Wouldn't it be great if you could get rid of that stubborn fat around your waistline without having to give up on your favorite foods completely?
How great would it be if you had a simple workout that could burn that belly fat in just a month? Nope, you don’t have to sweat it out at the gym or follow a diet that would barely allow you to eat anything. Once you make up your mind to get into a healthier shape, the comforts of your home can be the best place for you to cut down on the fat around your waistline.
The best time of the day to exercise would be in the morning right before breakfast. A study published in ncbi.nlm.nih.gov observed the effect of exercising before food, after food and no exercise at all. The three groups of participants increased their calorie intake by 30 percent and fat intake by 50 percent for 6 weeks, according to well.blogs.nytimes.com. Observations found that the group that had no exercise and the group that exercised after breakfast put on pounds at the end of the time period, but the group that exercised first thing in the morning before breakfast did not put on any weight and also maintained healthy levels of insulin. This was the best way observed for the participants to continue burning fat throughout the day as compared to the other groups.
Here are some exercises that you can include in your workout routine to burn off that stubborn belly fat:
Planks have earned a big reputation in the workout world for a reason. It’s not just aimed at abs, but “it's the one move everyone should do for core strength and stability and a great barometer for overall fitness," explained Kendall Wood, who is the co-author of Core Fitness Solution.
Bring yourself to a position where your stomach is facing the floor, your palms are placed on the floor and your arms are roughly shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet together and balance your weight on your toes. Keep your midsection raised, keeping your back flat and stabilizing your hip. The key is to activate your back muscles and your core braced. Ideally, the position should feel like you’re "pulling your navel toward your spine." Make sure that you are keeping your neck and spine absolutely straight. Remain in this position for as long as you can without letting your hips drop.
Crunches are one of the most common and most effective exercises that make an appearance on most stomach fat-melting routines. You can start off with sets of 10 crunches each and then increase your numbers from there, according to comparecamp.com.
For crunches, you will have to lie down with your knees bent, letting the bottom of your feet face the floor. Keep your arms secure at the back of your head or you can let them rest on your chest in a cross position. Now, take a deep breath in, and then as you exhale, raise your upper torso from the ground. As you go back down, inhale again, and then exhale again on your way back up.
There are different variations of the plank that you can try out, one of which is the side plank kick. This lets you focus on either side of your body and figure out which areas of each side is weaker, according to www.coachmag.co.uk, like maybe a joint on your left side or a muscle on your right side.
Get back into the plank position once again, but this time, you should be on your side. Again, your feet should be together and one arm should be stretched out directly below your shoulder. Now, let your core contract while you raise your hips until you form a straight line with your body, starting from your feet all the way to your head. Remain in this position for as long as you can without letting your hips sag. And then you can switch to the other side.
Adding this to your workout routine will engage your lower back, abdomen and your legs. This position can be held for about 5 to 15 breaths, according to health.com, and you can repeat it around five times as long as you don’t experience too much discomfort.
For this position, you will have to sit and keep your feet on the floor with your knees bent. Keep your hands under your knees so that they can support them. With your shoulders back and your chest raised, your abs will start getting activated as you lift your lower legs so that they are parallel to the floor. Your knees are still meant to stay bent at the same time as you balance yourself. Up until this position, if your body is not showing any discomfort, then from here you can straighten your legs and stretch your arms forward.
The lunge twist is especially effective for beginners. You can do 15 reps so that your lower body and your hips are engaged. You can start off by repeating the lunge twist 15 times.
Stand in a position where your legs are hip-width apart and your knees are slightly bending. Keep your arms raised forward and parallel to the ground, however, in the beginning, you can keep them on the side if that feels more comfortable for you. Then, move your right leg and lunge forward. It’s best to take a big step and lower your body until your knees form a 90-degree angle with the floor. As you do this, your left leg should remain backward and your toes should be supporting the weight. Once you’re in this position, ensure that your back is kept straight. And then twist your torso alone towards the right and then to the left.
This could be one of the more strenuous but highly effective additions to your routine. "Wall sits punish your lower body and core to harness muscle fibers that usually don't get a lot of load," said Kendall. But the effect it has on your body will be completely worth the effort.
For the wall sit, you will have to be in a standing position with your back against the wall. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and then gradually let your back slide down the wall. Lower your body until you reach the position where it looks like you’re sitting on a chair. Remain in this position for as long as you can, and you will notice that over time you’re able to hold it for longer.
Just like the plank, there are different variations of the crunches that you can try to give your body a good workout. The side crunch is one of them, and you can do 10 crunches per set when you start out and then increase the number of sets.
Start off with the basic crunch pose where you’re lying flat on the ground. But for side crunches, what you will have to do is raise your right shoulder towards your left side. You can even tilt your legs to the same side along with your shoulders.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20837645
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/ask-well-the-best-time-of-day-to-exercise/?ref=health&_r=0
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/45665567/image/45665576/Wall-Sit
http://comparecamp.com/10-simple-exercises-to-reduce-belly-fat-at-home/
https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20664616,00.html?slide=104103#104103
https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/5-exercises-and-5-foods-to-reduce-belly-fat/#gref
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/45665567/image/45665574/Plank
