5-Minute Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

How to lose belly fat with exercise? Though women all over the world have been struggling to lose stomach fat for decades, it is still one of the most difficult tasks when it comes to getting in shape. And even if you have already gotten yourself together and found the perfect training program, suddenly chocolate starts looking irresistible or your best friend brings you a cupcake for no reason...

Bright Side knows how challenging it might be to find time for yourself in this fast-paced world, so we came up with some exercises that do not require any special equipment or years of practice. And it takes only about 5 minutes to complete each of them!

Flutter kicks

Flutter kicks actually have many advantages for your core strength, and plus it’s a workout you can do at home without any equipment. It may seem like an easy workout, but it’s very beneficial for most of your muscles like your abs, quads, and lower back. If you’re a runner, then this might be a super-workout for you.

Not only does this workout help with strengthening your core muscles and belly fat, but it can also be viewed as a great cardio workout since it increases your heart rate. The athletes who work most with this kind of exercise are swimmers, who do it in the water. They move themselves forward as they kick back.

• Start by lying on a mat. Keep your legs together, then extend them forward in front of you.
• Tighten the abs, lift your feet off the ground, and begin moving your legs up and down.
• Do 2 sets of 15 kicks.

Benefits:

Flutter kicks will help you to:

• burn calories
• get a great cardio workout
• improve your endurance
• shed belly fat
• strengthen your core

Time needed: 5 minutes

If you are looking to challenge yourself further with this kind of exercise, then lift your head and neck up off the floor while performing flutter kicks, but make sure your spine remains in alignment throughout the workout.

Reverse crunches

A reverse crunch is one of the best exercises for your core. It tones up your muscles and strengthens them below the fat. Although normal crunches use your torso’s weight, reverse crunches use your lower body’s weight while performing them. If you think that they just strengthen your abs and get rid of belly fat, then you may be in for a surprise. This exercise is great as a full-body routine that helps you burn calories. It can also enhance your metabolic rate while maintaining and building muscle.

How to perform:

• Start by lying flat on your back and putting your legs up at a 90-degree angle.
• Place your hands flat on the ground.
• Pull your legs and hips up toward the ceiling while bringing your knees toward your chest.
• Do 2 sets of 15.

Benefits:

Reverse crunches will help you to:

• activate the major abdominal muscles
• improve your posture
• tone your lower ab muscles

Time needed: 5 minutes

It may be good to do reverse crunches for 2-3 sessions each week. Try to also do bench presses, lunges, squats, and push-ups to get the maximum results. However, it’s important to focus on your diet as well to get visible results — eating fruits, protein, and veggies should be incorporated into your routine. It’s advisable to eat smaller portions during each meal as well and limit your saturated fat intake (cutting out things like butter and cheese).

Lunges with front kicks

Lunges are a well-known exercise that help anyone who wants to strengthen and tone their back, hips, and legs, all while improving their firmness and steadiness. They have many benefits, including weight loss. They work on the big muscle groups in your lower body, and help you burn calories while increasing your metabolism, thus reducing belly fat. In addition to this, your back receives benefits too, like helping you stand taller and improving your posture, making everyday movements much more trouble-free.

Front kicks, on the other hand, are a great cardio exercise for increasing your heart rate. However, make sure you are keeping your kicks lower, in case you aren’t fully warmed up, to avoid any injuries. They are a great way to strengthen your abdominal muscles, thus helping you lose belly fat. Mixing these 2 as one exercise can give you double the benefits!

How to perform:

• Begin with your feet together.
• Step back with one foot to complete a lunge.
• Step back to the starting position, swing your leg through, and complete a kick.
• Return to starting position.
• Do 2 sets of 15.

Benefits:

Lunges with front kicks will help you to:

• get a great cardio boost
• improve your core stability
• increase your flexibility
• tone your glute muscles

Time needed: 5-7 minutes

Mountain climbers

Yet another exercise you can do without any equipment, mountain climbers are similar to planks, except you incorporate running in place. Although they might seem hard at first, they have extremely good outcomes. Once you begin to see results, you won’t regret starting them — like the saying, “No pain, no gain.”

Mountain climbers are very efficient and include many muscles and joints simultaneously, like your back, hips, glutes, and most importantly, your core. Also, each time you repeat this exercise, you enhance your range of motion and most likely lessen the risk of injury. If your ultimate goals go beyond losing belly fat, then you might just be in luck because these cardiovascular climbers can better your coordination and agility, which are both important in and out of the fitness world.

How to perform:

• Start in a high plank position.
• Place your hands under your shoulders and extend your legs behind you.
• Tuck your tailbone in as you engage your core muscles.
• Your body should be in a straight line.
• Bend one knee and pull it up to your chest, then straighten it behind you, and switch sides.
• Do 2 sets of 15.

Benefits:

Mountain climbers will help you to:

• get a full-body workout
• improve your mobility
• burn calories
• engage your upper arm muscles

Time needed: 5 minutes

Don’t forget that there are many different types of mountain climbers you can do after you’ve become good at the regular ones. Some of them include running mountain climbers and sliding mountain climbers, both of which are great for you.

Bicycles

According to a study, the bicycle exercise is the best when it comes to your core. When it comes to burning calories, it mostly depends on your weight, how many times you do it, and how fast you perform. It is all about strengthening and toning your stomach, and the more you do it, the faster your metabolism becomes and the more calories you may burn.

If you cut down your calorie intake and exercise more, then you will be in a caloric deficit (which means you burn more calories than you take in). This means losing body fat as well, especially around your belly. After you’ve burned this fat then it will make your belly look more firm and toned.

How to perform:

• Start by lying on the mat and keep your hands either by your sides or behind your head.
• Lift both legs off the ground and bend them at the knees.
• Bring your right knee close to your chest, keeping your left leg away.
• Then take your right leg away and bring your left leg close to your chest.
• Keep doing it as if you are pedaling a bicycle.
• Do 2 sets of 15.

Benefits:

Bicycles will help you to:

• firm the hip muscles
• activate the upper abdominal muscles
• tone your thighs

Time needed: 5 minutes

Bench hops

Along with burning belly fat, bench hops are a great exercise for your legs. With this exercise, you may need equipment like a weight bench. But if you don’t have one at home, you can use a normal chair. You can also do them during an intense cardio session and even CrossFit training. If you plan to use them as a warm-up, it is advisable to do repetitions and sets. Try doing 3 sets of 15 reps to lose belly fat.

How to perform:

• Place your hands on a bench or chair.
• Bring your feet together on the right side of the bench or chair.
• Keep your back straight.
• Bend your knees and jump over the bench to the left side, then quickly jump back to the right side.
• Move quickly and smoothly.
• Do not pause between hops.
• Do 2 sets of 20 bench hops.

Benefits:

Bench hops will help you to:

• tone your legs
• strengthen your lower body muscles
• burn calories

Time needed: 5-7 minutes

Crab toe touches

The crab toe touch exercise is a great way to engage your whole body, and you can even do it at home, with little space, if you have a bunch of things around your house. They are great for beginners and can work for all kinds of routines, starting from warm ups to intense cardio workouts. Something to keep in mind, however, is that your stomach/core should be stiff and tense throughout the workout, because this will help you stay balanced. This way, you will also strengthen your core and lose tummy fat.

This kind of exercise also helps build glute, quad, calf, and hamstring muscles. First, do the exercise for 30 seconds, then rest 20 seconds, and repeat 5 times. This can get your blood pumping, and get your whole body involved.

How to perform:

Sit on the mat with your feet in front of you, knees bent.

Place your hands behind you and left your hips off the mat.

Bring your right hand up while simultaneously lifting your left leg up and touch your left foot with your right hand.

Return to the elevated position and switch sides.

Keep alternating back and forth.

Do 2 sets of 16.

Benefits:

Crab toe touches will help you to:

• develop your core strength
• boost weight loss
• speed up your metabolism

Time needed: 5-7 minutes

Which exercise do you find the most effective to lose belly fat? Do you prefer power training over cardio or vice versa? The more opinions we have — the easier it is for us to see how helpful each exercise is.