If you're looking for exercises to slim your waistline, cardio and abdominal exercises are recommended by the Mayo Clinic. Cardio won't target your stomach like abdominal exercises will because you cannot control where on your body you lose weight, but cardio will burn more calories. Ab exercises will burn some calories and also tighten your stomach to reduce your belly. The Mayo Clinic recommends exercises that work your deep ab muscle called your transverse abdominus and lower abs.
Ball Knee Crunch
The ball knee crunch targets your lower abdominals. You will need a stability ball to perform this exercise. Begin lying on the ball and walk your hands forward until the ball is under your shins. Hold your arms straight and lift your hips so your body is parallel to the floor. Squeeze your stomach tight. This is the starting position. Next, bend your knees and roll the ball forward as you lift your hips toward the ceiling and tuck your knees under your hips and toward your belly. Roll your body back to the starting position.
Modified Side Plank
The modified side plank utilizes your transverse abdominus, obliques and glutes. The modified side plank is done lying sideways on your forearm and with your bottom leg bent and your top leg straight. Side planks are typically done with both legs straight or even both knees bent, but this modification is more challenging for your abs to keep your spine straight. To do the modified side plank, place your left forearm on the floor with your palm flat. Align your left shoulder with your elbow and lie with both legs straight to begin. Stack the right on top of the left and check that your shoulders, hips and ankles line up. Then, bend your left knee and bring it up toward your stomach with the knee bent at a right angle. This is the starting position. Next, raise your hips toward the ceiling without changing your straight body alignment. Lower your hips to the floor to finish one rep on the left side. Repeat on the right.
Cardio
Activities such as sports, hiking and jumping rope cause your breathing and heart rate to elevate. If your breathing elevates enough to prevent you from singing but not speaking you are working at a moderate intensity. The Mayo Clinic advises moderate-intensity cardio on a daily basis for weight loss. Select whatever activity is convenient and gets your body moving at the right intensity.
Member Comments