Your waistline can say so much about your health. A bigger waist might indicate excessive belly fat, which is unhealthy. It has been linked to various diseases like obesity and cardiovascular disease. Health gurus urge people with a bigger waistline to start exercising to reduce their risk of such diseases. Despite this knowledge, people struggle to determine the best exercise to fight belly fat. In this article, we will be looking at the best exercise to lose belly fat in 1 week. We will also discuss a few things you need to consider while training to manage belly fat safely. Take a look!
Quick Facts About Belly Fat
Before we look at the best exercise to lose belly fat, here are key pointers you should know before embarking on a journey to lose belly fat:
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Everybody Has Belly Fat
Yes, you heard it right. Even that model or celebrity you see with a six-pack has some belly fat because it is crucial to help cushion your internal organs (6).
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Excessive Belly Fat Is Dangerous
Excessive belly fat does not only look unappealing, but it is also dangerous. It potentially increases your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, colon and breast cancer (6).
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You Can Measure How Much Belly Fat You Have
You can determine the amount of belly fat you have by measuring your waist size. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the healthy waist circumference for women is anything below 35 inches (1).
This does not take into account the waist size of pregnant women. For men, the healthy waist size that portrays not having belly fat and increased obesity risk is anything below 40 inches (1).
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Older People May Have More Belly Fat
Belly fat increases as you age because you lose muscle mass. Muscle mass is replaced by fat, which may settle in your waistline area, resulting in excessive belly fat (2).
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Genetics Contribute To Belly Fat
According to Mayo Clinic, your weight is determined by factors besides calories you consume. One of these factors is genetics. Your genes may increase or decrease your chances of being obese and storing fat (2). The only way you can manage your weight in such a situation is through exercise. That said, which is the best exercise to lose lower belly fat in 1 week?
Read More: 30-Day Flat Stomach Diet: Your Ultimate Belly Trimming Diet
Can You Lose Belly Fat In 1 Week?
Many weight loss plans promise that you can lose belly fat in one week. Unfortunately, this is impossible. You cannot lose belly fat instantly or in such a short period of time. Also, remember that you do not shed pounds in one specific area only.
Whenever you go on a weight loss journey, you tend to shed pounds uniformly. This means when you start exercising to lose belly fat, you will lose body fat uniformly. Knowing this, people may over-exercise in the hope that they reduce their belly fat in a week.
When you over-exercise and engage in other restrictive weight loss measures like consuming a very low-calorie diet (VLCD), you experience rapid weight loss. According to WebMD, rapid weight loss will impress you because the scales will tip, but what happens later may have you regretting it.
This is because rapid weight loss is linked to electrolyte imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, gallstones, and dehydration (4). Instead of such an approach, experts recommend taking a steadier and healthier weight loss approach. This approach recommends targeting one to two pounds of weight loss in a week.
If your belly fat is more than two pounds, it may take you longer to lose it. Do not give up even if you do not notice any changes at first.
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The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat And Love Handles In 1 Week
Experts acknowledge that the best way to lose belly fat is by exercising. There are many activities that an individual can perform to lose belly fat and love handles. However, some are more effective for anyone who wants to exercise to lose belly fat in1 week at home or in the gym.
Remember that you may not lose as much weight as you want within one week despite taking any of these exercise programs. Do not beat yourself but instead, stay committed to the routine. Here are the best exercises to fight belly fat:
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Any Cardiovascular Activity
All cardiovascular activities are very good for fighting belly fat, strengthening and toning your core. There are many aerobic or cardiovascular activities that you can add to your workout plan to fight belly fat. They include swimming, running, walking, biking, rowing, dancing, and cycling.
Most people assume that just because these activities appear simple to perform, they are not effective. They are very effective in torching calories that help trigger the fat-burning process. Mayo Clinic has given an overview of their effectiveness by highlighting the calories an individual weighing 160 pounds can burn when performing these exercises for one hour. Take a look (3):
- Running at five mph- 606
- Water aerobics- 402
- Walking at 3.5 mph- 314
- Hiking- 438
- Low-impact aerobics: 365
- Participating in swimming laps, either light or moderate- 423
Do not undertake any of the listed aerobic activities without talking to your doctor. Overall, they are useful because they help you settle on a safe yet effective activity. However, consultation is paramount if it is your first time exercising, you have an underlying health condition, bad knees, knee injuries, or back pains.
Read More: 3-Day Cleanse To Lose Belly Fat: Get A Flat Tummy With These Tips
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Abdominal Exercises
Since the idea is losing belly fat, it is only right that we target the abdominal muscles by doing a handful of abdominal exercises. Since belly fat sticks around your abdominal region, mainly your lower stomach region, these exercises will target it and help combat it.
Remember that some exercises may be considered unsafe, especially if you had a cesarean section or a previous stomach surgery. Nonetheless, Medical News Today ranks the following abdominal exercises among the best in fighting belly fat and love handles (5):
- The high plank
- Abdominal crunches
- Bicycle crunches
- Glute bridge
- Bird dog
- Mountain climbers
- Warrior crunches
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HIIT Workouts
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are exercise routines with short bursts of intense exercise, combining lower intensity moves and short rest periods (7). Experts acknowledge that these exercises can help reduce belly fat and improve the overall physical condition (7).
Although these are not time-consuming, they do increase your heart rate. In addition, they include a lot of pushing, squatting, pulling, deadlifting, and using loaded carries (7). Some of the best HIIT exercises to help reduce belly fat, according to WebMD, are high knees, burpees, jumping jacks, jump squats, and push-ups (7).
To get started with such an exercise program, talk to your doctor and trainer.
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Strength Training Workouts
Strength training workouts help you lose belly fat and love handles and help tone and strengthen your abdominal region.
Increased muscle mass helps you burn more calories and fat. Similarly, they are also advocated for by experts because besides helping you burn off more fat, they also help you build more muscle mass and size.
Strength training exercises to fight belly fat can be classified into weight and resistance training. There are so many practical exercises to train your belly under these two categories. However, WebMD advocates for the following (7):
- Squats
- Lunges
- Bicep curls
- Tricep kick-backs
Fitness experts suggest you perform these and other strength training workouts using comfortable weights. They suggest you switch to heavier weights after getting your trainer’s go-ahead.
Besides increasing weights for more intensity, these experts also recommend increasing your reps and sets. However, they suggest you start with twelve reps for all exercises and with lighter loads. Then, with time, you can talk to your trainer about increasing the reps and loads.
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Safety Tips When Performing These Exercises To Lose Belly Fat
While it is important to exercise, it is important to do it safely to minimize injury risk. Below are some tips to help you stay safe when exercising to lose belly fat:
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Avoid Overtraining
While it is essential to losing belly fat, you do not want to over train as it comes with its risks. First and foremost, overtraining increases your risk of injuries and aches. It also reduces your performance and results because you are always tired and feeling overwhelmed. To avoid these dangers of overtraining, make sure you have some rest days to allow your muscles to recover and grow.
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Wear The Right Gear
Whether you are working out at home or in the gym, make sure you wear the right gear. It should not be loose-fitting and not too baggy. Also, remember to tie your shoelaces well to avoid tripping and injuring yourself.
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Stretching
Stretching is crucial when exercising as it helps fight muscle tension and stiffness. Exercising with stiff muscles may lead to pain and aches.
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Warming Up
You must warm-up before performing any exercise to lose belly fat in 1 week regardless of how simple it looks. Warming up helps in raising your heart rate and preparing your body for the upcoming activity. Similarly, it helps reduce muscle soreness and reduce injury risk.
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Cooling Down
It would be best if you also cooled down after you are done performing your chosen activity. It is paramount as it helps promote gradual recovery by regulating blood flow throughout the body. If you do not cool down after exercising, your muscles will contract and cause your heart to work harder to pump blood.
The Bottom Line
There are numerous activities you can perform to manage belly fat. However, note that you cannot eliminate your entire belly fat in just one week. Even so, you can shed one to two pounds in one week. The best exercises to lose belly fat in one week are any cardio activity, HIIT workout, abdominal exercise, or strength training workout. Talk to your doctor and trainer to determine the most suitable activity.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Assessing Your Weight (2020, cdc.gov)
- Belly fat in men: Why weight loss matters (2021, mayoclinic.org)
- Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour (2019, mayoclinic.org)
- Rapid Weight Loss (2021, webmd.com)
- The 8 best core exercises for gym and home training, from beginner to advanced (2021, medicalnewstoday.com)
- The Truth About Belly Fat (2014, webmd.com)
- Top Exercises for Belly Fat (2020, webmd.com)
