Face it, Mom, getting rid of belly fat sucks. No matter how hard you diet, how many days a week you run on the treadmill, or how many crunches you can do, well, how many breathing crunches you do, the fat around the middle doesn’t seem to want to shrink.
Does this describe you?
Well, it certainly does me and describes many of the other frustrated women who will read this blog. Good news, you don’t have to live with it. And no, you don’t need an elaborate gym regimen or fifty workouts per day to notice.
You’ve probably tried everything in vain to remove the bulge, but if you’ve been focusing on losing only smaller fat deposits while doing ‘more’ of the same thing, you’ve been going the wrong way. As it turns out, science can show you how to rid yourself of that belly.
Let me share five science backed workouts to melt belly fat and stop wasting time on exercises that don’t burn fat. Ready to trim that gut? Let’s make it happen!
Why Is Belly Fat So Hard to Lose?
Before getting to the workouts themselves, we must tackle the big question: Why is belly fat so hard to lose?
Visible belly fat, also known as subcutaneous fat, is more than a source of vanity. It’s also to blame for several ailments, including heart disease and diabetes. It’s also one of the most tenacious kinds of fat, partly due to hormonal and genetic influences and partly due to stress, poor sleep, and over indulging in certain foods.
But there’s a twist: Doing hundreds of crunches will not make it go. Spot reduction is a myth. You must take a big picture approach to fat and use the correct muscle moves for the most significant burn.
5 Science-Backed Workouts to Melt Belly Fat
So, if crunches alone won’t do the trick, then what will? Here are five exercises that are scientifically proven to help you lose belly fat:
1. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
This is truly a workout for people too busy to work out. Not only is it a killer way to shed fat very quickly especially from your middle (abdominal fat is linked to heart disease risks) but this type of training will transform your body faster than any other form of exercise.
Various studies have shown that HIIT (high-intensity interval training, where you alternate intervals of extreme activity (anything from sprinting to jumping jacks) with short recovery periods, further enhances fat burn less time, more fat while specifically targeting visceral fat.
How to Do It:
Choose any form of cardio (running, biking, or burpees).
Go all-out for 30 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest.
Repeat for 15-20 minutes.
Why it works: HIIT boosts your metabolism, and your body burns calories well after your workout.
2. Strength Training:
And while lifting weights might seem like a pursuit intended only for those hoping to bulk up, think again. Lean muscle is built through strength training, and the more lean muscle you have, the better your metabolism will function meaning that you’ll be able to torch more fat, even if you’re not moving.
Strength training is also a highly effective tool for combating belly fat. To build strong muscles, heavier loads make lifting weights or taking on bodyweight exercises such as squats or push-ups highly dependent upon your core, which is a double win.
How to Do It:
Incorporate exercises like deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses into your routine.
When you exercise, aim for three or four sessions per week of compound movements, which means targeting more than one muscle at a time.
Why it works: Muscle enhances calorie burning and improves insulin sensitivity for trimming belly fat.
3. Hiking:
Hikers: Hiking also looks easy enough, but this is one of those stealth exercises that appear to be a knee waist alternate kick type of motion that works your core while raising your heart rate, cardiovascular system, and breathing.
How to Do It:
Start in a plank position.
Bring one knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs.
Keep alternating knees, moving for 30-60 seconds as soon as possible.
Why it works: Hiking targets your core while giving your heart a good workout and torch fat like no other.
4. Planks and Plank Variations:
Put the crunches down, pat yourself on the back, and pick up your plank. Planks are one of the best core exercises you can do, and while you may think of your abs when you plank, this all-in-one move will help your back, shoulders, and legs as well and even help burn fat.
How to Do It:
Hold a traditional plank position for 30 seconds to a minute.
To add intensity, try side planks or plank shoulder taps.
Why it works: Planks target your core muscles, one of the best methods for reducing belly fat. 2 of 5 Stepping up your side lunges will target your love handles. 3 of 5 Bike riding at a moderate pace will burn belly fat, but it’s most effective if you sprint. 4 of 5 Grab some 10 or 20-pound hand weights for bench presses at home. 5 of 5 Running at a medium speed burns belly fat, but you’ll love those results more if you sprint.
5. Walking or Low-Intensity Steady-State (LISS) Cardio:
Yay, the belly fat! Yes, you can shrink it with walking. You don’t have to sprint with every workout. Studies have shown consistent, moderate-intensity cardio (such as brisk Walking) to be just as effective, if not more, in reducing belly fat.
How to Do It:
Aim for at least 30 minutes of brisk Walking 5 times a week. For maximum benefit, keep a heart rate you could talk at but not sing at without gasping.
Why it works: ‘Walking lowers cortisol levels (which contribute to belly fat) and helps to ensure that fat loss is steady over time.
Objection Handling: “But I Don’t Have Time!”
You might think: ‘I just don’t have time for all these workouts.’ Well, the great thing is that you don’t need hours in the gym. Most of these exercises can be done in less than 20 minutes. You can easily do a quick HIIT session or a strength training circuit on even your busiest days.
Also, these exercises are economical. A single session isn’t just a way to burn calories. Afterward, your basal metabolic rate gets raised for long periods of time, burning fat all day long.
The Open Loop: It’s Not Just About Exercise:
These workouts are perfect for tackling belly fat, but hear this: You will need to exercise to get those midsection-blasting results. You wait because we’ll dive into the other factors (yes, diet and stress) that will help in your belly battle.
Ready to Ditch the Belly Fat for Good?
Equipped with these tools, you can use the five science-backed belly-blasting movements detailed below. No more hours at the gym, endless crunches, or seemingly useless cardio sessions. Use these movements in your regular workout, stick with them, and you will start seeing short-term results.
Stick with it, trust the process, and say goodbye to belly fat for good. Let us aim to get the BKB (Before Kids Body).
