Belly fat not only looks bad, but it is also a storehouse of many internal problems such as diabetes, heart diseases, and more. Belly fat or visceral fat is fat that accumulates between your organs like the stomach and intestines. This produces toxins that affect the functioning of your organs and puts you at a high risk of diseases like Type 2 Diabetes. If you are trying to lose the flab around your waist you have to start by eating a fiber-rich diet. Make sure you restrict sugar intake, this includes sugar in colas and cold-coffees too. Steer clear of processed foods as these may already be loaded with trans-fats.
In addition to conscious eating, you need to do have an active lifestyle. Take out 30 minutes from your busy schedule every day to walk, play a sport, swim, or indulge in any activity that makes you move around. Burning calories is key to reducing abdominal fat. Finally, to convert the flab into fab, you need to target this specific area to get rid of the fat and tone the muscles.
Here are 9 Exercises to get flat tummy at home –
- Boat Pose – If you want to try a challenging flat stomach exercise you should introduce the boat pose to your workout. Doing this yoga pose regularly will quickly help you reach your goal of a flat stomach. 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. Keep your palms facing inwards. Remember to engage your abs muscles whilst doing this exercise and keep your stomach relaxed and flat.
2. Mountain Climber – Get into a plank position, making sure to distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your toes. Check your form—your hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back flat, abs engaged, and head in alignment. Pull your right knee into your chest as far as you can. Then switch, pulling that knee out and bringing the other knee in. Keeping your hips down, run your knees in and out as far and as fast as you can. Alternate inhaling and exhaling with each leg change.
3. Sit-Ups – Strengthening the abdominal muscles is the advantage of this exercise. Start by lying flat on a floor mat, face up. You can put your arms behind your head or cross them in front of your torso. Now, keep your lower body still and move your upper body towards your knees. Take a deep breath and exhale as you go up. Inhale as you bring your body back to the mat. Make sure your arms are not pushing against your head and neck too much. You are supposed to use the abdominal muscles to move up and down, so make sure your neck is not strained during this exercise.
4. Bicycle Crunch – Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and knees bent. Your feet should be on the floor and your hands are behind your head. Contract your core muscles, drawing in your abdomen to stabilize your spine. With your hands gently holding your head, pull your shoulder blades back and slowly raise your knees to about a 90-degree angle, lifting your feet from the floor. Exhale and slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion, bringing one knee up towards your armpit while straightening the other leg, keeping both elevated higher than your hips. Rotate your torso so you can touch your elbow to the opposite knee as it comes up. Alternate to twist to the other side while drawing that knee towards your armpit and the other leg extended until your elbow touches the alternate knee.
5. Plank – Plant hands directly under shoulders (slightly wider than shoulder-width) like you’re about to do a push-up. Ground toes into the floor and squeeze glutes to stabilize your body. Your legs should be working, too — be careful not to lock or hyperextend your knees. Neutralize your neck and spine by looking at a spot on the floor about a foot beyond your hands. Your head should be in line with your back.
6. Burpees – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, weight in your heels, and your arms at your sides. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body into a squat. Place your hands on the floor directly in front of, and just inside, your feet. Shift your weight onto your hands. Jump your feet back to softly land on the balls of your feet in a plank position. Your body should form a straight line from your head to heels. Be careful not to let your back sag or your butt stick up in the air, as both can keep you from effectively working your core. Jump your feet back so that they land just outside of your hands. Reach your arms overhead and explosively jump up into the air. Land and immediately lower back into a squat for your next rep.
7. Leg Raise – Lie on your back, legs straight and together. Keep your legs straight and lift them to the ceiling until your butt comes off the floor. Slowly lower your legs back down till they’re just above the floor. Hold for a moment. Raise your legs back up. Repeat.
8. Crunches – 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. They are considered as the fastest way to burn belly fat and are very easy to do at home without any equipment. They tend to build endurance and power in your belly muscles.
9. Push-Ups – The pushup may just be the perfect exercise that builds both upper-body and core strength. Done properly, it is a compound exercise that uses muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back, abs, and even the legs. Get on the floor on all fours, positioning your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Extend your legs back so that you are balanced on your hands and toes. Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back. You can position your feet to be close together or a bit wider depending on what is most comfortable for you. Before you begin any movement, contract your abs and tighten your core by pulling your belly button toward your spine. Keep a tight core throughout the entire pushup. Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Exhale as you begin contracting your chest muscles and pushing back up through your hands to the start position. Don’t lock out the elbows; keep them slightly bent.
To banish stubborn belly fat, you have to ramp up your workouts. In a study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, people who completed a high-intensity workout regimen lost more belly fat than those who followed a low-intensity plan. (In fact, the low-intensity exercises experienced no significant changes at all.) High-intensity workouts mean you’re going all out for as long as you can. If this sounds intimidating, think of it this way: you’ll burn more calories in less time. Eat a healthy diet and try these exercises at home to rid of that stubborn belly fat.