How to Work Out to Lose Belly Fat

To lose belly fat, you will have to do more than just eat a healthy, balanced diet. Motleyhealth.com recommends you also incorporate regular exercise into your lifestyle. You have to target all of your body fat to reduce belly fat because reducing just one spot in the body is not possible. Just doing crunches is not going to burn that layer of fat from your belly. You will have to do a combination of exercises to get a flat tummy.

Instructions

• 1

  Perform cardiovascular exercise three to four times per week to increase your metabolism and to burn fat. Keep boredom at bay by changing up the type of cardio you do. Walk, jog, bike, swim or take an aerobics class. Look into group sports you can get involved with. Your local gym may have racquetball or basketball tournaments or the city you live in may have organized community sports. Exercise indoors using workout DVDs on days you don't feel like exercising outdoors or in the gym.

• 2

  Include strength training into your workout sessions. According to The Diet Channel website, strength training makes you stronger and increases your resting metabolic rate so you burn calories even when you are resting. Perform compound exercises that target multiple muscles at the same time for optimal fat burn. Train all parts of the body. Perform exercises such as pushups for your upper body, lunges and squats for your lower body, deadlifts for your back and dumbbell curls for your arms. Increase your weight or number of repetitions as you get stronger.

• 3

  Perform a variety of exercises that tone your abdominals. Abdominal exercises don't burn fat, but will tone the muscles underneath the fat. As the fat layer reduces, you will see toned abdominals. Work the upper part of your rectus abdominus by doing traditional crunches. Lie on your back, with your knees bent and your legs on the floor. Support your head with your hands. Inhale, as you use your abdominals to lift your upper body so your shoulder blades come off the floor. Exhale on the exertion. Keep your elbows pointing outward. Do as many sets and repetitions as your fitness level allows.

• 4

  Train the lower part of your rectus abdominus by doing reverse curls. Lie on your back on the floor and raise your legs into the air. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Lift your head off the floor and support it with your hands. Inhale and bring your knees toward your chest as you raise your buttocks 1 to 2 inches off the floor. Lower your legs toward the floor and exhale. Don't let your feet touch the floor,. Repeat the exercise for as many repetitions and sets as your feel physically fit for.

• 5

  Perform elbow-to-knee crunches that target your obliques. Assume the traditional crunch position. Inhale as you bring the shoulder blades off the floor and add a twist at the top of the exercise by reaching with your left elbow to your right knee. Twist your body back to a straight position and lower yourself back to the floor. Repeat the exercise with your right elbow and your left knee. Keep alternating sides until you complete your repetitions and sets.