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Reducing Belly Fat At Home

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Belly fat is the most unhealthy, stubborn fat. The AARP warns that people with belly fat are at a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers (1). That is why you must change your lifestyle and start exercising. Listed below are a few things you can start doing to reduce and manage belly fat.
*Warm up for 10 minutes before starting these exercises. After your muscles are warmed up, take a 10-second break and start with the following exercises:

1. Lying Leg Raises

Target – Lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat. Place your thumbs under your hips, palms flat on the floor. Lift your feet off the floor a little, look up at the ceiling, and engage your core. This is the starting position.
  2. Raise both your legs to 90 degrees and slowly bring them back down.
  3. Right before touching the floor, raise your legs again. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not place your feet completely on the floor or push your hips up with your hands to lift your legs.

2. Leg In And Out

Target – Lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How To Do
  1. Sit on a mat. Place your hands behind you, with the palms flat on the mat. Lift your legs off the floor and lean back a little. This is the starting position.
  2. Tuck both your legs in. Simultaneously, bring your upper body close to your knees.
  3. Go back to the starting position. Do 2 sets of 20 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not place your hands too wide apart at the back.

3. Scissor Kicks

Target – Lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat. Place your palms under your hips.
  2. Lift your head, upper back, and legs off the floor. This is the starting position.
  3. Lower your left leg. Just before it touches the floor, lift your left leg and lower your right leg.
  4. Do this 12 times to complete one set. Do 3 sets of 12 reps. Take a 20-second break before moving on to the next exercise
What Not To Do – Do not do this exercise quickly or hold your breath while doing it.

4. Crunches

Target –Lower and upper abs.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat, flex your knees, and place your feet on the floor.
  2. Place a thumb at the back of each ear. Hold the back of your head with the rest of the fingers. Lift your head off the floor. This is the starting position.
  3. Initiate the movement by curling up and trying to reach your knees with your head.
  4. Go back to the starting position.
  5. Make sure you inhale while curling up and exhale while going down. Do 2 sets of 12 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not tuck your chin in.

5. Bicycle Crunches

Target –Upper abs, lower abs, obliques, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat, flex your knees, and lift your feet off the floor.
  2. Place a thumb at the back of each ear. Hold the back of your head with the rest of the fingers. Lift your head off the floor. This is the starting position.
  3. Push your left leg down and extend it straight. Simultaneously, curl up and twist to your right. Try to touch your left elbow with your right knee.
  4. Curl back down and bring your left leg back to the flexed position.
  5. Do the same with the other leg. Do 2 sets of 12 reps. Take a 10-second break before doing the next exercise.
What Not To Do – Do not hasten to complete the sets, and do not tuck your chin in.

6. Half Seated Reverse Crunch

Target – Lower abs, upper abs, and glutes.
How To Do
  1. Sit on a mat, flex your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor. Lean back and support your body on your elbows. This is the starting position.
  2. Lift both your legs off the floor and bring your knees almost close to your nose.
  3. Slowly, bring your legs down to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not scrunch your shoulders or curve your lower back too much.

7. Sit-ups

Target – Lower and upper abs.
How To Do
  1. Lie on a mat, flex your knees, and place your heels on the mat. Engage your core and place your hands at the back of your head. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and look at the ceiling. This is the starting position.
  2. Use your core strength to lift your body off the floor and come to a sitting position.
  3. Go back down to the starting position slowly. Do 2 sets of 12 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not get confused between sit-ups and crunches. You need to literally sit up and go back down to the starting position to do sit-ups. Do not bring your elbows close while sitting up.

8. Heel Touch

Target – Obliques and upper abs.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat. Kee your legs flexed, feet wider than shoulder-width apart, and flat. Keep your hands by your side, chin up, shoulders relaxed, and core engaged.
  2. Bend sideways and try to touch your right heel with your right hand.
  3. Bend toward the other side and try to touch your left heel with your left hand.
  4. Do 20 of these to finish one set. Do 3 sets of 20 reps. Take a 20-second break before moving on to the next exercise.
What Not To Do – Do not place your feet too close to your hips.

9. Jackknife Crunch

Target –Lower abs, upper abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How To Do
  1. Lie down on a mat. Extend your hands over your head. This is the starting position.
  2. Keeping your back and neck in the same line, lift your upper body. Simultaneously, lift both your feet off the floor.
  3. Try touching your knees with your hands.
  4. Get back to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 12 reps.
What Not To Do – Do not rest your head on the floor completely between repetitions.

10. Russian Twist

Target – Obliques, upper abs, lower abs, and glutes.
How To Do
  1. Sit on the mat, lift both your legs, keep your knees flexed, and lean back a little. Join your palms to balance your body. This is the starting position.
  2. Twist your upper body to the left and then to the right.
What Not To Do – Do not hold your breath while doing this exercise.




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