Does the sight of your belly fat in the mirror make you hold your breath and suck it in? Unfortunately, the reflex is a common one: As women age, extra pounds tend to migrate to their middle, research shows. But you can get that flat-bellied look you crave if you commit to doing regular belly fat exercises, like this 15-minute routine created exclusively for Prevention by Melissa Michalak, a Middle Eastern dancer and creator of Bellycore, a belly dancing and Pilates class.
"Like Pilates, belly dancing focuses on strengthening your core," says Michalak. "But when you do it, your abdominals work even harder to isolate your hips from your ribs, resulting in a flatter stomach and more defined waist." And if you feel a little silly when you start shimmying in your living room, remember this: The reason these graceful moves have lasted for more than 2,000 years is that they work!
"Like Pilates, belly dancing focuses on strengthening your core," says Michalak. "But when you do it, your abdominals work even harder to isolate your hips from your ribs, resulting in a flatter stomach and more defined waist." And if you feel a little silly when you start shimmying in your living room, remember this: The reason these graceful moves have lasted for more than 2,000 years is that they work!
Warm-up.
A. To engage abdominal muscles, in these belly fat exercises, stand tall with feet hip-width apart, shoulders relaxed, head directly above spine. Place a hand on lower belly, thumb in navel, and rest other arm at side. Inhale deeply so belly and rib cage expand. Pause.
B. Exhale completely so you feel waist narrow and belly flatten, and contract pelvic-floor muscles as if you were stopping the flow of urine. Repeat warm-up 5 times.
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