In my long career as a fitness coach, many ex-clients I coached years ago asked me about the best ways to burn stomach fat without equipment so they could stay fit at home.
I know belly fat can be stubborn, which is why regular cardio may not be good enough, so you need to attack it from underneath the muscle tissue as well.
I've decided to share some of the methods I studied that proved to be quite effective in the experience of some of my colleagues and me.
Let’s dive in.
Quick Summary
- To lose belly fat effectively at home, incorporate exercises like planks, side planks, sit-ups, and dead bugs into your routine.
- These exercises can be easily integrated into daily activities, allowing for a seamless blend of fitness and everyday life.
- According to the study published in PubMed, a diet without exercise led to a 6.1% to 6.9% body weight reduction in postmenopausal women.
- I found that the simplicity and accessibility of these exercises make them ideal for anyone looking to improve their fitness without the need for gym equipment.
How Do You Lose Belly Fat Without Equipment?
You lose belly fat without equipment by first creating a calorie deficit. This means limiting your calorie intake and combining it with workouts such as planks, sit-ups, and dead bugs to expend more energy than you consume.
I worked with a client who achieved remarkable results by combining a controlled diet with home exercises like planks, sit-ups, and dead bugs. It's all about burning more calories than you consume.
Some gear-free workouts are as efficient, if not better, than exercises done with equipment or at the gym. And when they’re coupled with a calorie deficit diet, losing belly fat is much easier.
The cool part about trying to lose visceral fat (fat around internal organs) without gym gear is that you can perform these workouts anywhere.
I also advise my clients to try out fat-burning supplements that speed up the fat-burning process even further.
4 Equipment-Free Exercises for Shedding Stomach Fat
I've seen firsthand how exercises like planks, sit-ups, dead bugs, and side planks, while not specifically targeting fat loss, can effectively reduce overall body fat, including belly fat.
One of my clients significantly improved her abdominal tone just by consistently performing these exercises.
They can also help you contour the muscles underneath the fat, which can help you appear slimmer, fitter, and more attractive.
According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, warmups increase blood flow and muscle temperature to reduce the risk of injury to the muscles and tendons and improve performance [1].
We’ll examine these exercises in detail in a short while but before that, take a quick 10-minute warm-up before commencing these workouts to lose weight.
“Warm up for 10 minutes before starting these exercises. After your muscles are warmed up, take a 10-second break.”
- Charushila Biswas, Physical Exercise Therapist
1. Plank
The plank workout is one of the simplest yet most effective ab workouts to burn belly fat and strengthen your abdominal muscles. I've incorporated it into many of my clients' routines with great success.
According to a study we found on the PubMed website, it engages the core muscles for an extended period of time by simply maintaining the push-up position [2].
Here’s how to do it:
- Start in a plank position with your face down and your legs extended across the floor. Your elbows should be on the floor and directly below your shoulders. Your arms should also be parallel to each other at shoulder length.
- Now engage your core while keeping your torso and legs in a straight line, rigidly, with no bending.
- Try to hold on for at least a minute before resting for 10 seconds. You can go on for as long as you can; the longer you hold, the more fat you burn.
2. Side Plank
The side plank exercise is a variation of the plank and is equally effective in burning fat overall, which also includes “love handles” to achieve a toned flat belly.
Side planks strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles, which are mostly forgotten when exercising. The exercise is also helpful in core stabilization [3].
Here’s how to do it:
- Lie on your left side with both legs extended from your hip to your legs. Your left elbow should be on the floor and directly under your shoulder. Your head, spine, and legs should also be on the same line.
- Now, lift your hips and knees to a certain degree as you engage your abdominal muscles.
- Once up, hold on for as long as you can before returning to your initial position.
- Do the same to your right side.
Related: Do Planks Burn Fat?
3. Sit-ups
Sit-up are the most common exercise for ab muscles. It tests endurance by targeting the core muscles.
Here’s how to do it:
- Lie with your torso flat on the ground, your knees bent to a degree, and your feet flat on the floor. You can have a partner hold down your feet.
- Put your arms over your chest, with your right hand on your left shoulder and your left over the right arm.
- While the core is fully engaged, use your ab muscles to lift yourself off the ground.
- Once up, lower yourself to the starting position and re-engage your core again for another rep.
Related: Do Sit-Ups Burn Belly Fat?
4. Dead Bug
The dead bug is a fun exercise that stabilizes the back muscles.
Here’s how to do it:
- Lie face up on a mat or floor and lift to extend your arms over your shoulders. Lift your legs from the ground so that your torso and thighs are at a 90-degree angle and your lower legs also at a right angle with your thighs.
- With your left arm and right leg at a constant position, reach your right hand back as you extend your left leg forward.
- Now return your limbs to your starting position and do the same on the opposite side with your right arm and other leg.
Some other great gear-free exercises include the burpee and bicycle crunches.
Integration with Daily Activities
You don't need to carve out a large chunk of your day to combat belly fat.
By cleverly integrating simple exercises into your daily activities, you can make significant strides in losing belly fat without needing any special equipment.
Here's how you can seamlessly blend fitness into your everyday life:
- Commercial break calisthenics: Use commercial breaks as a cue to get moving. Try a set of standing abdominal crunches, leg raises, or planks. Each commercial break offers a couple of minutes of exercise opportunity.
- Desk exercise: Try seated leg lifts, desk push-ups, or even chair squats. These movements help engage your core and can be done in short bursts throughout the day.
- Cooking cardio: While waiting for the pot to boil or the oven to preheat, you can perform exercises like standing side crunches, toe stands, or even jogging in place. This not only helps reduce belly fat but also makes cooking more dynamic and fun.
- Stairway to fitness: Opt for stairs whenever possible, be it at work, in shopping malls, or at home. Climbing stairs is an excellent way to get your heart rate up and work those abdominal muscles. It's a simple switch with powerful benefits.
- Household chore workout: Activities like vacuuming, mopping, or gardening are great for burning calories. Focus on engaging your core while you perform these tasks to maximize the benefit.
The Role of Hydration in Fat Loss
Here's how staying well-hydrated aids in shedding those extra pounds:
- Boosting metabolism: Adequate hydration enhances the body's ability to burn calories by up to 30%. This means that simply by drinking water, you're increasing the number of calories your body burns at rest.
- Enhancing fat mobilization: The process of lipolysis, which is how the body breaks down fats, begins with hydrolysis. This process involves water molecules interacting with fats to create glycerol and fatty acids. Adequate hydration is crucial for efficient fat breakdown and utilization.
- Appetite suppression: Drinking water before meals can create a sense of fullness, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
- Improving exercise performance: Even mild dehydration can impair endurance, decrease strength, and hinder motivation. Staying hydrated ensures that your workouts are effective, helping you burn more calories and lose fat more efficiently.
- Supporting digestive health: Water aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation. A well-functioning digestive system is vital for weight loss, as it helps the body efficiently process and eliminate waste.
- Detoxification: Water helps flush toxins and waste products from the body. Efficient removal of these byproducts aids in better metabolic function, which is crucial for burning fat.
Burn Visceral Fat With the Right Diet
You need to supplement these workouts with a proper diet to burn visceral fat maximally.
There are foods you should add to this regimen and others you should avoid altogether.
It's pretty obvious that sugar is a no-go zone. According to another study in the National Library of Medicine, besides adding more calories, it's harmful to your metabolic health and should be avoided at all costs [4].
Also, limit carb intake altogether if you want to get rid of tummy fat. Studies have shown that low-carb diets help reduce fat in the abdomen, liver, and other organs [5].
Consider adding soluble fiber foods such as avocados, flax seeds, blackberries, and legumes to your diet. Studies have found them particularly helpful in helping get rid of visceral fat [6].
And as a rule of thumb, eating protein to lose fat is a must. There’s a good reason why people who consume it have less abdominal fat, as revealed by scholars [7].
FAQs
How Long Does Belly Fat Take To Burn Off?
It takes about 1-2 months for belly fat to burn off. But that may depend on your efforts in exercising consistently and consuming a proper diet. In that case, you may lose 1-2 pounds in a week, which is the recommended healthy weight loss.
Can You Get a Flat Stomach Without the Gym?
Yes, you can get a flat stomach without the gym. Exercises such as planks and sit-ups can be done at home. Eating mindfully, jogging, sleeping 7-9 hours, and staying hydrated can also help you lose body fat without the need for any equipment.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5833972/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23877226/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1941738113481200
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5893377/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4264021/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856431/
- https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-9-5
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