Being physically active is the key to staying healthy and losing belly fat. The tummy is the most difficult part of your body to get rid of fat when you are trying to get into shape. Besides your looks, belly fat is bad for your health. This visceral fat accumulates between organs like the stomach and intestines and produces toxins that affect the functioning of your organs, putting you at a high risk of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and more. A good exercise regimen combined with a healthy diet can address visceral fat.
Here are some simple exercises that can help you get a flat tummy:
- Crunches / Sit-ups: Crunches are considered as the fastest way to burn belly fat and are very easy to do at home without any equipment. They are ideal to shape up the upper abs. Lie down flat on the floor, place your hand behind your head, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. Lift your upper body off the floor, exhale as you go up and inhale as you come down. Repeat, 15-25 times.
- Pike and Extend: Lie on the floor with legs extended over your hips and arms overhead. Then crunch up, reaching hands towards the feet. Keeping your legs straight, bring your arms back overhead, and at the same time, lower your leg towards the floor. Then crunch up, lifting the leg over the hips and reaching hands to toes. Repeat 20 times, alternating sides.
- Leg Drop: This abdominal exercise strengthens your lower abs and helps train your core stability to strengthen and protect your low back. Lie on your back and inhale with both legs long towards ceiling or over your hips at a 90-degree angle. Keep the abs tight and slowly exhale as you lower one leg a few inches off the floor. Switch legs and repeat 10 times.
- Planks: This exercise strengthens your inner core muscles, upper and lower abdominal muscles and burns more calories, and helps you get a flat tummy even faster. Lie flat on your stomach and place your forearms on the floor. Then, press down with your forearms and push yourself up – using your toes as support – until your head, neck, back and legs are all in a straight line. Repeat five-six times.
- Crunch & Twist: This exercise works well on your obliques and helps get rid of love handles. Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hips-width apart. Come up while inhaling; twist the body from the waist trying to touch your right knee with the left elbow. While exhaling, untwist and return to starting position. Repeat 10 to 15 on the other side.
- Boat pose: This a great abs yoga exercise. To begin, sit on the floor with bent knees. Lean back slightly and then bring your legs up and straighten them until your body forms a V shape. Your arms should be stretched out and parallel to one another where keeping your palms facing inwards. Engage your abs muscles whilst doing this exercise and keep your stomach relaxed and flat.
- Tightening the abs: This easy exercise involves tightening your abs and holding it for 15 seconds. Release and relax. Do this workout at least four times a day.