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Exercises for an Obese Belly Overhang in a Man
That belly overhang may be causing you distress, but it can also increase your risk of developing certain diseases and conditions, like heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes. You can get rid of excess belly weight by doing exercises that work and eliminate fat from your whole body, as well as monitoring your diet. While it may take some time, you can reduce your waistline and become a healthier you.
Precautions
Ask your doctor before you begin a new exercise regimen, particularly if you are severely obese or have any health conditions or injuries that may worsen with exercise. Start slowly, especially if you are out of shape, and do not work out more than your body can handle. It is better to build your strength and stamina over time than risk overdoing it and injuring yourself. You may also want to consult a personal trainer who can give you tips on proper exercise technique, as well as design a workout regimen that fits your fitness level and weight-loss goals.
- Ask your doctor before you begin a new exercise regimen, particularly if you are severely obese or have any health conditions or injuries that may worsen with exercise.
Situps
Exercises for the Sagittal Plane
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Performing situps and similar exercises can strengthen your abdominal muscles, but just doing these will not get rid of that belly fat. It is not possible to “spot train” your body or lose weight from one area while the others remain the same. Rather, you should combine situps with other strengthening exercises, as well as aerobic activity, to reduce your overall body fat and weight. Include various types of situps, such as those that work your obliques, transverse and lower abdominal muscles, in your twice-weekly strength-training routine. Do eight to 12 repetitions and one to three sets for each exercise 2.
- Performing situps and similar exercises can strengthen your abdominal muscles, but just doing these will not get rid of that belly fat.
- Rather, you should combine situps with other strengthening exercises, as well as aerobic activity, to reduce your overall body fat and weight.
Aerobic Activity
Cardio workouts that get your heart pumping burn fat and calories, as well as provide additional health benefits. Each week, you need to do a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate activity, 1.25 hours of vigorous activity or the equivalent combination, though you may need to do even more to lose belly fat and weight. Aerobic activity includes walking quickly, riding a bike, playing tennis and even mowing the lawn. All of these can help you reduce your belly overhang, and you can switch between activities, gradually increasing their intensity level, as you become more fit.
- Cardio workouts that get your heart pumping burn fat and calories, as well as provide additional health benefits.
- All of these can help you reduce your belly overhang, and you can switch between activities, gradually increasing their intensity level, as you become more fit.
Additional Strengthening Exercises
How to Strengthen Your Lungs
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In addition to exercises that strengthen your abdominals, you should perform others that work all of the muscles in your body. This will help tone your overall physique, as well as burn more calories and increase your metabolism, helping you shed that belly weight. Use free weights while performing exercises like squats, leg presses, bench presses, bicep curls and weighted crunches. You can also try taking a yoga class, which will strengthen and stretch all of your muscles, while also helping you to relax.
- In addition to exercises that strengthen your abdominals, you should perform others that work all of the muscles in your body.
Related Articles
References
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Men
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?
- Pischon T, Boeing H, Hoffmann K, et al. General and abdominal adiposity and risk of death in Europe. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(20):2105-2120. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0801891
- Maffetone PB, Laursen PB. The Prevalence of Overfat Adults and Children in the US. Front Public Health. 2017;5:290. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2017.00290
- Maeo S, Takahashi T, Takai Y, Kanehisa H. Trunk muscle activities during abdominal bracing: comparison among muscles and exercises. J Sports Sci Med. 2013;12(3):467–474. Published 2013 Sep 1.
Writer Bio
Lynne Sheldon has over 12 years of dance experience, both in studios and performance groups. She is an avid runner and has studied several types of yoga. Sheldon now works as a freelance writer, editor and book reviewer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and art history from Boston University and recently completed her Master of Fine Arts in writing from Pacific University.