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Hands down, the most searched item on any fitness website is “how to lose belly fat in a month” and “how to lose belly fat quickly”. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for losing belly fat but don’t be discouraged. You can make real progress and form some amazing habits that will help your waistline in just 28 days. So if it’s a real, long-lasting change you want, then take this 28-Day Belly Fat Blast virtual fitness challenge!

How To Lose Belly Fat In A Month

First, let’s get one thing straight: there are no quick fixes to get rid of belly fat. Like any other typical “problem area,” the only way to really get rid of belly fat is to burn fat all over your body. You cannot burn fat in one part of your body and not the others! Burning off that stubborn belly fat will come as a side effect of combining a healthy, consistent workout routine with healthy eating! But, why do you want to blast that belly fat?

Strength Training

In order to burn more fat, you have to have more muscle. Simple as that. It’s just science, my friends! A stronger body is a leaner body, whether it’s arms, shoulders, or abs. The Harvard School of Public Health states that “Engaging in resistance training (strength training) or, ideally, combining it with aerobic exercise could help older adults lessen abdominal fat while increasing or preserving muscle mass.”

Cardiovascular Exercise

Ab exercises alone will not burn belly fat. That kind of spot-reducing fat is a myth. Like we said before, you cannot spot reduce belly fat. Rather, you need to focus on total body fitness and fat burning. In order to help eliminate the layer of fat that is covering your strong healthy abs. You will need to get your cardio fix in at least 3-4 days a week. Related: 9 Ways To Get Rid of Menopausal Belly Fat A publication by Harvard Medical School states: “For now, experts stress that lifestyle, especially exercise, is the very best way to fight visceral fat.” All-over strength training matters, and yes, abdominal exercises are important too. Strengthening your core and building the muscle in your belly remains an important piece of the belly fat puzzle.

The Belly Fat Blast Challenge Is For You If…

  • You think you have so many healthy habits, and yet your belly fat won’t go away. You’ve tried workout classes, your limit your calories, you’ve tried a juice cleanse and a weight loss supplement, but haven’t seen big results. Hey, we get it! It’s frustrating when you don’t get instant gratification. But, trust us! Weight loss takes time and consistency, and that’s why we designed this challenge: for YOU!
  •  If getting tighter abs is what is standing between you and self-confidence, then this challenge is here to help!
  • You know the feeling: all of a sudden, you go to throw on a pair of jeans and they’re quite a bit snugger than you remember them being. Somewhere, somehow, seemingly out of nowhere, your midsection has expanded without you noticing.
  • You are looking for new belly fat exercises that are efficient, fun, and don’t include crunches!
  • You want to form new healthy habits. It takes 28 days to make a habit stick and this challenge is a fun way to get motivated.

When You Lose Belly Fat You Improve Your Health

Perhaps the most important thing to know about the fat around your middle is that it is the most dangerous fat to have. So many of us focus on looking good in a bikini or in those upcoming wedding photos, but a good thing to always remember is that having too much body fat really is unhealthy. For men and women alike, the fat around the middle – of the “apple shape” – indicates a deeper layer of fat. This visceral fat not only weighs you down on the outside, but it surrounds your internal organs putting you at risk for much bigger problems than larger pant sizes. According to the Mayo Clinic, belly fat increases your risk of:
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Sleep apnea
In addition to that, Robert Eckel M.D., President of the American Heart Association, adds two more to that list:
  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
Belly fat is no laughing matter. Still, fitting into a smaller size and feeling better about the way you look continues to be a driving force for change. The “why” you want to change is just as important as “how” you will change. So, how do you lose belly fat? Like any other health goal, you will need to focus on the basics in a consistent way. This includes strengthening muscle, getting your cardio exercise to burn extra fat, and, of course, healthy eating! That’s why we’re so excited to present you with this 28-day challenge that we designed with you AND your goals in mind. Related: 9 Tips + Workout to Get Rid of Lower Belly Fat

The 28-Day Belly Fat Challenge

28-day challenge calendar To get this party started, we’ve set up a FREE 28-Day Belly Fat Blast Challenge for you to tackle–and guess what? N0 crunches involved. Why crunches you ask? It’s not that we’re hating on crunches entirely, but there are more effective exercises to do, and we want to get you out of the rut of thinking that crunches are the only way to a toned belly. Just follow the chart below and by the end of 28 days, you will be well on your way to a tighter midsection and a healthier you. Please remember as we stated above, we are not trying to fool you into believing that it’s as easy as these few moves to lose weight. You need to do cardio and strength consistently, and you need to eat clean. So, we’ve included an extra workout on the chart. Try to complete at least 30 minutes of cardio and/or strength at least four days a week in addition to these core exercises and remember to drink water and eat clean! We love HIIT workouts because they combine cardio and strength into the same sweat session. Also, keep an eye on your inbox for even more tips and advice on how to blast belly fat this month!

Five Beginner Belly Fat Exercises

These are the awesome ab exercises you’ll be mastering in this  Challenge. Forearm Plank Hold There’s no denying planks are a kick-butt multitasking exercise! Work your abs, back muscles, shoulders, chest, glutes, and legs all at the same time. Remember that a kneeling forearm plank is a great way to learn this exercise until you have the strength to hold on to your toes. Alternating Oblique Burners This standing ab exercise is a silent killer. Oblique burners feel easy enough when you’re doing it but often lead to some pretty sore muscles the next day. But that means it worked! Modify this exercise by not extending as far down toward your calf or try standing against a wall to make sure you’re keeping your back upright. Reverse Curls Reverse curls are an abdominal exercise that works the transverse abdominus flattening your belly and strengthening your entire core. Modify this move by placing your hands under your glutes and bending your knees. Double Leg Drops Double leg drops are an amazing move for flattening your belly, however, this move can be difficult for beginners. If you have trouble keeping your low back on the floor as your legs lower down, try lowering one leg at a time. Once you build up strength, then switch to the double leg drop. Alternating Russian Twists A Russian twist is a core body exercise that strengthens all parts of your abdominals, including your obliques for a toned waistline and a stronger back. It is crucial to pull your lower abdominals in during this move. Imagine you are zipping up a tight pair of pants. Modify this move by placing your feet on the floor and using a lighter weight. *Alternate means right side then left and the count on the chart is for the total number of reps.

More 28-Day Fitness Challenges

Love a 28-day challenge? Try one of these next!

About Chris Freytag, CPT

Chris Freytag is an ACE certified personal trainer, TV personality, author and motivational speaker. She has been sharing the message of healthy living for 30 years while teaching fitness classes, writing books, creating workouts and sharing her knowledge in magazines and online.

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61 Comments

    1. Well it helps to,put you hands under your glutes to elevate your glutes. Or bend your knees a bit. Or do one leg at a time keeping one in contact with the ground at all times till you get stronger.

    1. Hi Ava – It just means that you choose an extra workout of at least 30 minutes of cardio and/or strength at least four days a week in addition to these moves. It’s explained a little bit more in the article 🙂

    1. Hi Lina – Good catch. That might be a typo and it should be 20 BUT if you need a bit of a break, feel free to take it there, or do however may you want!

    1. Hi Christine – haha oh funny! That’s actually a typo so just ignore it! We are working to remove it.

  1. So, HIIT can count as the cardio for the day? How long? most HIIT workouts I see are not more than 20 minutes each? Thanks

      1. Thanks Chris! Love, LOVE all of your workouts and I think I’ve done nearly all of them! 😉 It just gets harder to keep belly lean after menopause!!!!!!! Plus I get bored easily…

  2. LOVE the 28-Day Challenge because it is so easy! I combine it with your Extreme 10 Pound Slim Down for my cardio and strength training. I have very good results this month and plan to continue this into the summer months! I really hope to meet you, Chris, one day as we work out together nearly six days a week! Thanks for your motivation and inspiration, you have been my favorite trainer for years!

    1. Aww thanks, Carolyn! Glad you’re finding success and thank you for your sweet words!

  3. do you think i could get a flat stomach by june (its march right now) if i do this workout until then? That’s when school gets out for me and i want to be able to wear crop tops, any advice for getting rid of baby fat? thanks chris!!!

    1. Hi Monika –
      Giving yourself a few months to get into the shape that you would like is definitely important. It is important to understand that we will not see changes immediately over night (even though we would like to see that!). My advice is to always make sure you are doing a combination of things to start seeing that progress. You are going to want to first and foremost start looking at your nutrition and the foods you are putting into your body. Eat whole and natural foods, lots of fruits and veggies and getting protein in as well especially if you’re going to be exercising. Secondly, you will want to make sure you are getting some form of exercise that you see is best fit for your body and is also something that you enjoy! Drink lots of water and get lots of sleep! We forget how much sleep plays a role into our bodies. Remember, it takes time and that you just have to stay positive! You can do this!