Shrink your “love handles” by adding these moves to your morning.
If you have excess belly fat, it’s time to take action. Visceral fat, the type that wraps around your organs, is especially dangerous, because it can increase your risk of type-2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. It also negatively impacts your metabolic health, causing insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. Now that you have a better understanding of why it’s so bad for you, let’s learn the steps you can take to get rid of it.
We spoke with Carly Harvey, a personal trainer, online coach, and Clubbercise instructor at Champneys, who shares four morning exercises that help flatten belly overhang faster than ab workouts after 60. Harvey has made it her mission to help individuals revamp their lifestyle through balance rather than restriction and received a certificate to train peri/menopausal women.
“After 60, belly fat becomes more common due to a mixture of reasons. As we age, we lose muscle mass (sarcopenia), which affects the muscles around the tummy area,” Harvey explains. “Hormonal changes in the body such as a drop in oestrogen and testosterone added to increased stress and poor sleep which can increase cortisol, all of which are linked to storing belly fat. These changes in the body negatively affect individuals and even if they are actively exercising they will still make an impact and can mean more belly fat; something that a younger person wouldn’t struggle with so much.”
While ab workouts can help sculpt abdominal muscles, they don’t deal with the belly fat your body stores on top. You can actually perform crunches and still, that belly overhang won’t budge. According to Harvey, you can effectively burn belly fat by adding more movement to your days, adopting better sleep habits, managing stress, and consuming a nutritious diet.
Start small and work your way up until you start seeing results. The important thing is to take that first step!
Bodyweight Squats
- Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart on the floor.
- Extend your arms ahead of you or place your hands on your hips.
- Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Press through your heels to rise back up to standing.
Standing March
- Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
- Lift your left knee up to hip height, pausing for a moment at the top and keeping your core engaged.
- Lower your foot and repeat with your right knee, holding it at the top for a moment before lowering.
- Maintain solid posture and steady breathing throughout.
Cross-Body Knee Drives (Standing or Elevated)
- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart and hands behind your head.
- Activate your core as you drive your left knee toward your right elbow.
- Return to the start.
- Repeat on the other side.
High Plank
- Place your hands under your shoulders.
- Press into the pads of your fingers and hug your inner arm toward your armpit.
- Walk your feet out to hip-width.
- Engage your abs, squeeze your buttocks, and pull upward through your quads.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa
