5 Exercises To Help You Lose Belly Fat In Just 1 Month

Since a large number of us spend a lot of our waking hours seated at one place (think longing working hours), most women tend to put on a lot of weight around their lower abdomens. Add to that a hectic schedule that leaves one with little or no time to exercise, bingeing on junk food when hunger strikes in the evening, and you have piled on the kilos, and added layers of fat around the belly, without your even realising so! Freaking already? Don’t! Here are 5 different types of crunches you can do. Trust us, 15 minutes is all you need!

* Basic Abdominal Crunch

Lie down on the floor with legs folded and arms crossed below the head. This becomes your starting position. Exhale and lift your body halfway off the floor, crunching your abdomen. Inhale and return to the starting position. Try to do three sets, and 20-25 reps, per set.

* Swiss-Ball Abdominal Crunch

Lie down on the Swiss ball such that your back is completely rested on the ball, with no gap between the lower back and the Swiss ball (as shown in the figure below). This becomes your starting position. Maintain the balance, exhale and slowly lift the upper body off the ball, crunching the abdominal muscles. Inhale and return to the starting position. Do three sets, and 15-20 reps, per set.

* Bicycle Crunch

Lie down on the floor with both the legs off the floor. Fold the legs, making a right angle at the knee joint. This becomes your starting position. Exhale and try to bring the right knee and left elbow together by lifting the body halfway off the floor while contracting the abdomen and oblique muscles (sides). Repeat the movements on the other side. Perform three sets, with 20-25 reps, per set.

* Reverse Crunch

Lie down on the floor with legs folded at right angles. This becomes your starting position. Exhale and pull your legs towards your head while lifting your hips off the floor and contracting your lower abdomen muscles. Inhale and return to the starting position. Perform three sets, and 15-20 reps, per set.

* Swiss Ball Side Bends

Stand holding a Swiss ball straight over your head. This becomes your starting position. Exhale and bend on one side, contracting the oblique muscles. Inhale and come back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. Perform three sets, with 20 reps, per set, on each side.