After the initial joy of giving birth, most mothers want to get rid of the inevitable belly fat gained during pregnancy. Getting rid of your belly fat is important because it is one of the more dangerous places in the body to hold fat. A study done by the Mayo Clinic showed that belly fat can increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some types of cancers. Although it may be more difficult for some women than others, the following exercises will help any woman properly lose their unwanted post-pregnancy belly fat.
Aerobic Exercise
The most important thing that any new mother who wants to lose belly fat can do is to begin some sort of aerobic training. Consistent aerobic training will burn calories at a rapid rate and speed up your metabolism, which will break down the food you consume. There are many ways that you can get your fix of aerobic training. Pick something that you enjoy, such as running, swimming or biking. When doing your aerobic training, start with a short warm-up of five to 10 minutes, followed by 20 to 40 minutes of your activity at a steady pace. Try to keep the pace of your workout high, but at a level that you will be able to sustain for the entirety of your exercise. Try to get your aerobic workouts in two to three times per week. As you continue to train, you will find that you will be able to increase the pace of the workout and burn more calories over the span of the 20 to 40 minutes.
Abdominal Exercises
Another great way to lose belly fat after pregnancy is to build up your abdominal muscles. Building up the abdominal muscles also speeds up metabolism and burns off fat. It is advised to try and do strength training for the entire body, but specific abdominal training speeds up the trimming of belly fat. Many exercises can be done to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Try to do two to three abdominal exercise three times a week and do 12 to 20 repetitions each. The first abdominal exercise you can do is a basic crunch. For crunches, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders and torso several inches off the ground. Then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the ground. Another good abdominal exercise is hip raises. Start by lying on your back with your legs straight up in the air at nearly a 90-degree angle. Put your hands underneath your butt and attempt to raise your hips several inches off the ground. Try not to use your hands to raise your hips, but if you need a boost, gently push up with your hands until you are able to lift your hips on your own. These two exercises work different areas in your abdominal region and are a great mix in your abdominal routine.
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