As women age, hormonal changes like decreased estrogen and progesterone can lead to the accumulation of belly fat. This is where incorporating morning movement can make a difference. By jumpstarting your metabolism early in the day, you set the stage for burning fat more efficiently. Renee Simms, a Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Alida 126 Personal Fitness, shares a key belly fat workout routine that women over 40 should include in their morning regimen.

Renee emphasizes the importance of moving your body in the morning to activate your metabolism. This helps in increasing the fat-burning process throughout the day. With hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause, there is a tendency for stress hormones like cortisol to rise while our ability to manage them decreases. Therefore, adjusting our exercise routines post-40 becomes crucial to support our bodies rather than strain them.

Although spot reduction is deemed a misconception, the belly region is often the primary area for fat storage, making it vital to keep it in check. Accumulated belly fat can pose serious health risks in the long run.

The most productive morning workout routines to focus on feature a blend of mobility and strength work, performed at a pace that elevates your heart rate without burning you out.

Below, Renee outlines a circuit where you’ll move from one exercise to the other, resting as needed. After performing all eight exercises, rest and repeat the circuit for two to three rounds total.

Walkout Plank

“This is a full-body ‘wake-up’ move,” Renee says. “It’s especially helpful for engaging the deep abdominal muscles first thing in the morning.”

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart.
2. Hinge at your hips, slightly bent your knees, and walk your hands forward to assume a high plank.
3. Hold your high plank for a moment before walking your hands band and standing tall.

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Step-In Burpee (No Jump)

“This version of the burpee is easier on the joints but still opens up the hips and starts to engage the glutes. It elevates the heart rate without adding high-impact stress,” Renee points out.

1. Stand tall.
2. Place your hands on the ground, and step your feet back into a high plank.
3. Step your feet back in, one at a time, to stand tall.
4. For an extra movement, reach overhead.

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Glute Bridges

“Glutes are a key part of your core,” Renee tells us. “Strong glutes work with the inner abdominal muscles to stabilize the body. This move is great for maintaining posture, pelvic stability, and lower back health.”

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees, feet on the ground, and arms by your sides.
2. Press through your heels to lift your hips toward the sky.
3. Squeeze your buttocks at the top.
4. Use control to lower.

Pushup With Rotation

“This targets the chest, shoulders, core, and obliques,” says Renee. “The rotation opens the upper body, which can feel stiff in the morning—especially if you spend a lot of time sitting or sleeping on your side.”

1. Begin in a high plank. If necessary, modify by lowering to your knees.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Rise back up.
4. Rotate your body to one side, raising the same-side arm toward the sky.
5. Return to the center and complete the same movement on your other side.

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Alternating Lunges (Hands Behind Head or Weighted)

“Lunges train balance, lower body strength, and coordination,” Renee points out. “The hands-behind-head variation also encourages chest opening and better alignment.”

1. Step one foot forward and lower into a lunge.
2. Press back up to standing.
3. Switch legs.
4. Perform the exercise with your hands behind your head to activate your upper body and enhance posture, or include weights for added resistance.

Dumbbell Squat To Press With Overhead Tricep Extension

“This is a powerhouse move—engaging the legs, glutes, shoulders, arms, and core in one motion,” Renee explains. “It builds total-body strength and helps improve coordination and joint stability.”

1. Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
2. Bend your knees and hips to lower into a squat.
3. Drive through your feet to stand, pressing the dumbbells overhead.
4. Once overhead, bend both elbows to perform a tricep extension.
5. Lower the weights to shoulder height.

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Bent-Over Reverse Fly

“This strengthens the upper back and rear shoulder muscles, which are often underused—especially for women who sit at desks or drive for long periods,” Renee points out. “It helps improve posture and balances out tight chest muscles.”6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Hinge forward at the hips, maintaining a straight back.
3. Extend and slightly bend your arms, lifting them out to the sides.
4. Use control to lower.

Wall Sit

“Wall sits are low-impact but highly effective for building lower body strength and endurance,” Renee says.

1. Stand tall with your back pressed against a wall.
2. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Keep your lower back pressed into the wall and your belly drawn in as you hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Alexa Mellardo