13 Best Exercises To Lose Belly Fat

Excess weight around your belly may pose significant health risks. When you get older or live a sedentary life, gaining fat around your stomach is normal. This fat gain causes a decrease in muscle mass, which could be detrimental to your health in the long run.

Excess belly fat could increase the chances of causing slow metabolism, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. To mitigate these health risks, it is crucial to control your belly fat.

There are some core-focused exercises that could increase your body's fat-burning capacity and help you develop a stronger and more defined core.

Understanding Belly Fat

Belly fat is the collection of fat around the abdomen and waist of the body. It is not necessarily different from other types of fat. As your overall body fat percentage increases, you may notice an increase in fat around your belly.  Excess belly fat could increase the chances of breathing problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Best Exercises To Burn Belly Fat

1. Cardio Or Aerobic Exercises

   Cardio exercises could increase your heart rate, burn calories, and promote fat loss. Some of the cardio exercises that can help you lose belly fat may include:

   • Walking: Aim for walking at a brisk pace that could help you burn calories and increase your cardiovascular endurance.
   • Running: Running is a high-intensity exercise that can burn 60 calories per km. It engages multiple muscle groups and could be highly effective for burning belly fat.
   • Cycling: Whether you prefer outdoor cycling or using a stationary bike, cycling could target your lower body muscles.
   • Swimming: It's a full-body workout that could work on major muscle groups. Swimming could put minimal stress on joints, which makes it suitable for people with joint pain or injuries.

2. Mountain Climbers

   Mountain climbers are a highly effective full-body exercise that could engage your core, increase your heart rate, and provide a great cardiovascular workout.

   To perform mountain climbers:

   1. Start in a plank position with your body elevated off the ground.
   2. Arms shoulder-width apart, and palms f on the floor.
   3. Your legs should be extended behind you, feet together.
   4. Bring your right knee towards your chest.
   5. Then, quickly switch to bringing your left knee towards your chest.
   6. Aim to complete 15 to 20 repetitions on each side.

3. Lying Leg Raises

   Lying leg raises could target lower abdominal muscles, which could help tone and tighten belly fat.

   Here are four key points to keep in mind when performing lying leg raises:

   1. Lie on your back with your legs extended and feet together.
   2. Place your palms on either side of your body for support. This position allows you to maintain stability and focus solely on engaging your lower abs.
   3. Slowly raise your legs together, ensuring they are perpendicular to the floor.
   4. Hold the raised position for 1 or 2 seconds before gradually lowering your legs to the floor.
   5. Avoid arching your back, which can lead to strain and potential back problems.
   6. Keep your core engaged and your back flat against the floor throughout the exercise.

4. Crunches

   Crunches could target both the upper and lower abdominal muscles. Though they may not directly lead to weight loss, they could be a good way to strengthen and tone your abs.

   To perform a classic crunch:

   1. Lie on your back with your knees bent (shoulder width apart) and your feet on the ground.
   2. Tuck in your arms behind your head, and curl your upper body towards knees, keeping your ab muscles engaged.
   3. Lower back down to the ground and repeat for 12 to 20 reps, depending on your fitness level.

   Here is a table showcasing the different types of crunches:

   Type of Crunch	Targeted Muscles	Benefits
   Standard Crunch	Upper and lower abs	Strengthen and tone abs
   Reverse Crunch	Lower abs	Improve core stability
   Bicycle Crunch	Rectus abdominis, obliques	Engage core muscles
   Runner's Crunch	Lower abs, hip flexors	Enhance lower body strength
   Bird Dog Crunch	Abs, lower back, glutes	Improve balance and posture

5. HIIT

   High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a time-efficient exercise routine. These exercises could increase your heart rate and work your entire body. Research shows that HIIT routines are effective in burning calories, including belly fat.

   HIIT workouts involve short bursts of fierce exercise at 80% of the heart rate, followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity moves. Some examples of HIIT exercises for belly fat include:

   • Jumping jacks
   • Burpees
   • Pushups
   • Jump squats
   • High knees

6. Weight Training

   Weight training may help increase muscle tone, burn calories, and boost metabolism. It could help reduce belly fat and improve overall body composition.

   • Bicep curls: An isolateral exercise that could target the biceps and engage the core muscles.
   • Lunges: Lunges focus on the lower body, including the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
   • Squats: These lower body exercises may work multiple muscle groups, including the hamstrings, quads, and glutes.
   • Tricep kickbacks: This exercise could target the triceps and engage the core muscles for stability.

7. Scissor Kicks

   Scissor kicks are a dynamic exercise that may help tone the abdominal muscles, obliques, and rectus abdominis. This exercise may strengthen and tone your midsection, helping to lower belly fat and create a more defined core.

8. Knee Tucks

   Knee tucks could work major muscle groups of the abdomen. They could improve stability and flexibility. You can also perform knee tucks with a towel or sliders.

   To perform knee tucks:

   1. Take a plank position and put your feet on the towels or sliders.
   2. Pull both knees to your chest and slowly return to the starting position.
   3. Repeat the movement 10-12 times and gradually progress as you develop the strength.

9. Burpees

   Burpees could work on the core, chest, shoulders, lats, triceps, and quads while increasing heart rate and promoting explosive plyometric movement.

   To perform burpees, follow the below steps:

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart.
   2. Lower your body into a low squat position,
   3. Put your hands outside of your feet and jump your feet back, allowing your chest to touch the floor.
   4. Push your hands against the floor to raise your body into a plank position, then jump your feet just outside of your hands.
   5. Jump into the air with your arms overhead, returning to the starting position.

   Muscles Targeted	Benefits
   Core	Strengthens and tones the abdominal muscles
   Chest	Builds upper body strength and improves posture
   Shoulders	Increases shoulder stability and strength
   Lats	Engages the upper back muscles
   Triceps	Tones and strengthens the back of the arms
   Quads	Develops lower body strength and power

10. Turkish Get-ups

    Turkish Get-ups target the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques. It involves a kettlebell and requires coordination, strength, and stability. It engages muscle groups, including the core, glutes, shoulders, and legs.

11. Medicine Ball Burpees

    Medicine Ball Burpees are a complete-body exercise that could engage your core, chest, shoulders, lats, triceps, and quads. The explosive plyometric movements involved in this exercise increase your heart rate, helping you burn calories and belly fat.

    To perform Medicine Ball Burpees, follow the below steps:

    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, carrying a medicine ball with both hands.
    2. Extend the ball up overhead, then slam it down, hinging over and sitting your butt back as you slam.
    3. Remember to bend your knees to protect your lower back as you hinge over.
    4. Place your hands on the ground outside your feet and jump back into a high-plank position.
    5. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
    6. Jump your feet back outside of your hands so that you are squatting.
    7. Pick up the medicine ball and press it overhead, extending your body and standing tall.

12. Yoga

    Yoga may help build muscle, improve endurance, and boost metabolism. It could engage the core muscles, the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis.

    Yoga involves lengthening and stretching the muscles, which could help improve your overall flexibility. This increased range of motion may help you perform other exercises more effectively, leading to better results in burning belly fat.

13. Overhead Medicine Ball Slams

    Overhead medicine ball slams target your core muscles and may provide a complete cardiovascular workout.

    To perform overhead medicine ball slams:

    1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
    2. Hold a medicine ball with both hands and reach your arms above your head, fully stretching your body.
    3. Slam the ball forward and down toward the ground, using your core muscles to generate power.
    4. As you slam the ball, extend your arms toward the ground, and don't be afraid to bend your knees as you hinge over.
    5. Squat down to pick the ball up.
    6. Repeat the exercise.

Related:

• How Cinnamon Helps To Lose Belly Fat? [Top 5 Tips]
• How Long Does It Take To Lose Belly Fat?
• How To Lose Upper Belly Fat Naturally With Workout?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can Yoga Help Reduce Belly Fat?
   Yoga mixes physical activity with mindfulness and stress reduction, which could help promote overall weight loss and targeted fat loss in the abdominal area.
2. Are There Any Particular Exercises That Target Lower Abdominal Muscles?
   There are some specific exercises like reverse crunches, bicycle crunches, and leg lifts. These exercises could engage the lower abs and help strengthen and tone the core.
3. What Are Some Benefits of Using the Rowing Machine for Belly Fat Loss?
   A rowing machine could be a good exercise for belly fat loss. For a full-body workout, it could work on various muscle groups, including the core, legs, and arms.
4. Do Scissor Kicks Help in Reducing Belly Fat?
   Scissor kicks could target the abdominal muscles and enhance core strength. However, it's important to note that spot reduction of belly fat is not possible.

Conclusion

Integrating exercises like cardio, HIIT, and resistance training into your routine may help you achieve a healthier and toned abdomen.

While spot reduction is not possible, working on strengthening your core muscles and following a high-protein diet routine may help you lose belly fat.

You could also try combining cardio with strength training, which could increase your calorie burn and fat loss.

Avoid overtraining your muscles, as it could cause stress, which makes it challenging to lose belly fat.

Work on developing strength and flexibility to perform exercises and reduce weight without being too hard on yourself.