlebell up with your hands and lie on your side, more like in a fetal position. Now, roll onto your back and push the kettlebell towards the ceiling using both your hands until the weight is stable. Release a free arm and leg to a 45-degree angle.

Once you are done with this initial step, push your foot on the floor and take the keep ball to roll onto your forearm. Remember not to shrug your shoulders toward the ear as it can make the workout completely futile. After that, straighten your elbow and lift yourself to a seated position.

Later, make sure your arms are perfectly aligned with your wrist. Raise your torso and swivel your back knee so that your back shin is in line with your front shin. Tightly grip to the floor and take a deep breath before you stand up.

Too hard to understand? Practice as you read that again.

To make this complex workout easier, it is recommended to go for gym wear that provides the necessary flexibility and stretch to aid movements. FIRM ABS is armed with one of the softest, stylish, and stretchable sportswear to help you do just that.

5. Bicycle

Bicycling is as easy as it sounds. It is a bicycling workout to lose belly fat. The best part about the exercise is how you don't need any equipment to do so (not even a bicycle). However, if you happen to own a bicycle or stationary bike, we would suggest you go for a 20-25 minute season 5 times a week.

If you don't, here's how you can carry out bicycle exercise without a bicycle.

Lie on your back with your head, neck, and arms relaxed. Bend your knees and lift your legs into the air until you start to feel the pressure in your core. Now pull your knees towards your chest and lengthen your right leg. After that, do the same for your left leg in this riding motion by alternating your legs to create momentum.

Try to avoid pulling your neck and make sure your back is flat on the floor, so you don't pose a risk to your health. If you have been carrying out regular cardio with a healthy diet, incorporating this bicycle exercise is just enough to lose belly fat.

6. Pilates Abdominal Swing

Lie flat on a yoga mat and keep your legs in a tabletop position. Pace your hands underneath your thighs, inhale and bring your knees towards your chest. Lift your head and upper body as you fall towards the front and lengthen your legs. Repeat this exercise 25-30 times for best results.

7. Lunge Twist

Lunges are an excellent choice for people who want to lose weight quickly. It is not only a great lower body workout but can strengthen your core as well. For many fitness enthusiasts, lunges have been a way to warm up and get your blood flowing before you can begin the hectic workout.

When we specifically talk about lunge twists, all you have to do is stand with your legs hip-width apart and your knee slightly bent. Lift your hands in front and get into a lunging position with your left foot forward. Remember, your hands must be aligned with your shoulders as well as the ground.

Now, try to reach the tip of your hands to get the maximum stretch. You can do this by thinking of pointing to the left from your belly button. Next, move your arms slowly to the center of the lunge, take a step forward with your opposite foot to twist to the side. Keep alternating the positions, and make sure you are engaging your torso as much as possible.

You can do 10 steps for each set. However, if you are a beginner, there is no harm starting with 10 and gradually building up the workout. A final note to keep in mind is not to bend your spine or twist your knee, as it can do more harm than good.

8. Side Plank

If you have heard of plants' numerous benefits, wait till you find out what side planks can do to your belly fat. This is because where in plank you use four points to support your body weight, the side plant requires you only to use two. Thus, you get to work your core much harder than you would ordinarily do with a regular plant.

To do this, lie on one side (left) with your elbow directly below the shoulders and legs stacked together to create a single line. Place your other hand (right) to make sure you are not using it for support. Now lift your hips off the floor using your forearm and feet to balance you. Hold this position for around 30 to 45 seconds before going back to your original position. However, if you can't hold for that long, do as much as you can to make sure you don't burn out.

Repeat the same step to the other side for 10 sets

Wrapping Up

Now that we have come to the end of the guide, we are sure you are armed with the right exercises to lose belly fat. There are two things that we take away from this post.

a) none of these are effective unless you know the right posture and method of making the most out of it.

b) try to increase the workout's intensity and duration every time you get used to an exercise. How will you know that? You find this out once a workout starts to feel relatively easier to carry out.

Once you understand that, you are all set to getting your dream summer body this year.