Kickstart your morning with these targeted exercises to bid farewell to those stubborn “love handles.”
Carrying extra weight around your midsection isn’t just a cosmetic concern; it poses serious health risks. This abdominal fat, known as visceral fat, envelops your internal organs and heightens the likelihood of developing conditions such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and even cancer. Moreover, it disrupts your metabolic functions, leading to insulin resistance and persistent inflammation. With this knowledge at hand, let’s explore some effective strategies to combat this harmful fat.
We consulted Carly Harvey, a seasoned personal trainer, online coach, and Clubbercise instructor at Champneys, who outlines four morning exercises that are more effective at reducing belly fat than traditional abdominal workouts for those over 60. Harvey, dedicated to helping individuals achieve balance in their lifestyle rather than imposing restrictions, is also certified to train peri/menopausal women.
“As we grow older, especially past 60, accumulating belly fat becomes more prevalent for several reasons,” Harvey points out. “Aging leads to muscle loss, or sarcopenia, affecting the core muscles. Additionally, hormonal shifts, such as reduced levels of estrogen and testosterone, combined with elevated stress and poor sleep, can increase cortisol, a hormone linked to fat accumulation in the abdomen. These physiological changes impact everyone, even those who are physically active, making it harder to manage belly fat compared to younger individuals.”
“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.
