As you grow older, your body begins to change quickly—and these changes are challenging to accept. Gaining extra girth around your belly, for instance, is far from the best feeling. After all, you want to live your best life—and look like it, too. An annual physical can be stressful just by stepping onto the scale. But there are some crucial tweaks you can make in your daily regimen to turn back the clock and slim down. We have some of the best exercises to lose belly fat and slow aging that trainers highly recommend adding to your routine.
Killing two birds with one stone always sounds appealing when it comes to maintaining your physical fitness and leading an overall healthy lifestyle. You’re likely aware of the benefits of staying fit as you age. You lose lean muscle mass and may experience health issues such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and back pain as you get older, OrthoInfo reports. Regular physical activity can help strengthen your bones and lessen muscle and joint pain. So, we’re here to share some pretty stellar exercises that’ll help you lose belly fat and slow aging. What’s better than that?
Keep reading to learn more, and when you’re finished, be sure to check out these 11 Strength Exercises To Regain Muscle Mass as You Age.
Barbell Landmine Squats
Ready to lose belly fat and slow down aging? Start this first exercise by positioning a barbell inside a landmine attachment. If you don’t have one, anchor the end of the barbell against a wall for the same effect. Pick up the barbell, and grip the end of it with both hands. Take a tiny step back. Keep your chest tall and your core tight. Lower into a squat by pushing your hips back and sitting down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Drive through your heels to rise up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Perform three to four sets of 10 reps.
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Rows
Adjust the bench to an incline (at least 30 to 45 degrees). Grab two dumbbells, position your chest on the pad, and keep your knees on the seat of the bench. Straighten your arms, and begin pulling the two dumbbells in with your elbows, squeezing your lats at the end of the motion. Lower the dumbbells down for the full stretch before the next rep. Perform three to four sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Barbell Split Squats (Between Legs)
Assume a standard split squat position with a barbell between your legs. Keeping your chest tall and your core tight, squat down, reach down, and grab the bar with both your hands. Stand tall by driving through with the front heel of the leg, flexing your quad and glute to finish. Come down and all the way back up with each rep. Finish all reps on one side before switching over to the other. Perform three to four sets of 10 reps per leg.
Landmine Shoulder Press
Place a barbell inside a landmine attachment. If you don’t have access to a landmine, stick a barbell to a corner of a wall to get the same effect. Assume a staggered stance with one foot forward and one foot back. Grab the bar, keeping your chest tall and your core tight, then press it forward. Flex your tricep and shoulder hard at the top, then bring the weight back to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before switching over. Complete three to four sets of 10 reps for each arm.
Dumbbell Goblet Squats
Vertically hold one dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest. Keep your core tight, push your hips back, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Then, drive through your heels and hips to stand back up, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Complete three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts
Grab a barbell, and position it right in front of your body. Keeping your chest tall and your knees soft, push your hips back while dragging the barbell down your thigh. Once you feel a solid hamstring stretch, drive your hips forward, squeezing your glutes to finish. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Lie down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the weights straight up above you with your arms fully extended. Pull your shoulder blades back and down onto the bench as you lower the weights toward your chest. Get a solid chest stretch at the bottom, then press the weights up to the starting position, squeezing your upper pecs and triceps at the top. Perform three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Cable Rows
Grab the attachment on a seated row machine, and place your feet firmly on the footpad. Pull the handle out, then completely straighten your legs. Make sure your chest remains tall as you drive your elbows back to your hips, squeezing your back and lats hard to finish. Straighten your arms, and get a solid stretch in your shoulder blades before performing another rep. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Dumbbell Reverse Lunges
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Take a long stride back with one leg. Firmly plant your heel down into the floor, then lower yourself until your back knee touches the ground. Push through with your front leg to come back up, then repeat with the other side. Complete three sets of 10 reps for each leg.
Incline Treadmill Walk
To perform this steady-state exercise, set your treadmill at the highest incline (usually 15 degrees), and set the speed at 2.5 to 3.5 mph. Walk at this pace and incline for at least 20 minutes, and watch your heart rate go up!
Climbing
Begin climbing on the stair climber. If you’re a first-timer, go at a comfortable pace you’re able to maintain for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Once you build up more endurance (or if you’re a bit more of an intermediate level), crank up the speed, or climb for at least 30 minutes.
Incline Treadmill Runs
Stand with your legs outside of the belt. Set your treadmill to a 10% incline and the speed a little higher than your typical jog pace. Once the incline and speed are set, hop onto the belt, and sprint hard for 30 seconds. Once you sprint for 30 seconds, grab the handles on the side, and carefully jump back onto the stable non-moving part of the treadmill. Rest for 30 seconds, and then repeat this workout for 10 rounds.
Bike Sprints
Hop on the exercise bike, and begin pedaling hard for 20 to 30 seconds. Once you sprint the prescribed amount of time, cruise at a slower pace for 30 to 45 seconds before sprinting again. Aim for eight to 10 rounds total.
