Source: iStock
The dreaded muffin top can be a pain to shift. Not only does belly fat accumulate as we age, medical professionals agree it is the most dangerous area to store fat on our body. But researchers have found engaging in just seven minutes of exercise per day can help whittle down the waist.
According to
Reader’s Digest, a recent study published in the
Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that engaging in seven minutes of bodyweight exercises per day helped shift stubborn belly fat.
Researchers assigned 29 adults to two groups. None of the adults exercised regularly. One group participated in a fitness program, the other group did not exercise and both groups consumed their regular diet. The fitness program for group one consisted of a seven-minute training session every day for six weeks. The program consisted of bodyweight exercises including jumping jacks, push-ups, squats and crunches. In between each exercise the participants rested for ten seconds.
According to
Reader’s Digest, the experiment revealed those who participated in the training sessions lost around 2 kilograms of fat and shed around an inch of belly fat from their waists. Their body fat dropped by approximately 2.1 percent.
Researchers conducting the study found that resistance exercises not only boost lean muscle mass, they also simultaneously burn fat. But according to
Reader’s Digest, there’s a catch! While the seven-minute fitness plan worked for participants who didn’t exercise regularly, you will need to kick it up a notch if you already hit the gym, with researchers advising more intense workouts.