Santa Claus may be immune to heart disease, cancer and strokes, but you are not. Belly fat is linked to serious health concerns, making losing that stomach fat crucial to your health and well-being. You don't have to have a six-pack to be healthy, but it doesn't hurt. Exercises for the abdominal muscles help to firm your stomach but a minimum of two and a half hours of moderate physical activity of any kind is advised, too.
Pelvic Tilt
A pelvic tilt is a simple belly exercise to tone the stomach. This is a beginner exercise that helps you identify your ab muscles and get comfortable tightening them. The pelvic tilt is performed lying face up on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Pull your abs to touch your lower back flat to the floor. Simultaneously tilt your pelvis forward to further flatten your back. Keep your pelvis tilted with your back down for 10 seconds and then release to complete a pelvic tilt.
Flying Side Crunch
The flying side crunch targets the front and side muscles of your belly and also tones your glutes or butt muscles. Since you stand up to do this exercise, you work more muscles and burn more calories. To perform the flying side crunch exercise, stand up and slide your right foot out to the right with the ball of your right foot touching the floor and your heel lifted. Bend your left knee slightly. Bend forward 45 degrees at the waist and straighten your spine. Extend your arms out to your sides with the palms facing the floor. Squeeze your abs. This is the starting position. Next, raise your right leg toward the ceiling and point your toes. Do not move your arms, torso or standing leg while you lift your right leg. Lower your leg back to the floor to complete one repetition on the right side. Repeat on the left side.
Pop Up
The pop up is a total body exercise that is also a core exercise. The pop up exercise works the muscles of your upper and lower body, including the glutes, legs, triceps and deltoids (shoulders). The exercise begins in tricep push-up position. To get into tricep push-up position, lie on your stomach and curl your toes under you. Place your hands next to your armpits and lift your body off the floor until your elbows make right angles touching your sides. This is also known as chaturanga pose in yoga. Next, step your right foot between your palms and stand up. Twist your feet outwards into a plie or sumo squat position. The feet are greater than shoulder-width apart and both feet are flat. Bend both knees to right angles and raise your arms to your sides, palms down. Place your hands back on the floor on the sides of your right foot and lie back onto the floor. Repeat by stepping your left foot forward. Keep your abs held tight the entire time.
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