7 Home Exercises That Help You Burn Belly Fat

Isn't it amazing - and frustrating at the same time! How easy it is to gain weight? Once our guard is down, our bodies appear to accumulate excess weight like magnets. It just takes a couple of rich desserts, a few weeks-long vacations, or the Christmas season...voila! Our indulgences have led to an expansion of our waistlines.

On the other hand, losing weight can be a grueling process. Keeping fit and maintaining a healthy weight can be a lifelong struggle of diets, weight loss schemes, and exercise routines.

Everybody who has struggled to lose weight will unanimously agree on one thing: belly fat is the most frustrating. There is nothing more unattractive. It's very frustrating to carry around a spare tire around your waist.

The flab around our bellies is what makes us look fat, and it's usually the last thing to go away when we're trying to lose weight.

What causes belly fat to develop in some people? 

It is common to gain weight around your middle, regardless of whether you are overweight and have a large waistline.

*Lifestyle: Lifestyle is, of course, the first culprit. Lack of exercise, smoking, too much alcohol, and poor diet all contribute to belly fat. Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles are causing obesity and weight issues, according to studies.

*Age: Losing muscle tone and belly fat are part of the aging process. Weight gain around the middle seems to be more common among older folks. Hormonal changes during menopause can also lead to women gaining belly fat.

*Trans-fats: Fast foods and baked goods are high in trans-fats, which cause belly fat.

* Alcohol: Excessive drinking and belly fat are linked by the term "beer gut."

* Stress: Our bodies release the hormone cortisol when they are stressed, which helps them cope with stress. A problem with cortisol is that it slows down metabolism and fat-burning. Furthermore, many of us instinctively turn to food for comfort when we are stressed. Together, these two factors make body fat an ideal recipe.

*Genetics: Studies have found that belly fat may be genetically inherited, making you more likely to gain weight there. This is why some people will still have a little potbelly even if they are fit and slim. It is very possible that genetics is the cause of this.

* Poor sleep: A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found a relationship between reduced sleep hours and general weight gain. A lack of sleep slows down metabolism and can lead to unhealthy eating habits, both of which can result in belly fat.

Consider these causes (even genetic causes can be reversed) and identify which one or ones could be responsible for your belly fat. You can then work on these causes along with exercises to achieve better results.

What can this article do for you?

Getting rid of belly fat involves good old-fashioned exercise. No magic pill, no wonder diet, no miraculous "power drink" will erase stubborn fat.

Exercise is necessary whether we like it or not.

The seven exercises below will give your abdomen a good workout and melt off the flab like nothing else.

You can practice these exercises at home without going to the gym, nor do you need any expensive equipment. You only need some dedication and some time to practice them.

Belly fat facts that you may find interesting (and not so enjoyable)

You might find some of these belly fat facts interesting before we get started on the exercises.

1. It was once a badge of prosperity and a sign of "good" living to have a big belly and plump figure in some cultures.

2. The clinical term for belly fat is "central obesity" while the scientific term is "abdominal obesity".

3. There are two types of belly fat: visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat surrounds the organs in the abdomen, which is a potential health risk.

There are two types of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat accumulates between the abdominal wall and the skin. It is generally harmless, but may affect your wallet if you have to buy larger sized pants.

4. Over a long period of time, researchers monitored 360,000 European participants in one of the longest and most comprehensive studies ever conducted. The study made a staggering discovery. People with more belly fat had a higher mortality rate than those with less or no belly fat.

5. It has been proven that visceral fat releases chemicals called cytokines that increase diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even cancer.

6. Inflammation and hormone imbalances are caused by belly fat, which is metabolically active and releases inflammatory substances.

7. Belly fat does not protect your bones. This is a common myth that has no basis in fact. Studies have shown that visceral fat negatively affects bone density and strength. Men with belly fat also appear to be at greater risk of osteoporosis, according to a Harvard study conducted in 2012.

Despite the fact that some of these facts are fun to learn, some are quite frightening as well. They are warning signs that belly fat can have some pretty serious health consequences. Aside from being unattractive, belly fat can actually reduce your lifespan by years. That's all the more reason to tone your waistline ASAP!

Seven Best Exercises to Burn Belly Fat

In addition to burning belly fat, these seven exercises will give you an excellent workout as well. They will primarily target the waistline and abdomen to burn fat and tone the abdominal muscles. Although the steps are straightforward and easy to follow, doing them at first will require quite a bit of effort.

Despite not using weights, these seven mini workouts will work your core muscles to burn fat and increase metabolism while lifting and toning at the same time.

1. The Muscle Master Crunch

You'll burn fat faster with this exercise because it strengthens your abdominal muscles and works all of your muscles at once.

Steps:

~ Step out with your feet shoulder-width apart to begin the exercise.

~ Keeping your arms shoulder-width apart, bend downwards and rest your palms flat on the floor for 3-4 counts.

~ While your palms remain flat on the floor, kick both legs forward in one forceful push.

~ Do one push-up and then jump up and back down.

~ You should repeat the exercise ten times.

The secret of this exercise is in the fast-paced repetitions that pump up your metabolism to melt away belly fat.

Initially, you may be a bit slow and awkward, but as you get the hang of it, you should be able to move fluidly and quickly.

2. The Mountain Climber Crunch

In this exercise, you are doing a forceful climb upward against the force of gravity. It works your core hard as you try to maintain a straight body.

The exercise will be hard at first, especially if you have not exercised for a while and are out of shape. Just keep practicing, and your body will become stronger.

Steps:

~ It is recommended that you use a yoga mat for this exercise.

~ Put your hands in front of your shoulders with your palms down, as in the traditional pushup position.

~ As if you are preparing to do a pushup, raise your body up off the ground.

~ Lift your right foot off the ground and pull your knee toward your chest with force.

~ Put your right foot down on the floor and return it to the starting position.

~ Alternate between both feet 20 times.

As a conditioning exercise, this crunch will raise your heart rate and burn calories.

Perform as many crunches as you can for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat for 4 minutes.

In the beginning, you might be a little slow, but as you gain strength, you should be able to do more reps quickly.

3. Trusty Toe Touches

As one of the most effective exercises for reducing belly fat and toning up the abdominal muscles, this good old exercise will never go out of style.

Steps:

~ If you are lying on your yoga mat, you can stretch your arms straight behind your head or sit with your arms raised.

~ Lie on your back and do a full sit-up, stretch forward and touch your toes.

~ If you are seated, bend forward and touch your toes.

The more belly fat you have, the harder it will be to reach your toes. However, as the belly fat gradually melts away, what an amazing sense of accomplishment you will feel when you can reach your toes more easily!

4. Med-Ball Slam-dunk

Exercises like this are great fun - and great for toning your belly since they require all muscles between your neck and hips to be used.

Steps:

~ This exercise requires a one-kilo medicine ball.

~ Standing shoulder-width apart, plant your legs firmly on the floor.

~ The ball should be held straight above your head.

~ Then put all your strength into slamming the ball down, then catch it quickly when it rebounds.

~ Repeat 20 times.

Make sure you slam that ball down with some real power for this exercise to work!

5. Planks

Its name comes from the "plank" position, in which several muscle groups are worked, but primarily those of the abdominal region.

Performing planks is a great endurance exercise that will test both your endurance and focus.

Steps:

~ Place your feet and forearms on a yoga mat in pushup position, then lift your body.

~ You should keep your back straight and your hips should not touch the floor.

~ Hold this position for 15-20 seconds, keeping your body balanced and straight.

~ Release the position and rest for 10 seconds.

~ Repeat the exercise 3-5 times.

6. Leg Curls

In addition to burning belly fat, this exercise tones thighs as well.

Steps:

~ Using a sturdy table or a high chair is ideal for this exercise,

~ You should sit on the edge of the chair or table and lean back with your legs extended. If you are using a chair, make sure your back doesn't rest on the backrest.

~ Keeping your muscles clenched tightly, bend your knees, raise them up toward your abdomen, and then unfold your legs slowly.

~ Repeat 8-10 times.

7. The Oblique Exercise

A great way to stretch and tone the abs is to do this resistance exercise.

Two hand weights are used in this exercise.

Steps:

~ Standing with your feet slightly apart, holding a weight in each hand, and keeping your back straight.

~ Begin by holding the weights with both hands.

~ Keeping your legs straight and not bending your knees, gently lean to the right side.

~ Repeat the exercise on the left side. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the right side.

~ Do ten repetitions, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat twice more.

It may seem simple, but these exercises are packed with power when it comes to busting belly fat. Just warm up first to keep yourself from getting injured.

When you start out, don't worry about being slow, especially if you're out of shape. Don’t overexert yourself and rest between reps if you need to. As your muscles become stronger, it will become easier and you will gradually be able to increase the speed and forcefulness.

Here's what you need to know about these exercises, when you'll see results, and how they're best done.

What to Expect

If you follow the Three-P rule, which is Patience - Perseverance - Practice, your body will respond to these exercises.

Achieving difficult goals takes time. Shedding stubborn belly fat will not happen overnight. In fact, the more belly fat you have, the tougher it will be to lose it. The change will come, but it will take time.

A minimum of two weeks should pass before you notice a difference.

This is an average timeframe. Some people may see results after one week of starting their exercise routine, while for others, weight loss may be slower, but it is usually within two weeks.

Your lifestyle and metabolism will determine how quickly you see results.

It is also dependent on your body's metabolism and natural propensity to lose fat that you lose as you exercise again. Some people lose fat very quickly while others will take more time to shed fat.

The bottom line is to be patient and give the exercises time to work.

Perseverance: You'll have a hard time, especially at the beginning, so prepare to moan, groan, and grunt as you do some of these exercises the first few times. You'll wake up so sore and stiff the next day that you'll want to quit. To stay strong, you'll need to work hard.

Soreness and stiffness, especially around your midline, are good signs. It means your body is reacting to the exercises!

Getting rid of the unattractive flab requires perseverance and stubbornness. So, grit your teeth and let your mantra be, "I can do it. I don't have the option of quitting. I deserve to be fit and look good." Positive self-talk will work wonders for your perseverance because it sends the message to your brain that you are passionate and determined to do something. Consequently, your brain will increase your physical endurance and mental tenacity.

You will become more comfortable with these exercises over time, and when you see and feel the results, you will be motivated to continue.

Practice: You will need some time to get the exercises down and decide how you will create your own routine. Make sure to read the steps carefully so you can follow them correctly.

Just as you would with an important meeting - or a hot date - you should set a time for your exercises and stick to it! Schedule your exercise sessions around other tasks and make them a priority. Whenever something unexpected happens, never cross them off your list first.

The exercises must be done regularly in order for them to become effective and start shedding belly fat. Falling off the wagon repeatedly means that each time you pick them up again, you will have to start all over again.

How often should you exercise and in what order?

You should do the exercises at least twice a week for 15 minutes, but if you'd like to schedule three, four, or even more sessions, go for it!

Adding more days to your workout as you go along is a good way to come up to a good level of exercise.

No particular order should be followed, nor should you do all seven exercises at once.

Just develop a program that fits your needs.

As an example, you can perform the seven exercises sequentially in one session. You can also do three or four repetitions with more repetitions, or even just two repetitions with more repetitions in 15 minutes.

If you are having trouble choosing which exercises to do, you can start with two or three and add more as you progress.

Using these exercises is flexible. You can experiment with different combinations until you create your ideal exercise regimen. The beauty of these exercises is that they allow you to be as flexible as you like.

A word about lifestyle

You'll get the most out of the exercises with a healthy lifestyle. There's no point going into too much detail here. We all know what it means to live a healthy lifestyle.

It's pointless to sweat through the exercises if you're going to order fast food for dinner every night? You shouldn't be trying to lose belly fat with these exercises unless you modify your lifestyle as well. To be perfectly honest, these exercises are a waste of time unless coupled with lifestyle changes.

If you practice these exercises, there is no need to go on a diet to lose weight faster. In fact, strict calorie restrictions can actually make your body weaker.

You can use these belly fat-busting exercises to lose belly fat with a few lifestyle changes, including eating a balanced diet, avoiding alcohol and carbonated drinks, drinking enough water, and getting enough sleep. It wouldn't hurt to cut down on smoking, either, and hopefully, quit completely eventually.

You can break some bad habits by doing these exercises. Let these exercises motivate you to adopt healthier eating habits and lifestyles, resulting in lasting weight loss.

Some Cool Tips to Keep you on Track

A great tip for keeping yourself motivated and on track is to consider some of these ideas that can be incorporated into your exercise routine. They'll make losing belly fat fun!

1.  Listen to a fascinating podcast or audiobook

Exercise can be a great way to catch up on reading if you're a busy career person. If you're not, it can help you improve both the mind and the body.

Bonus: if you find the content particularly captivating, you'll want to continue exercising!

2.  Check out the app store for some awesome fitness apps

Millions of people around the world use fitness apps, which have been a popular trend for years.

In addition to scheduling exercise times, they can also track how many calories you burn and alert you when an exercise starts/ends/durations.

With one app, you can actually gamify your workouts, increasing the challenge level as you go! Another really cool app plays music that matches your pace based on your music preferences!

The good news is that there are a variety of motivation and support apps available. Many of them are also customizable, so you can tailor them to meet your individual needs.

3.  Wear suitable workout clothes

A workout at home shouldn't mean wearing a tattered t-shirt and beat-up shorts. Or even in your underwear!

Think about it this way: if you were invited to a black-tie event, you would not show up in jeans and a denim shirt, right?

Good workout clothes are crucial to your exercise success. After all, they're meant for working out! The right workout clothes will make you feel more streamlined and support your body, which will increase your enjoyment of working out. Furthermore, if you are well-equipped for work, you will subconsciously have the impression that working out is something that is important and worthwhile enough to invest in.

When you do these exercises at home, this tip may seem trivial, but you'll see that it does make a difference to your mindset and motivation.

4.  Follow a strict schedule for the first month

A strict exercise schedule is essential for the first month - and for staying on track - simply because the first month is most challenging.

To hold yourself accountable, you might even want to enlist a friend or family member to keep an eye on you.

You will be motivated and eager to continue as you gain strength and see tangible results.

5.  Keep a journal

Make regular entries about your frustrations, challenges, and breakthroughs. You should ideally do this twice a week, but if you feel like journaling every day, go for it!

A journal keeps track of your progress and enables you to identify patterns that work especially well for you. A journal also makes for enjoyable reading years from now.

It is also a good idea to include photos of before, during, and after your journey, of you exercising, etc.

6.  Listen to music!

Make a playlist of your favorite music that lasts as long as your exercise session.

Nothing will make the time fly and increase your enjoyment of your workout more than your favorite tunes.

No music must be fast-paced. If classical music or hymns are your thing, awesome! Whatever feels right to you.

7.  Don’t weigh yourself every day

Do not get caught in the frustrating and guilt-inducing trap of checking your waistline every day. Stay away from the mirror at all costs.

Keep exercising and don't obsess about your weight or belly fat. You'll see and feel the changes gradually without needing to step on the scale or look in the mirror all the time.

8.  Don't beat yourself up about setbacks

If you encounter a setback, don't beat yourself up about it. That will only discourage you more and may make you quit exercising altogether.

The key to overcoming this is perseverance. You have to pick yourself up, keep going and tell yourself that you can do it.

9.  Visualize your goal

Having a trim, toned waistline is your goal. Engage in this visualization for a few minutes each day to see what you'll look like when you achieve it. Think about what you're going to wear, how fit and energetic you'll feel, and how your friends will compliment your looks.

In order to stay motivated and keep your goal in sight, visualization is an extremely powerful tool.

10. Celebrate successes

Don't forget to reward yourself for successful milestones!

Getting rid of belly fat is an ongoing process of trial and error as you grow and settle into your exercise routine. Get creative and come up with your own tweaks to help you stay motivated and on track.

Before exercising, warm up for five minutes and stretch afterward.

Conclusion

Having belly fat can pose a lot of health risks and cause some serious problems. It is also unattractive, plain and simple.

With the seven exercises discussed here, you hold the key to the solution.

You can do them anywhere in your home, and even outdoors if you prefer. If you have enough space, you can even do them in your office. There are just seven simple exercises that will help you feel and look fit without a gym membership, costly equipment, or grueling workout routine.

Start your belly fat-busting challenge with patience, perseverance, and practice. Use these tips to make exercise more enjoyable.

You deserve a long, healthy, active life. Losing belly fat will help you attain that goal, as well as having a trim waistline.

HAPPY EXERCISING!