Muffin top or belly fat is the most common area where women want to lose weight.
Accumulation of fat in the body is generally by two ways: i) in lower body only or pear shape body ii) in abdominal area or apple shaped body.
Abdominal fat can lead to various kinds of metabolic diseases.
The main reason of the accumulation of fat in the abdominal region is a genetic and hormonal imbalance.
High-calorie non-nutritive foods can lead to weight gain in the abs.
You can tone the shape of your body by a number of ways.
You can reduce your abdominal and belly fat by having a balanced diet. With this, a blend of exercises is beneficial for reducing the belly fat.
20 Easy Effective Exercises To Lose Belly Fat For Women
Here is a list of exercises that easy for beginners and effective in strengthening core and losing belly fat.
1. Step up with hop
It is a beginner exercise for the lower body. It mainly targets glutes, hamstrings, and quads. This is a multidimensional exercise that is suitable for all fitness level.
How to do?
- Stand straight keeping a distance between your feet. Place your hands on hips and bend your knee slightly.
- Now take a step forward with your right knee and then lift up your left knee and jump (hop) with the right leg.
- Then land on your both feet.
- Repeat the same steps.
Frequency: you can do 16 repeats with each alternating leg.
Muscles worked: quadriceps (in front of thighs), glutes (the connecting point between leg and back), abs.
2. Bridge opposite leg arm reach
This exercise not only targets your abs but also hips, thigh and core muscles. This is the extended form of the bridge.
How to do?
- Lie on the floor by facing upward. Bend your knees at 90 degrees. And place your arms by your side.
- Then extend your left leg toward the ceiling and right arm outside. And lift up your hips. Hold on this position for 1-3 seconds.
- Then lower the leg and regain the position. Repeat the same with opposite leg and arm.
- Repeat the steps.
Frequency: 10-12 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal
3. Long arm crunch
This is also an effective exercise for your core and belly fat.
How to do?
- Lie on the floor/mat by facing upward. Your hands should be above your head and crossed over another. Legs should be straight.
- Bend your knees and lift up your hands, head, shoulders, and chest by squeezing your core.
- Regain the original position and repeat the same.
Frequency: 12- 15 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal, core and hips.
4. Bicycle crunch
This is a very easy exercise for reducing the fat of the belly. As the name suggests it is a crunch that involves a cyclic motion of your leg that squeezes your core and helps develop abs.
How to do?
- Lie on the floor on your back. Keep your arms by your side.
- Then lift up your legs and bend left leg such that your knee is directed toward your chest and lift up your right shoulder toward the knee. During doing this your right leg should be straight and in the air.
- Then repeat same with right leg.
- In second phase, you can clasp your hands behind your head. Then lift up your bent left knee toward your chest and right elbow toward your knee. Repeat the same with other leg and shoulder.
- Repeat the above process.
Frequency: you can do 3 sets of this exercise.
Muscles worked: abdominal
5. Squat jump
This squat includes a jump in it. It not only targets the abdominal but also targets the back and leg muscles.
How to do?
- Stand with your legs wide apart and your toes pointed outward. Slightly bend your knees.
- Jump up (exhale) and then land in the form of deep squat (inhale) with your arms near to hips.
- Repeat the same.
Frequency: you can do 3 sets of this exercise.
Muscles worked: calves, hamstrings, glutes, core and quadriceps.
6. Side incline with a twist
This exercise directly targets your core. It helps to tone your waist.
How to do?
- Lie on your one side (right). Your legs should be one upon other. Your hand (right) that is below should be directly underneath your shoulder.
- Lift up your body on your right arm by bending your elbow at 90 degrees. Make sure your body forms a straight line. Extend your other arm toward the ceiling with extended hand. Hold on this position for 3 seconds.
- Regain the original position and repeat the same.
Frequency: you can do 4 repeats of this on each side.
Muscles worked: abs, core, biceps and triceps.
Exercise 7: the hundred
The hundred is a type of pilates exercise which helps to increase core stability and improve abdominal strength.
How to do?
- Lie on mat by facing upward. Place your arms aside and legs straight.
- Lift up your legs at 45 degree. also lift up your head and shoulders
- Lift up your arms and pump 100 times.
Frequency: 1 set.
Muscles worked: abdominal
8. Cross climber
This exercise stretches the abdominal region and also helps in toning the whole body.
How to do?
Make a push up pose, by lying on your stomach with feet wider apart and then lift up your whole body by balancing weight on hands and feet (front part).
Then lift one leg and twist inwards. Alternate the position.
Repeat the same process.
Frequency: 3 sets or you can do this for 1 minute.
Muscles worked: Abs, glutes, hamstrings, biceps
9. Dead bug
Dead bug gets its name as you look like a dead bug when performing this exercise because of the movements involved. It is a good and extremely simple core exercise.
How to do?
- Lie on your back and extend your hands toward ceiling.
- Now bend your knees, hips and feet to 90 degrees.
- Then flatten your back by exhaling hard and then extend your one leg by straighten your knees. Your leg should not touch ground.
- Return to the bending position and then do same with other leg.
- Repeat the steps.
Frequency: you can do 3 sets with 10 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal
10. Double crisscross
This is the double twister exercise for abs. This targets the internal as well as external obliques.
How to do?
- Lie on mat/floor by facing upward. Clasp your hands behind your head.
- Lift up your legs and extend the bent arm (left) forward and bend your right knee. Extending is in such a way that your right knee approximates the left elbow. Hold on this position for 3 seconds.
- Then repeat the same with opposite leg and arm.
Frequency: 3 sets of 20 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal
11. Dumbbell swing
This exercise mainly concentrates on the abdominal and shoulder muscles. You need dumbbells for this.
How to do?
- Bend your lower back forward. Hold dumbbells in your hands.
- Slightly positioned up your body and hike back the dumbbells between your legs.
- By squeezing the glutes thrust your hips and swing the weight with reference to your shoulders height.
- Reverse the position and repeat again.
Frequency: for 15 minutes.
Muscles worked: arm and abdominal
12.Squat thrust
This exercise is generally done in order to strengthen lower body.
How to do?
- Stand straight and spread your feet. Your feet should be wider as much as your shoulder.
- Take a squat position and lower your body. Balance your body by placing your hands on floor.
- Then by jumping take the plank position which is your thrust piece.
- Then again take the squat position. Repeat and alternate these positions.
Frequency: 10 repeats
Muscles worked: quads, hamstrings, glutes, abs, shoulders and chest
13. V ups
One of the best exercises that target the abdominal muscles is V ups. As the name suggest you have to form a V shape that involves squeezing your core.
How to do?
- Lie on the mat by facing upward. Your arms should be overhead and hands touching floor.
- Then lift up your arms and legs as it forms the letter ‘V’. Try to touch your toes with your hands.
- Regain the original position and repeat the process.
Frequency:10 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal, hip flexors, inner thigh and quadriceps.
14. Hanging leg raise
Hanging leg raise is something we loved to do as kids but it is actually a great way of strengthening the core.
How to do?
- Hold on the pull-up bar with your hand and have tight grip over this.
- Then by bending your elbows, try to lift your body up. You can also bend your knees.
- Then lower the body and repeat the same.
Frequency: you can do this for 10-15 times.
Muscles worked: abdominal, core, lower back muscles and hip flexors.
15. Stability ball crunch
This exercise is done with the help of an exercise ball. It strengthens your abs and oblique.
How to do?
- Lie on the exercise ball on your back. Walk forward with your feet. Your back should rest on the ball.
- Your thighs should be parallel to the floor while walking and cross your arms in front of chest. Head should be slightly in the hanging position. Knees and hips are in bent position.
- Crunch on the ground and return to starting position if you feel the contraction in your abs.
Frequency: 3 sets of 10-12 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal.
16. Reverse crunch
This exercise mainly targets the core and also improves the functioning of the lower back and spine. This creates the tension in the abdominal muscles.
How to do?
- Lie on the mat/floor by facing upward. Then, bend your knees at 90 degrees. Your arms should be by your side and palms facing downward. This will be your starting position.
- Lift your legs up in the bending position, such that knees directed toward chest, by tighten your abs.
- Don’t lift your neck. Hold on this position for 3-5 seconds and then regain the starting position.
- Repeat the same.
Frequency: 10-12 repeats
Muscles worked: abdominal, hips and back.
17. Squat to knee lift twist
This exercise is very easy to do. Like normal squat, only left knee twist is added to this. This targets most of the muscles of body. It does not require any equipment.
How to do?
- Stand with some distance between your feet. Place your hands by your sides.
- Then give a squat pose by lowering your hips by bending knees and stretch your arms forward.
- Then lift up your one knee to the height of your belly and straighten another leg to balance weight of body. Hold on this posture for 20-30 seconds.
- Repeat the steps again.
Frequency: you can do 3 sets with pausing time 3 minutes.
Muscles worked: thigh, core and abdominal.
18. Crunch with heel push
This is very easy exercise that targets the abdominal muscles. It is the simplest form of crunch.
How to do?
- Lie on your back and spread your feet wide apart. Bend your knees at 90 degrees.
- Then stretch one arm at a time to reach the heel. Squeeze your core while doing this.
- Repeat the same process with other arm.
Frequency: 12-15 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal
19. Ball leg raise
This exercise strengthens core and abdomen. It requires an exercise ball.
How to do?
- Lie on your back. Place an exercise ball in between your ankles. Place fists below glutes for balancing and lifting.
- Then inhale and lift your leg to 90 degree angle.
- After a while (3-4 sec) lower your legs too. Repeat the same process.
Frequency: 2-3 sets of 10-12 repeats.
Muscles worked: abdominal
20. Supine twist
This exercise is very easy to do. This is an exercise from yoga practises. This is beneficially for reducing the fat from belly. It is also helpful in back pain.
How to do?
- Lie straight on your back. And place your arms by your side.
- Then stretch your arms outside and bend your knees. After bending, stretch knees toward right side.
- Hold on this position for 3 seconds.
- Then regain the original position. Repeat same toward the left side.
Frequency: you can do this for 10 times on each side.
Muscles worked: abs.
Conclusion
Getting rid of belly fat is not a tough task. You just have to give some time of your daily routine to some of these exercises. While during practicing exercise, precautions should keep in mind.
If you suffer from certain health conditions such as lower back pain or neck pain, please consult a doctor or fitness trainer prior to doing these exercises.
Exercise can help tone the body but a good diet and even better lifestyle is necessary to maintain it.