Overview

It is not just the obese or overweight men and women who develop belly fat. Even a person with normal weight can develop a potbelly. So, losing belly fat is not just about losing weight, though if you are overweight, weight loss becomes important.

It means that just losing weight or body fat does not reduce your protruding abdomen. To lose abdominal fat involves something more, which means regularly doing exercises to lose belly fat, which are physical workouts that specifically target your fat abdomen.

It requires a motivation that will keep you consistent with your intention to achieve a zero belly. This will require that you follow certain dietary guidelines. It also requires a consistent effort to plan a physical activity program and exercise daily.

Planning your exercises, therefore, will involve

  • Specific belly fat exercises and exercises to lose weight if you are overweight and obese
  • Specific belly fat exercises without weight loss exercises if you are of normal weight.

Though exercise forms the mainstay to succeed in losing belly fat fast, following dietary guidelines is equally important. Thirdly, belly fat is a stubborn issue and you must show stubbornness and determination to lose it.

Your exercise program will involve all-around exercises to lose calories and weight, and specific exercises for losing belly fat. This is because if a person with a potbelly is overweight, you must also incorporate exercises to lose weight in the plan.

Exercising your abdomen will tone up your abdominal muscles and the general exercises will help reduce the fat in the body including the fat over the belly so that your toned-up abdominal muscles become visible and you get what is called flat abs.

Important points to note when starting belly fat exercises

  • Exercise on an empty stomach for about 30 minutes daily.
  • Do your exercises preferably in the morning after the bowels are cleared.
  • Your exercises should be a daily affair without any weekly offs.- not even if it is your birthday. This is important.
  • It is necessary to increase the duration and intensity of the exercise gradually. For example, if you walk, then you should gradually increase the length and speed of the walk so that you do not burn out and give up due to exertion. Learn to enjoy your exercise also, so that it continues to be a regular affair. Overall health benefits are tremendous..
  • Keep yourself well hydrated with clean drinking water during the day. The benefits of drinking adequate water daily help in reducing belly fat and weight.

Exercises to lose belly fat

Your exercise program will therefore consist of two forms of exercise.

  1. General exercises to lose weight
  2. Specific exercises for your fat tummy

There are a number of exercises to choose from and you should choose an exercise, which will burn more calories and more important that you enjoy. Enjoying your exercises will ensure that you continue with the belly reduction program and do not give it up halfway.

However, after exercise, you do feel hungry and this is where you have to exercise restraint and willpower and eat only what and how much has been decided as per the belly fat reduction dietary program.

General exercises to lose weight and the number of calories they burn

  • Walking will burn about 350 calories per hour. This is simple and you should incorporate it into your daily routine. For example, why take a bus or cab, when you can briskly walk to the railway or bus station every day when going to work and back?
  • Running or jogging in a jogger’s park will burn that much more calories and help you lose weight and belly fat faster.
  • Cycling will burn about 500 to 1000 cals per hour depending on the speed of your cycling. Here you have the choice to enjoy your cycling outdoors or on your exercise cycle indoors.
  • Swimming will burn about 800 cals per hour. Swimming exercises your whole body.
  • Aerobics will burn about 800 cals per hour. You can always break it up into two half-hour sessions.
  • Badmington or Racquetball will burn 800 cals per hour. Fix up with a partner who is also on a weight reduction program and the two of you can always motivate each other and compete on losing weight every week.
  • Rowing will burn about 500 cals per hour.
  • Dancing on your favorite music will burn about 600 cals per hour. The advantage here is that you can do it indoors and perhaps will need no motivation.
  • Exercising with a DVD can burn about 300 to 500 cals per hour. Try using one whose music you like, and which is more vigorous.

 Specific belly fat exercises | Effective abdominal workouts

There are a number of abdominal exercises, which will help you to flatten your tummy. The most effective and relatively easy ones are mentioned here. You must combine these exercises with the general exercises you have chosen and which are explained above.

  • Madhukasana. This is a particularly effective yoga belly fat exercise and gives quick results. It is easy on the body, but it is necessary that you observe minutely and follow as explained. Go to and watch the video. It may take a little time and effort to be able to perfect it, but stay at it and watch your belly lose fat. Watch it here
  • Ab Crunches. Follow the following steps in a sequential fashion:
      1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
      2. Place your hands behind your head. Do not lace your fingers together.
      3. Tilt your chin slightly, leaving a few inches of space between your chin and your chest.
      4. Breathe out and gently pull your abdominals inward.
      5. Lift your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor.
      6. Hold the lifted head, neck, and shoulders for a moment and then slowly lower back down.
      7.  Watch it here 
  •  Skipping. This is easy to perform. Make sure you use a rope that is of the right size for your height and always land on the balls of your feet (the front portion of your sole). Start with say 25 skips a day and gradually increase to 100 skips and then to 200 skips a day.
  • Bending. Sit on a chair without armrests, with your feet slightly apart and firmly planted on the ground and your back straight. Grasp your left knee with both hands in such a fashion that the fingers are interlaced.  Then slowly bend forwards towards the left knee, completely exhaling as you bend. Stay in the bent position for 4 to 5 seconds and then slowly straighten up while inhaling. Repeat this with the right knee. Do this 10 times with each knee and then over the next few days, gradually increase to 20 and then to 30 times with each knee at one sitting every day.
  • Leg raising in a sitting position. Again sit on the chair without armrests, with your back upright, your feet together, and your hands hanging on the sides. Very slowly raise your left leg to bring it at right angles to your abdomen. Hold it for 4 to 5 seconds without bending the knee of the straightened leg and again slowly, lower your left leg. Repeat with the other legs. Start 10 times with each leg and gradually increase as explained above to 30 times. Repeat similarly by raising both legs simultaneously.
  • Leg raising in the sleeping position. Sleep on a hard surface with hands on the sides. Breathe in and slowly lift one leg without bending either knee. Try to bring the leg at right angles to your body. Hold for 4 to 5 seconds and slowly lower the leg without bending the knee. Exhale slowly while lowering the leg. Repeat similarly with the other leg. Do it 10 times daily with each leg and gradually increase to 30 times a day with each leg. Repeat similarly by raising both legs simultaneously.

Important

Reading the instructions for each abdominal exercise carefully and following them accurately as explained is essential for quicker results.

Pay special attention to your breathing and follow as explained. You should do these belly fat exercises every day along with an exercise you have chosen to lose weight.

If possible, the exercises for belly fat could be repeated twice a day to reduce stomach fat and get a flat tummy faster. You should also follow some natural ways to lose belly fat. They are effective and will work synergistically with these exercises and dietary guidelines to help you lose your belly fat.