The Best Exercise To Lose Belly Fat For Women

Many women struggle with excess abdominal fat. Researchers from Harvard and the National Institutes of Health found that "women who carry excess fat around their waists were at greater risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease than were women with smaller waistlines." You cannot simply lose belly fat by spot-reducing, but when you combine the right diet with effective exercises you will begin to see results.

Abdominal Crunch

One of the best exercises to tone your belly is the abdominal crunch. A study by the American Council on Exercise rated the crunch as one of top abdominal exercises. Begin by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees slightly bent. Put your hands loosely behind your head or by your ears. Squeeze your abdominal muscles and raise your head and shoulders from the floor. Do not bend your head forward, but keep your neck in alignment with your back and lift from your stomach. Lower yourself back down and repeat 15 to 20 times.

Bicycle Crunch

The Real Women's Fitness website recommends the bicycle crunch "because it uses both the lower and the upper abs in conjunction with a twist." Lie on your back on the floor with your body fully extended. Raise your legs off the floor so your feet and lower legs are parallel to the floor and your knees are bent. Hold that position as you raise your head and shoulders off the floor. Tighten your stomach muscles and bring your left elbow across your body close to your right knee. Next, bring you right elbow to your left knee. As you twist your upper body back and forth, extend and contract your legs in a pedaling motion. Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Abdominal Hold

To perform the abdominal hold you need an armless, sturdy chair. Sit on the chair with your knees off the edge of the chair and your hands flat on either side of your thighs. Your fingers should be gripping the edge of the chair. Using your abdominal muscles, first lift your legs several inches off the ground and then lift your buttocks completely off the chair. Hold the position for three to five seconds. Lower yourself back down and repeat.

Pelvic Tilt and Lift

The Mayo Clinic recommends pelvic tilts and lifts to tone your lower abdominal area. For the pelvic tilt, lie down on the floor with your hands down by your sides and your knees bent. Imagine you have a weight on your stomach and push your back down into the floor. Tighten your lower abdominal muscles and tilt your pelvic area towards the ceiling. Hold for a count of five and release.
Perform the pelvic lift by assuming the same position. Instead of just slightly lifting your pelvic muscles as with the tilt, lift your buttocks completely off the ground so your thighs and buttocks are in alignment. Squeeze your buttocks for a count of five and lower. Repeat both exercises 10 times.