To lose belly fat quickly you need to move beyond the basic crunch in your exercise routine. While the crunch is great, to truly trim the waist it is important to work your entire core, rather than just the muscles that are visible. Think core conditioning rather than abdominal training. BodyBuilding.com explains that when you strengthen the stabilizing muscles in your core you will develop functional strength, which will help the entire abdominal area.
Walk the Plank and Rotate
This exercise works all of the different muscles in the core, along with the shoulders, chest, back and hips. Start in the plank position, which is the top of a push-up, with abs engaged and your body straight and balanced on your hands and toes. For a variation in this exercise, Women's Health magazine suggests placing your hands on a step. Make sure your left arm is directly under your shoulder and rotate your body so that you are balancing in side-plank on your left arm and left leg. Rotate back to the starting position and repeat on the right side. Complete two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
Plank With Arm Lift
Another variation of a plank exercise is the plank with arm lift. This also works the entirety of your core. Start in the plank position again, but this time be on your forearms rather than your hands. Engage your abs and with your weight on your right forearm, extend your left arm in front of you, lifted off the ground. Hold for three to 10 breaths and return to starting position. Repeat on the other side. Women's Health suggests doing a total of three sets of five to 10 repetitions.
Hip-Thigh Raise
Lie on your back and set your body up as you would for bridge, except in this variation, extend your left leg in front of you. Raise up to a bridge pose with the left leg lifted off the ground and remaining extended in front of you. Return to starting position. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions on the left side and then repeat the same exercise on the right side.
Balance Move
Balance moves are effective for working all of the muscles in the core as well. For this variation on a yoga pose, Fitness magazine says to stand about a foot behind a stability ball, with feet together and pointing forward. Bend and place your hands on the ball while extending your left leg behind you, foot flexed and rotated so that your inner thigh is facing the floor. Rotate your upper body and lift your left leg to the ceiling. Hold for three breaths and then repeat on the right side.
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