Exercises that will say goodbye to your belly fat

Belly fat is a big issue both in terms of health and self-image. The good news is that there are a few proven strategies that have been shown to target belly fat. One is to control your diet and the other is to exercise regularly. Running is a very good exercise. 5 minutes a day on treadmill will keep you on shape. A good exercise to do daily is to cycle at least 10 minutes a day. Get a indoor exercise bike and you're all good. Here's a good review on the best exercise bike.

Here we have gathered a few simple exercises that target the abdominal muscles:

1. Crunches:

If you’re aiming to get rid of your belly fat, nothing is more effective than crunches. In fact, it can be argued that it is The Best solution out there. So how exactly do you do it?

Firstly, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet aligned to the floor (or you can lift your feet so it’s perpendicular to the floor). Keep your hands under your head or keep them crossed across your chest, whichever is more convenient for you. Now take a deep breath and lift your upper body towards the ceiling and exhale. Inhale again as your torso descends and exhale as it lifts again. During your learning stage, repeat this 10 times. Repeat another two or three sets.

Ensure that when you are lifting your torso, your back is not right angled to the floor; in fact, it should be 30-40 degrees with the ground. Sitting up straight will not put any pressure on your abs and the exercise will lose its purpose. Also, raising your back just a few inches from the ground will also protect your back from any unwanted pain.

Another thing to remember is that you should prevent your head from jerking forward while doing crunches to prevent any possibility of a neck sprain. So instead of keeping your arms crossed across your chest, it would be better to hold them above your head during the workout.

1. Twist Crunches:

If you’ve mastered doing crunches, it is time to take to the next level by modifying the general crunch to something even more effective for your stomach muscles. This is where twist crunches come in.

Similar to basic crunches lie down on the ground with your hands, knees and feet in the same position, i.e. your hands should be under your head, knees bent and feet on the ground. Now instead of lifting your upper torso, lift your left shoulder towards the right while keeping your right side of the body pinned to the floor. Consecutively, lift your right shoulder to the left while the left side is on the floor. Repeat these steps at least 10 times.

1. Side Crunch:

The side crunch is very similar to the twist crunch routine except here you have to tilt your shoulders as well as your legs. So raise your right shoulder along with your right leg and then your left shoulder with your left leg.

This workout is great for the muscles on your sides. When you are doing the side crunches, do it slow and steady because rushing it could hurt your midsection.

1. Reverse Crunches:

This is also similar to the twist crunch. Position yourself in the traditional crunch and using your core, pull your knees into your chest so that your lower body is off the ground. Now use your abs to lift your head and shoulders. Then slowly lower your shoulders, hips and legs to return to the initial position.

Note that you must keep your back straight to prevent injuries.

1. Vertical Leg Crunch:

Lie on your back with your hands below your head and lift your legs vertically towards the ceiling, while keeping your knees crossed. The next step is the same as the basic crunches. Inhale, lift your upper torso at 30-40 degrees with the floor and exhale slowly. While coming down, take another deep breath and let it out while you raise your torso. Repeat this 12 to 15 times and perform around 3 sets.

This exercise can be quite taxing for your muscles so slowly increase the number of repetitions. When you are starting out, do this only a few times, otherwise you might be worn out quite fast.

1. Rolling Plank Exercise:

Apart from reducing your belly fat, the rolling plank exercise also tones the muscles in your hips and lower back. The plank is a taxing exercise though and you might have the common misconception that the exercise would be easier to perform if you hold your breath. But don’t do that because that might make you woozy or nauseous.

Lie down facing the floor with your knees and elbows resting on the ground. Keep your neck in line with your spine. Now lift up your knees and transfer your weight on your toes and elbows. This is the plank posture. Stay like this for 30 seconds. Then transition into a side plank on your other side, making sure that once again your body forms a straight line from shoulders to ankles.

1. Reverse plank:

This is similar to the rolling plank exercise but here you have to lie down sideways, keeping your legs together. Use your left elbow and left leg to support your weight. Keep your elbow at right angles to your shoulder and your right leg should be over the left leg. Now while keeping your knees taut, raise your hips so they are not touching the ground. Hold this position for 30 seconds and increase this duration as you keep practicing. Repeat this on your right side.

If you are feeling ambitious and you want to work on your thighs and hips too, try lifting the leg on the top and bringing it down again.

1. Lunge Twist:

If you’re in a rush to shed your belly fat, this exercise would be ideal for you.

Stand up with your knees bent a little and your legs hip width apart. Raise your hands in front of you so that they are parallel to the floor and at the same height as your shoulders. Now take a big step forward with your right leg and lower your body as if you are sitting on a chair. Your knees should be perpendicular to the ground and your left leg should be mounted backwards on your toes. Keep your spine straight and turn your torso to the left and then to the right. Make sure to not twist your legs while your torso turns. Repeat this workout 15 times.

1. Bicycle Exercise:

Even though this routine is called the bicycle exercise, don’t worry. You won’t actually need a bicycle for it.

Simply lie on your back with your legs off the ground and bent at the knees, sort of like in the fetal position but on your back. You can either keep your hands on your sides or under your head. Now slowly raise your left knee towards your chest but don’t change the position of the right knee. Alternate the last step with your left knee away from your chest and right knee going towards your chest. Continue these motions as if you are paddling a bicycle, while slowly increasing the pace.

Mileva is a New York based health and fitness trainer. She is a tech enthusiast and likes to share her experience with the world at Expert Idea Guide