The 13 Best exercises to lose belly fat at home for beginners in 2024!
Trying to get rid of Belly fat is a problem that everybody can relate too at some point in their life. But now that its 2024 we live in the world of instant gratification, and everyone wants instant results. So, they buy fat burners and get surgeries and are left with bad results or no results at all. Nothing will ever burn fat and keep it off like exercise will.
If you are willing to put in the work, then I promise you if you follow these steps, you will see results!
The types of exercises to lose belly fat:
There are many exercises that beginners can do to lose excess belly fat at home from push-ups to jumping rope. Just because you want that flat belly does not mean you need to just do sit ups every day and next week you will wake up with a six pack. You need to work out your entire body for best results. Before we get into each individual exercise, I want to discuss the 2 types of exercises:
Aerobic exercises or Cardio exercises
Weight training exercises or Strength training (weight training/calisthenics)
Aerobic exercises
Aerobic exercises are very important for beginners who are trying to lose body fat and most importantly visceral fat. These are the exercises that raise your heart rate and focus more on burning calories then building muscle mass.
Some of my favorite cardio exercises that I do at home are:
Jump rope
Jumping jacks
Jogging
Swimming (if you have the option)
Boxing (Box Bollon or quiet punch)
Strength training exercises
It is essential that you incorporate strength training into your exercise routine if you are trying to get rid of stubborn belly fat. When you start burning calories and losing visceral fat you need to have lean muscle mass to get the look you want. Believe it or not if you just focus on losing weight and you don’t build your muscles, you can still look sloppy after all your effort!
Not only will you look better and be stronger but the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn, even at rest. So now you can understand why lifting weights is an important part to losing belly fat.
Let’s take a quick peek at some of my favorite at home strength training exercises:
Push ups (I suggest using the perfect push up)
Pull ups (If you don’t have a pull up bar in your doorway you can go to local playground)
Sit ups
Lat pull downs (with Redge fit)
Military press (with dumbbells or Redge fit)
Squats
Now that we have an idea of what to expect let’s jump in and discuss each workout!
13 of the best exercises to lose belly fat at home for beginners
Let’s start with aerobic exercises:
1. Jump Rope
Jumping Rope is my favorite HIIT workout. HIIT is exercises that use short bursts of intense exercise followed by short rest periods. I recommend doing sets of 25-50 as quickly as you can, followed by a short break to catch your breath, then repeat 3 times. Do this everyday preferably in the morning to get your heart rate up and blood pumping.
2. Boxing
Boxing is a great cardio workout and possibly one of the best. I love workouts like this because of the distraction. You can get a much greater workout because you are having fun and not focused on how long you have been doing it, which can result in a much better and longer workout. You can box at home by a number of ways such as:
Heavy Bag
Quiet Punch
Box Bollen
Speed Bag
Sparing with a freind
Shadow Boxing (if all else fails)
3. Jogging
Jogging is probably the most common exercise people think of when trying to lose weight. I know its not a fan favorite and it sure does take a little time to grow on you but it works! Jogging is all about learning how to control your breathing. When you do that you can jog for hours and you will eventually enjoy it….. maybe!
4. Jumping Jacks
Jumping Jacks are pretty basic and boring, but they still work. It’s an exercise you can do with no equipment wherever you’re at. You can also count how many you do for tracking purposes; you could just jump around for an hour a day as long as you move your body its exercise, but you can’t track it! Bottom line you don’t need to be fancy and as long as you reach your goal it doesn’t matter how you got there.
5. Swimming
Swimming is one of the best workouts you can ever get period! I know not everyone can do this at home, but it is such a great exercise for losing belly fat i had to put it on the list. Swimming not only burns calories but also works out muscles in your back and entire body that you don’t normally use. It really helps strip body fat if the water you’re swimming in is cooler than average. Just like a cold plunge it will release cold shock proteins and heat your body up, so you burn more calories. When you are in cold water (cold plunge) you can burn more calories just sitting there than you could doing any exercise.
6. Basketball
Basketball is one of my favorite exercises ever! It burns a lot more calories than most people think. If you haven’t played for a while, I suggest you try. Just like boxing and other sports when you’re playing you are having fun and competing not thinking about how tired you are. You can even get a great exercise by yourself if you just shoot the ball and run to get the rebound. I strongly encourage to play a game of 1 on 1 with a buddy once or twice a week and you will see results if you stay consistent.
7. Cycling
Riding bikes are a great way to burn belly fat. Not only does it give you a great cardio workout but its great for building muscle in your legs. I would say its the best possible leg workout you can do. You can ride a mountain bike, BMX, or a stationary. As long as you’re peddling it don’t matter if you are one a $100 bike or a $5,000 machine.
I personally like to ride outside around trails or a local metro park. I enjoy the nature and the fresh air. I must admit some of these new stationary bikes are pretty good. The key to getting and staying fit are finding exercises that you enjoy. If bike riding sounds like something you could stomach, I suggest you try.
8. Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are great exercise that you can do at home with no equipment. Not only are they great for burning calories but it also works your arms, legs and stomach muscles. If you are not familiar with this exercise, I will give you a brief description of how to do it correctly.
Step-by-Step Guide for mountain climbers:
Start in a plank position, with your hands shoulder width apart.
Engage your core muscles to keep your body stable.
Lift your right foot off the ground and bring your right knee toward your chest, aiming to touch your right elbow.
Quickly switch legs, extending your right leg back to the starting position while bringing your left knee toward your chest, aiming to touch your left elbow.
Continue alternating the movement between your right and left legs, creating a running or climbing motion.
Maintain a steady pace and focus on keeping your core engaged throughout the exercise.
You can either count how many reps you do, or you can do it for a specific time period.
Remember to maintain proper form and control to maximize the benefits of mountain climbers and reduce the risk of injury.
9. Burpees
Burpees work multiple muscle groups, including the chest, arms, shoulders, core, and legs. Burpees are highly effective for burning calories, improving cardiovascular fitness, and building overall strength. Burpees can enhance endurance, boost metabolism, and contribute to both muscle tone and weight loss.
Step-by-Step Guide for Burpees:
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower into a squat position by bending your knees and bringing your hands to the ground in front of you.
Jump your feet back to land in a plank position, keeping your body straight from head to heels.
Perform a push-up by lowering your chest toward the ground and then pushing back up to the plank position.
Jump your feet back toward your hands to return to the squat position.
Explosively jump into the air, reaching your arms overhead.
Land softly and immediately go into the next repetition.
Maintain a controlled motion, focusing on proper form throughout the exercise.
Adjust the intensity by modifying the pace or adding variations, such as a jump at the top or a tuck jump.
Now that you know quite a few ways to burn fat at home, lets focus on building so muscle!
10. Push ups
Push-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do if you are looking to build muscle at home for a beginner. This is because push-ups are basically a full body workout because you have to keep your legs and your core tight while you are pushing up. These are mainly for your chest and lats but when you move your hands in closer it works your arms and different areas of your upper body.
11. Pull ups
Pull ups are a upper body game changer. They may be tough for some beginners, hell most beginners cant even do one! But i promise if you do what you can and stay consistent, you will see change in your strength and how you look in a matter of 6-8 weeks. Pull ups just like push-ups can work different parts of the body with different hand placement. Regardless of if you are working your lats or your biceps when doing a pull up, one thing remains consistent and that is the burning in your rectus abdominis aka your abs. You can buy a pull up bar that goes in any doorway at getredge.com and use coupon code BRYANCARNEY10 for a 10% discount.
12. Kneeling plank reaches
These are done with an ab wheel and i would suggest you buy one off getredge.com but you can also get the ab carver from Wal-Mart. These are much more effective than just doing crunches and it’s great for people who have bad backs. The first time I ever did these I thought I injured myself because I went down to far and it felt like it ripped my abs! You can feel your abs being stretched and it is a great workout, just be careful at first.
It’s pretty easy to understand how to use an ab roller but to give you a better idea how to use it the right way and not get injured follow these steps:
Starting Position:
Begin by kneeling on the floor with the ab roller in front of you.
Hold the handles of the ab roller with both hands, placing your hands shoulder-width apart.
Engage Your Core:
Tighten your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine and protect your lower back.
Keep your back straight and avoid arching or rounding it throughout the exercise.
Roll Forward:
Slowly roll the ab roller forward by extending your arms straight in front of you.
Lower your torso toward the floor, maintaining control and stability.
Full Extension:
Extend your body as far as you comfortably can without letting your hips sag or your lower back arch excessively.
Roll Back:
Engage your core muscles again as you roll the ab roller back toward your knees.
Maintain control to prevent excessive strain on your lower back.
Repeat:
Perform the exercise for a specific number of repetitions or a set duration.
Focus on controlled movements and gradually increase the difficulty as your core strength improves.
Tips:
Start with a limited range of motion and gradually progress as you build strength.
Avoid overextending to prevent strain on your lower back.
Incorporate ab roller exercises into your overall core workout routine for optimal results.
13. Scissor Kicks
Scissor kicks are awesome for toning your lower abs and shedding belly fat. I’m pretty sure you already know how to do this exercise, or you can probably guess, but just in case:
Lie on your back with hands under your hips and legs slightly off the ground.
Lift one leg up while lowering the other, creating a scissoring motion
Switch between legs in a controlled manner, maintaining a steady pace
Breathe naturally and keep going for a set duration or reps, gradually increasing intensity.
Why you may be having trouble losing belly fat
Losing belly fat can be challenging for several reasons, even with a dedicated diet and exercise regimen. Genetic factors play a significant role, influencing how and where the body stores fat. Some individuals may naturally store more fat around the abdominal area, making it stubborn to shed. Hormonal imbalances, particularly elevated cortisol levels due to chronic stress, can contribute to increased abdominal fat retention.
Additionally, age-related factors, such as a slowing metabolism, can make weight loss more challenging. Poor sleep and inadequate recovery time can impact the body’s ability to burn fat efficiently. Moreover, targeted fat loss is not always guaranteed, and overall body fat reduction might precede visible changes in the belly region. Patience and a holistic approach that includes stress management, quality sleep, and a well-rounded fitness routine are crucial for addressing the complexities associated with losing belly fat.
Final Thoughts
There is no doubt in my mind if you do these exercises on a regular basis, you will not only be proud of yourself, but you will also transform into the person you always wanted to be. But it all starts now in your mind. When you change your mindset and learn discipline you will realize you can do anything. I hope these at home workouts help if you would like to learn more check out my you tube channel Bryan Carney. Thanks for reading and stay healthy my friend’s.
