When you are 40, it’s normal to lose the mass of the muscles and gain fat. But that does not mean you have to give up on your dream of a flat belly. The 40s are the best time to start working on your belly. Belly fat is often the last place to go when you are losing weight, so it’s important to focus on specific workouts that target this area to eliminate belly fat in the 40s.
Reasons for gaining weight in your 40s.
There are many reasons for weight gain in your 40s, but some of the most common reasons are mentioned below:
- Depressed metabolism.
- Hormonal changes.
- Not getting yourself indulged in regular exercise.
- Not eating right.
6 best exercises for reducing your belly fat in the 40s.
So, here are the 6 best exercises that you can perform if you want to reduce your belly fat in the 40s.
1. Performing reverse crunches.
Reverse crunches are incredible exercises to do in your 40s and beyond. This is because they engage the lower abs, where most of us store our belly fat. The reverse crunch is designed to target your lower abdominal muscles, specifically the rectus abdominis muscle. This muscle runs vertically down the front of the abdomen, and when it contracts it pulls up on the rib cage, which causes an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. This helps to flatten out the belly and also strengthens the lower back muscles.
How to perform?
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place one hand on your chest and the other hand behind your head.
Slowly lift your head, neck, shoulders, and hips off the floor until they make a straight line. Hold this position for at least one second at the top of the movement before slowly lowering yourself back down to the beginning position.
2. Mountain climber workout.
Mountain climbers are one of the most effective workouts for building core strength and reducing belly fat.
The exercise also improves your balance as well as your flexibility, making it a perfect choice for people of all age groups. Mountain climbers are performed with both legs on the ground.
How to perform?
1. Get started in a high plank position on all fours, with hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees directly under your hips. Engage your core and keep your back flat, with no sagging or arching.
2. Slowly lift one of your feet off the floor, bringing it toward the chest as you bend at the knee until it is directly above your opposite elbow.
3. Lower back down to the starting position and repeat with the opposite leg, alternating legs in a slow rhythmic motion for the duration of the exercise (about 30 seconds).
4. As you get more comfortable with the exercise, try to increase your range of motion by bringing your knee against your chest and extending it higher above the elbow.
5. Repeat this workout for the duration of your workout, 3-4 times per week.
3. Performing flutter kicks workout.
The Flutter Kick is an exercise that engages the lower part of your abs and helps tone your leg muscles. It is a simple workout to perform, and it’s perfect for anyone who needs to lose weight or build muscle.
The flutter kick is an incredible exercise to improve your cardiovascular health, as well as strengthen your core muscles.
How To Perform The Flutter Kick
Lie on the back with both of your feet together and hands resting at the sides. Twist your knees so that they are slightly over your hip level with your feet flat on the ground. Remember not to lock your knees.
Inhale and exhale slowly while lifting one of your feet off the ground while keeping the other foot on the ground at all times. Lift your top knee as high as you can without moving the bottom foot off of the ground, then lower it back down slowly and gradually to complete one repetition.
Continue performing this for at least 10-15 reps before switching legs and repeating again for another 10-15 reps with each leg.
4. Performing skipping to reduce your belly fat.
Skipping is one of the best cardio workouts to burn calories because it is an intense aerobic exercise that utilizes large muscle groups at once. It also works on the cardiovascular system, which means that it can help you lose weight more quickly than other cardio exercises such as jogging or walking.
How to perform?
If you want to lose belly fat in your 40s, then this is a must-do workout for you.
1. Stand with your feet slightly wider and your knees slightly twisted. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides or behind your head.
2. Bend down from the waist and swing both legs upward simultaneously while keeping them straight. Your hands should be on either side of the head or in front of you.
3. Swing both legs upward until they reach a height above hip level then swing them back down again until they’re just above floor level before swinging them back up again.
4. Repeat this movement until you’ve done at least 20 reps (about 30 seconds).
5. Performing burpees to reduce your belly fat.
Burpees are one of the incredible exercises to reduce belly fat. The workout is also simple to do and doesn’t require any equipment. If you are looking to lose belly fat, burpees are a great addition to your exercise routine.
How to perform?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms at both of your sides. Jump both feet back into the plank position. Drop down into a squat position, putting both of your hands on the ground in front of you.
Push through your feet and stand up immediately, bouncing once in the air as high as you can before returning to the beginning position. Repeat the exercise again.
6. Performing legs in and outs to reduce belly fat.
Legs in and outs to reduce belly fat workout is an effective way of shredding fat around your midsection. This workout will help you lose weight not only from your belly but also from all other parts of your body as well.
Most of the people who have tried this workout have seen great results in just a few weeks. It is an effective way of burning fat and building muscle at the same time.
How to perform?
Lie down on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Raise both of your arms over your head with palms facing each other or parallel to each other above the head. Keep them straight throughout the exercise so that you can feel the tension in your abs. Now slowly lift both legs off the ground until they are perpendicular to the floor with only toes touching the floor at all times during the lifting process then lower them back down gradually until they are touching the ground again. Repeat for a set of 15 to 20 repetitions.
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