Burn Gut Fat With These 5 Exercise Secrets, Trainer Says

Are you ready to burn gut fat? If you're dealing with excess belly fat you want to trim down on, you're not alone. Taking action ASAP is the smart choice, considering abdominal fat can put you at greater risk of developing health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and liver problems. So, it's time to follow some key principles: eating at a calorie deficit, strength training at least two to three times a week, and meeting your daily step goal. These healthy habits can help you burn gut fat and reach your fat loss goals.

However, if you're already incorporating these must-dos into your routine, there are additional tips you can follow in order to make your fat loss journey extra effective. Read on to learn more about them, and next up, don't miss The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Include explosive movements

jump squats exercise to shrink your waistline after 40 — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

Explosive movements will get you all warmed up and ready to take on your strength training regimen. In addition, they improve insulin sensitivity and help you recruit more muscle fibers.

We recommend adding a few plyometric-style exercises to your workout because your body will torch more calories. With these moves, focusing on form is major, along with landing properly and exerting as much power with every rep. Add the below to your next sweat session:

Jump Squats (x10 reps)

Start your Jump Squats by placing your legs about hip-width distance apart. Keep your core tight, and throw your arms and hips back at the same time. Swing your arms forward, and jump up as high as you can. Land softly into a half squat before jumping again.

Bench Plyo Pushup (x8-10 reps)

For this move, start by standing a few steps away from a bench. Lower yourself so that your hands are resting on the bench and your body is forming a straight line from head to toe. Lower your body down toward the bench by bending your elbows so that your chest touches the pad (like a pushup). Then, explode back up to the standing position as hard as you can—your hands should leave the bench. Land softly with your hands back on the bench, then perform another rep.

Add in weighted carries

farmers carry exercise to burn gut fat — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

An underrated exercise for those who are focusing on fat loss is heavy carries. Holding heavy weights forces your body to burn extra calories and use more muscle fibers. This kind of move can be performed for multiple sets.

Kick things off with a simple Farmer's Carry: Grab a heavy pair of dumbbells (or kettlebells), and choose either a distance (50 to 100 yards) or a time (1 to 2 minutes). Walk down and back while keeping your chest tall and core tight. Place the weight down after you reach your target, rest for 1 to 2 minutes, and repeat.

End your workouts with a finisher

medicine ball exercise to burn gut fat — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

A great way to increase your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)—the extra calories burned after exercising—is to include a finisher at the end of your workouts. The finishers should be higher intensity and bring your heart rate up.

Here's a sample finisher you can perform with a giant medicine ball:

Chest Pass (x10 reps)

Hold a giant medicine ball close to your chest, and get close to a wall. Keeping your chest tall and core tight, pass the ball hard against the wall. Catch it as it bounces back before performing another rep.

Slams (x10 reps)

With your feet shoulder-width distance apart, grab a giant medicine ball. Raise it above your head, then slam the weight down on the ground, flexing your abs hard when you finish. Squat with a straight back to pick it up again before performing another rep.

Medicine Ball Mountain Climber (x10 reps on each side)

Begin this exercise by placing your hands on a medicine ball or weighted exercise ball and getting into a pushup position. Keeping your chest tall and core tight, bring one knee up towards the ball, and flex your abs. Bring the knee back, then alternate with the other. While you're performing this movement, keep your hips high, back straight, and have tension in your stomach the entire time.

Perform targeted fat loss training

trainer performing v-ups exercise to shrink belly fat faster — Tim Liu, C.S.C.S.

Although spot reduction is difficult for most people to achieve, it can work, so long as you have the right exercises on deck. In order to release fatty acids from a certain body part, you need to increase blood flow there. The abdominals get little blood flow compared to other body parts such as your arms and legs. So what you want to do is perform a sprint on a cardio machine to get your heart rate, then immediately follow it up with an ab exercise, both for 45 to 60 seconds each, for 4 to 5 sets. Here's an example:

Air Bike Sprints (x45-60 seconds)

Hop on an air bike at your gym, and grab the handles. Begin sprinting as hard as you can, pushing and pulling with the handles while driving through the legs at the same time.

V-Ups (x45-60 seconds)

Start V-Ups by lying flat on your back with your arms over your head and your feet fully extended. Press your lower back into the ground, and begin the movement by raising your legs straight up and reaching your hands towards your feet. Crunch hard at the top, then lower yourself under control back to the starting position.

Cool down with incline walking

closeup woman walking on treadmill incline to speed up belly fat loss at gym during treadmill workout — Shutterstock

On the opposite end of these higher-intensity exercises, you can wrap up your workout with an incline walk on a treadmill. It's easier on the joints and for your recovery, and you can do it at end of every workout session. Set the incline to 5 to 15 degrees, and go at a brisk pace for 10 to 15 minutes.