Everyone wants a lean and fit body, especially a toned belly. Excess belly fat can lead to many health complications like diabetes and heart disease. Belly fat or visceral fat churns out stress hormones like cortisol and inflammatory substances that affect your body’s production of insulin. As a result – you are at an increased risk of many diseases.
If you are trying to lose the flab around your waist then here’s some help. Binod Bhadri, Fitness and Adventure Sports Expert lists down five simple exercises for you.
When one is trying to lose belly fat, ideally one should be working not just on the belly alone but the whole body. The idea is to work on each and every part of the body. Many people who are trying to lose belly fat do not understand the phenomena. They think crunches and squats are their best friends and just rely on them, says Mr Bhadri who leads a fitness group – Dare To Gear.
So, grab your exercise mat and hit the floor!
Word of Caution: Perform the following plan daily in the same order as mentioned below to see the best results.
#Exercise1: Get Back-to-basics With Crawling
Have you ever seen a baby crawling? That’s exactly you need to do every day to get back those perfect curves and flat belly. It may sound like an easy job but when one starts crawling then only they realise that the contra-lateral movement (opposite limbs coordination) is quite a challenge.
Crawling is a developmental movement pattern that engages your calves, quads, glutes, shoulder girdle, and deep abdominal muscles. It simply tones up your entire body. Moreover, it also improves your ability to think, focus, and reason.
If you are a beginner then you should aim to crawl up to 20 metres through and through and then gradually increase the distance.
Also Read: The Importance Of Good Body Posture
#Exercise2: Get Going With Mountain Climbing
Mountain Climbing is basically a plank exercise where you also run on the spot. It is a full body workout that helps in improving flexibility, blood circulation and overall strength of the body. Not to forget, that it is great for your abs and lower body.
How to do mountain climbing: First get into the plank position, and then bring one foot near your knee up to your chest. Return it and repeat with the other knee. Do this over and over again as fast as you can like you are running on the ground. Aim to keep your hips as low as you can, simply like you do for a plank.
Set Recommendation: Start with 50-60 repetitions and gradually increase it to 100.
#Exercise3: Get In Shape With Leg Raises
The reason why leg raises are good for your belly is simply because they target more than just one muscle. The key to this exercise is that you must do it properly. Start by simply lying on the floor on your back with your legs extended and your hands near your buttocks. Now raise your legs by bending your knees and bringing your thighs to your chest. Return to the starting position to finish one repetition. You should not rest your heels back on the floor. Instead, hold them up an inch above the floor to keep your stomach muscles working towards a flatter belly.
Leg raises activate your obliques, the muscles that run down the sides of your waist thereby toning your belly.
Set Recommendation: Start with 10 repetitions which should be performed twice and then gradually increase it to more sets and repetitions.
Also Read: Here’s Why A Sitting Job Is Bad For Your Heart And Waist
#Exercise4: Wipe Out The Fat With Floor Wiper
Floor wipers exercise your shoulders and entire core and mainly target your abdominal area. Floor wipers alone are not the key to a flatter belly, but are very effective when performed with other strength-training exercises.
How to do Floor Wipers – Lie supine on the floor with your arms by your sides. Lift your legs straight into the air and then swing them to right-hand side and then left-hand side. Perform as many times as you can, you should feel a nice stretch on your sides. Floor wipers strengthen the front and sides of your abdomen as well as your hip flexors.
Set Recommendation: Do 10 repetitions if you are a beginner and perform it twice Increase sets and repetitions gradually.
#Exercise5: Good Things Come To Those Who Plank
The plank is simply a perfect tummy tone-up exercise as it works all the muscles in your core, including the rectus abdominus (the coveted “six-pack”) transverse abdominus, internal and external obliques, hips, and back.
Start by holding a plank position for 30 seconds and then gradually increase. Your target should be able to hold a plank for at least 2 minutes.
Avoid these three common mistakes while doing a plank – Do not arch your back, don’t sink in your hips towards the floor, don’t look straight ahead or up.
Also Read: There Is So Much More To Fitness Than Just Going To The Gym: Tiger Shroff
Quick Tip: Fitness is a combination of 70 per cent diet and 30 per cent workout out. Make this your thumb rule and start working on a healthier you. Make sure you restrict your sugar intake and ditch colas and sodas completely. Steer clear of processed foods as these are loaded with trans-fats, added Mr Bhadri.