Every day presents a fresh start, and why not kickstart it with a new goal for a slimmer waistline? Here are five exercises that you can easily incorporate into your morning routine to target belly fat.

Why morning exercise? It’s an excellent time to get in a low-intensity, fat-burning workout.

According to Kaleigh Ray, a certified run coach, biomechanist, and exercise physiologist, starting your day with a workout is a fantastic way to prioritize fitness and weight loss. For maximum fat burn, it’s recommended to do low-intensity fasted workouts. After exercising, refuel with a protein shake or a high-protein breakfast to enhance protein synthesis, promoting fat loss while supporting muscle mass.

The exercises below are perfect for warming up before your cardio or weight training sessions. They can also be used as a quick routine to finish off your workout. This routine is designed to be time-efficient, requiring only about 10 minutes of your day. Kaleigh advises alternating these exercises on different days to prevent overexertion.

Dead Bugs

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and knees in tabletop.
2. Press your back into the floor and engage your core as you lower one arm and the opposite leg.
3. Repeat 12 times per side.

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Pilates Roll-Up

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Stretch your arms and legs out long.
3. Slowly lift your arms and begin to lift your head and spine off the floor, inch by inch.
4. Maintain a curled position as you reach for your toes.
5. Use control to lower to the floor.
6. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

Side Planks

1. Sit on the floor on your left hip, left hand planted under your shoulder, legs extended, and feet stacked.
2. Rise up to a side plank, lifting your right arm toward the ceiling and pressing your bottom pinkie toe into the ground.
3. Hold the plank for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Repeat on the other side.

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Bicycles

1. Lie flat on your back, gently supporting your head with your hands.
2. Lift your legs with bent knees.
3. Raise your shoulders off the floor.
4. Bring your left knee in toward your right elbow, extending your right leg.
5. Repeat on the other side and continue to alternate.
6. Complete 12 reps on each side.

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Glute Bridges

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet on the ground.
2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes as you do so.
3. Use control to lower.
4. Repeat the bridging 10 times through the complete range of motion. Finish with eight 1-inch pulses at the top of the bridge.

Alexa Mellardo