What exercise should you do to lose belly fat?

Abdominal fat is located around the stomach and internal organs. It can be of two types:

• Subcutaneous fat: visible under the skin, it is often the cause of a rounded belly

• Visceral fat: located around the organs, it is deeper and can be harder to lose

Excess abdominal fat can be linked to an unbalanced diet, stress, genetics, or a lack of physical activity. To lose weight, you’ll aim for a calorie deficit. This means your energy expenditure must exceed your calorie intake. To achieve this, you can eat healthier and exercise.

Exercising to lose belly fat is an excellent idea. In fact, physical activity helps you:

• Burn calories and facilitate fat loss

• Strengthen your core for a firmer stomach

• Improve posture and prevent lower back pain

• Boost your metabolism for long-lasting fat-burning results

Of course, exercising alone isn’t enough to get a flat stomach! It’s just as important to adopt a balanced diet as much as possible.

Cardiovascular exercises are the ones that burn the most calories. The goal is to boost your metabolism so it burns fat. Therefore, to lose belly fat, it’s beneficial to build endurance and engage in sustained, intense effort. Among the most effective endurance exercises for losing belly fat are:

• Running: an excellent activity for tapping into your fat reserves. Jogging helps build muscle evenly; it is the most effective sport for burning belly fat. All the abdominal muscles are engaged; with every step, the core is engaged and working. Two 45-minute sessions per week should be enough to lose belly fat quickly.

• Cycling: it strengthens the lower body and engages the abs. Cycling works the cardiovascular system and helps "melt" fat. Start with twenty minutes once or twice a week at a moderate pace, then gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workout.

• Swimming: a full-body workout that gently tones the figure. While swimming, the body naturally tightens, requiring constant contraction of the core muscles. Swimming is very energy-intensive, making it ideal for burning fat and shedding calories. Plus, swimming is a low-impact sport, perfect for fragile joints.

• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): High-intensity interval training involves short (4-minute) but very intense sessions to accelerate fat loss. It consists of sets of 20 seconds of exertion followed by 10 seconds of rest, or 30 seconds of exertion followed by 30 seconds of rest. HIIT burns a huge number of calories in a short amount of time. Furthermore, it boosts metabolism for several hours after the workout, helping you lose fat and build muscle mass. On average, a HIIT session burns 25 to 30% more calories than a traditional strength training session or a moderate-paced jog.

Certain types of targeted exercises allow you to specifically work the abdominal area:

• Core: classic, side, or dynamic planks help strengthen the core

• Crunches: ideal for toning the upper abs, but should be avoided if you have back or pelvic issues, are pregnant, or are postpartum

• Mountain climbers: perfect for burning calories and engaging the entire body

• Leg raises: target the lower abs

• Squats: engage the lower body while working the core

• Burpees: a full-body exercise that burns calories quickly

• Russian twists: ideal for working the waist and obliques

• Weighted chest presses: to build muscle tone and strength