Strike the balance between fit and festive this December with these 10 exercises to get the midriff of your dreams! Whether you are spending December attending a marathon of weddings or laying flat on a beach—a slim toned tummy is going to be a great asset to flaunt.
1) Crunches
The simplest exercise to lose inches around your waist. You can do it anywhere and as many as you like without any supervision. You can also try variations of the exercise by doing twists, and reverse crunches.
Lie down flat on a mat with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Alternatively, you can also lift your legs off the floor at a 90-degree angle.
Lift your hands and place them behind your head, or keep them crossed on your chest.
Inhale deeply, and as you lift your upper torso off the floor, exhale.
Inhale again as you get back down, and exhale as you come up.
Do this for 10 times as a beginner.
Repeat another two to three.
2)Plank on the ball
Kneel in front of a stability ball, draping your abs and hips over the ball. Place your hands on the ground in front of you and walk them out until the ball rolls beneath your thighs.
Once your body is straight (with a slight arch in your back) and you're stable, hold for 30 seconds. Focus on lifting belly button and squeezing thighs.
3) Circles in the sky
This works your core, inner thighs, outer hips, and butt.
Lie on your back with hands behind your head. Contract abs, lifting upper body slightly off the ground. Raise right leg 5 inches (or keep it on the ground if that's too challenging) and left leg straight up toward the sky.
Keeping your core engaged and hips stable, trace 4 softball-size circles clockwise with your entire left leg; reverse, circling 4 times counterclockwise. Lower both legs, switch sides and repeat.
4) V-Ups
Lie on your back with your legs together, feet pointed, and arms resting on the ground overhead. Engage your abs as you bring your legs and arms up toward each other in front of you and try to touch your toes. Try to keep your back as straight as possible. Hold for a count of one, then return to the starting position.
5) Cardio
There's one thing to like about visceral fat: It yields fairly easily to aerobic exercise. Vaporizing calories via running, biking, swimming—anything that gets your heart rate up—wins over resistance training when it comes to getting rid of the stuff. A recent study from Duke found the sweet spot: Jogging the equivalent of 12 miles a week will help you lose belly fat.
6) Bicycle Exercise
This is yet another exercise that will help you to shed excess fat around your belly area easily.
Lie flat on the floor or the mat and keep both the hands on either side of your head.
Now lift both your legs from the ground and bend them at your knees.
Now pull your right knee close to your chest with your left leg out. When you are bringing the right knee up you can try to meet your left elbow with your right knee to have a perfect stomach crunch.
Now take your right leg out and bring your left knee close to your chest. Now, lift your upper body and make sure that your right elbow touches your left knee for a perfect crunch.
Repeat this for 10 to 12 times for both the sides and for two consecutive sets.
7) Side to Side Bending
Bending side to side not just helps in reducing excess fat deposits in your stomach area, but it also helps in giving your love handles a perfect shape.
Stand in an erect position with your feet together. Lift both your hands and stretch it above your head and make sure that they are clasped together.
Now bend your body to your left side as much as possible until you feel a strain on your right side. Hold in this position for 15 seconds.
Now come back to the same standing position.
Now repeat the same on the right side. Now hold this position for about 15 seconds.
Once you get comfortable holding on for 15 seconds, you can increase it to 30 seconds or more on both sides.
8) Stomach Vacuum
If you are a beginner looking to do some exercises to reduce belly fat, then you should start with low impact exercises like stomach vacuum exercises. This is an exercise that concentrates mainly on breathing.
Hit the ground on all fours by supporting your body on your knees and hands.
Now take a deep breath and make sure that your abdomen is loose.
Now exhale your breath and make sure that you hold your abdominal muscles tight during exhalation.
You need to hold the abdomen contraction for about 15 to 30 seconds.
Repeat this process for 15 times for two to three sets daily.
9) Captain’s Chair
You will need a chair to do this exercise. It is a simple exercise that will help in reducing excess belly fat.
Sit on the chair with an upright spine and straight shoulders.
Place both your hands on either side with the palms of the hands facing downwards. Take a deep breath.
Now as you exhale, make sure that you bring both your legs upwards such that your knees are very close to the chest.
Hold in this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Do not arch your back or bend forwards when your knees are close to your chest.
Now bring your legs back to the ground and repeat the same process for 15 times.
10) Lunge Twist
If you are a beginner trying to work your belly to remove its excess fat, then you should first try out the lunge twist exercise.
Move your left foot forward and bend your left knee. You will feel the hamstring stretch on your right leg.
Now lift your hands parallel to the ground and make sure that they are in front of you.
Take a big step forward with your left leg and sit down as if you are sitting on a chair. Your right leg should be positioned backward and you must use your toes to support your right leg.
Make sure that your upper body and the spine are in the upright position to perform perfect lunges.
Now perform the same lunge exercise on the other leg.
Repeat this for 15 times.
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