What Is The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat – 7 Simple, Effective Exercises

Have you ever asked yourself what is the best exercise to lose belly fat? Although we cannot spot reduce a specific area of the body, there are many exercises that can be done to help reduce fat and weight overall.

Exercise does not have to be complicated or costly. In fact, the most effective exercises for weight loss and belly fat reduction can be done in the comfort of your own home for free.

Where To Start

Start by cutting back your calories. Or at least only consume what you can burn off per day. Start adding in regular exercise to your routine.

Aim for at least 3-4 times per week. Try to keep moving for 20-30 minutes. Remember, that all exercise in the day adds up in the end.

So even if you can’t block off a large time frame, start small with 10 minute chunks of moving.

Soon, you will start to feel better and notice a difference in your physical appearance. You will begin dropping the pounds.

That effort will lead to shedding excess weight around your middle. It takes time and follow-through.

Don’t Get Discouraged

Dealing with bulging belly fat is a problem for a lot of people. It is very common, especially in North America.

After many lockdowns and confinement to home during the pandemic, many people have put on weight and are trying to find solutions to lose it.

Sometimes it can seem almost impossible to envision having a flat stomach. But it is attainable with practice.

Fat accumulation around your middle is not only uncomfortable but it can have a dangerous effect on your health long term.

In fact, research is showing that belly fat may have more longterm health risk for women than men.

Long Term Consequences of Belly Fat

Having excess abdominal fat can be unhealthy because it is visceral fat which is linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, overall inflammation and some cancers.

Although everyone has some level of fat which is healthy for bodily function, doctors say belly fat is amongst the worst type of fat you can have in your body.

Moreover, it is dangerous and can lead to long-term health complications.

Aside from the health impact, it can make your clothes feel uncomfortable and make you self-conscious of your appearance. Belly fat is also difficult to lose, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to workout.

However, there are many exercises you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to start seeing results. Therefore, keep reading to find out the top 7 simple, effective exercises that will strengthen your core and melt belly fat.

The Top 7 Exercises to Strengthen Your Core and Lose Belly Fat

1. Kettlebell Swing

This exercise helps tone all kinds of muscles: abs, shoulders, glutes, pecs and legs.

Start by standing with your feet hip width apart while you hold the kettlebell with both hands.

If you’ve never lifted weights before, start with a lighter weight – say 5 pounds and gradually increase as you get stronger.

To start this exercise, bend your knees to protect your lower back and starting swinging the kettlebell between your legs as you bend in a downward squatting position.

On the way back to an upward standing position, contract your glutes (your buttocks) while swinging the kettlebell up to about chest height.

Keep your arms in a locked forward position while contracting your abs, quads and glutes.

Then, keep repeating this downward squat and upward lift with the kettlebell.

2. Planks

This exercise will help tone up your rectus abdominis. Lie down on your stomach with your legs extended behind.

With your arms bent at a 45 degree angle, place your forearms on the floor underneath your shoulders.

Lift your body up as if you were going to do a push up with your body resting on your bent forearms.

Exhale. Make sure only the balls of your feet and your forearms are touching the floor.

Keep your body in a straight line position. Use your belly to hold your weight in place. Breathe normally. Hold the position for 1 minute but do as much as you can until you can get to that 1 minute goal hold.

3. Side Planks

These great, simple exercises will help tone up your oblique muscles or the sides of your abdominals.

Lie on your left side with your legs together in an extended position.

Keep your right arm against your right hip and prop your body up with your left arm.

Keep the left arm bent in a 45 degree angle flush with the floor.

While you exhale, lift up your hips keeping your body in a straight line.

Balance your body on the left forearm and edge of your left foot. Place your right hand on your right hip.

Hold this position for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side for another 30 seconds.

4. Flat Lifts

Lie on your back on the floor with knees bent in a 45 degree angle, feet flush to the floor.

Place your arms by your sides on the floor with palms down.

Slowly lift and extend both legs together as you tighten your abs while exhaling to create a 45 degree lift between the floor and your legs.

Make sure your lower back stays flush to the floor to prevent an over extension.

Breathe normally and hold for 5 seconds.

Slowly lower your legs back to the floor. Rest for 2 seconds. Repeat this motion alternating between lifting and floor extension for 1 minute.

5. Cobra Pose

Lie flat on your stomach with your feet hip width apart.

Extend your arms forward so that your whole body is in one long line flat on the floor.

Pull back your arms towards your shoulders with palms resting on the floor at chest level.

Taking a deep breath, gently lift up your upper body towards the sun creating an upward curl.

Hold this position for 5 seconds and slowly exhale back to the flat starting position on the floor. Repeat for 1 minute.

6. Scissors

Lie back on the floor with legs extended outwards and hands tucked under the back of your head.

Slowly bring the left knee in towards your chest while the right leg is fully extended and lifted at a 45 degree angle.

Then bring in the right knee towards your chest while you extend the left leg.

Keep repeating this scissor like motion while holding in your abs. Make sure to keep your lower back pressed into the floor.

To add extra resistance to this exercise, take one elbow and cross it towards the opposing tucked in leg and repeat between legs for a total of 1 minute.

7. Superman Pose

Lie completely flat on your stomach with your legs outstretched and arms tucked at your sides.

Slowly lift up your upper body just slightly while your legs stay extended and lifting as well.

Be gentle with your extension.

Hold your arms and legs up and extended away from you for 5 seconds then release down to the ground for 2 seconds.

Repeat this exercise for 1 minute total.

Why Exercise Is Important For Losing Belly Fat

By now you have probably heard that exercise is super important to maintaining good health. Exercise helps us to live a longer, healthier life. With regular exercise, you can boost your endurance and make your muscles stronger and more efficient.

Stronger muscle mass helps with weight loss. Having muscle mass also increases your metabolic burn. Basically, muscle burns calories faster, even when at rest.

Exercising helps to deliver oxygen to your cells and helps your body function optimally. And when you’re stronger from a cardiovascular aspect, you will have more energy to work and play.

Think about the old saying, “A body in motion stays in motion. A body at rest stays at rest.”  What you do today can impact positively or negatively how you will live tomorrow. Consider that if you keep up with regular exercise throughout your life, you can help your mobility from decreasing when you age.

There are so many important reasons to incorporate exercise into your life. Find a reason to get your body moving today.

What Is The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat Simplified – Breaking It All Down

Exercising does not have to be complicated or time-consuming. Just a few minutes a day can really make an overall improvement in how you look and feel.

We all live in a busy world and are short-changed for time. Nobody wants to spend punishing hours at the gym.

Find the time for yourself to work on improving your strength and flexibility. It will help you look and feel better. Even doing just 10 minutes can be the start of great results in a slimmer you.

Dealing with the pandemic has caused many of us to have to be creative in how we now get our daily exercise. If you’re tired of the same crunches and boring workouts, try using these 7 featured,  simple exercises.

They are a good way to strengthen and tone your muscles which helps with overall weight loss. There is no need for a gym or any special equipment. Best of all, they are free!

As you build lean muscle mass, you also rev up your metabolism. Cut back calories, eat nutritiously and you will soon start to see your belly fat melting. You will get stronger, leaner and more toned.

Keep focused on your goals and you will achieve them! Do you have any exercises that you like to do that have helped you lose the belly fat? Let us know in the comments section below.