Belly fat has been linked to heart disease and other cardiovascular disease. According to the "Washington Post," it may also raise the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia. The study correlated high levels of belly fat in your 40s to an increased risk of dementia in your 70s. By getting rid of your spare tire and love handles, you can shrink your waistline and improve your health for the long term.
Pavan-Muktasan
WomenFitness.net recommends a series of yoga poses to reduce fat, especially for women dealing with weight gain after going through menopause. The Pavan-Muktasan hold involves you lying on your back, inhaling and bending your knee towards you. Clench your fingers and pull your knee towards you, while lifting your head off the floor so your nose touches your knee. Release your leg and slowly return to the flat position while exhaling.
Bhujangasan and Dhanurasan
The Bhujangasan pose starts on your stomach with your forehead touching the ground. With your hands under your shoulders, use your back muscles to lift the upper half of your body and your head. Another pose, the Dhanurasan, is like the Bhujangasan, except that you bend your knees and grab your ankles to pull your body up.
The Stomach Lift
One other yoga asana referenced by Women Fitness is the stomach lift, or Uddyiana Bandha. The website calls it two exercises in one. Start by standing with your knees bent and your feet about a foot apart. Lean forward at the waist with your hands on your legs, above the knees. Take a deep breath by extending your abdominal muscles, then release it by drawing those muscles inward. Pull those muscles in as far as you can and hold the breath for 10 seconds. The next step is to assume the same position, inhale and exhale, then quickly push out and pull in your stomach muscles without taking a breath. Then, stand straight and breath at a regular pace.
Pelvic Tilt
MayoClinic.com offers two pelvic maneuvers to reduce belly fat. The pelvic tilt starts while lying flat on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your stomach muscles, which flattens the back further and bends the pelvis slightly, and hold five to 10 seconds. MayoClinic.com recommends repeating this five times at first, working up to 20 repetitions in one set.
Pelvic Lift
The other pelvic exercise recommended by MayoClinic.com is the lift. While on your back with your knees bent, tighten your lower stomach muscles and raise your buttocks from the floor. Hold the lift for five to 10 seconds, again repeating five times at first and working up to 20 repetitions in one set.
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