8 Best Exercises To Get Rid Of Muffin Top

Wondering what the best exercises to get rid of muffin tops are? Well, worry not! We have got you covered.

We love those yummy muffins like crazy, but reality hits home the moment we notice muffin tops peeping out of our sexy low jeans or body-con sheaths!

But what is a muffin top? Muffin top is the body slang used for the lower belly/hip fat that gets accumulated right above your butts. If you are stuck with love handles and muffin tops and they are keeping those six-packs away from you, then here I have 8 exercises that can shred those muffin tops to pieces!

The excess body fat which isn’t easy to lose. However, a survey found that 28.3% of men and 20.4% of women met both physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-training activities, and both percentages decreased with age. Despite this, muffin tops remain a common problem for adults.

Workout Blueprint: Exercises To Get Rid Of Muffin Top

• Frequency: 2–3 times per week
• Benefits: Strengthen the core, reduce belly fat, and improve posture.
• Equipment Needed: Exercise mat, dumbbell, kettlebell.
• Space Required: Small area
• Assistance Required: No
• Who Should Avoid: Anyone with lower back pain and anyone who has undergone surgery recently.

Let’s have a look at the best exercises to get rid of muffin tops:

Now that you know what a muffin top is, the next question is how to get rid of a muffin top? But before we go on to the exercises, let me tell you the mantra to get rid of those love handles and muffin tops. You need to do cardio and total body movements as well as part-specific exercises. You cannot spot-reduce but you can spot-sculpt! But to sculpt, you first need to get rid of the excess fat.

Daniella Peters, a fitness blogger, shared her experience about losing belly fat over 2 years and eating in a calorie deficit to burn more fat. She adds, “You can do all the crunches you want, drink green tea, but if you are not in a calorie deficit and losing body fat, you won’t lose your belly…Being a calorie deficit means eating less than your body burns (i).”

So, do the total body workouts along with this muffin top destroyer exercises to get a yummilicious waistline!

1. Candlestick Dipper

This is the 1 muffin top killer move and I can’t thank Pop Pilates trainer CasseyHo enough for introducing this exercise to me! As this exercise works on your oblique muscles, you will definitely get results with this one!

1. Get on your knees with your abs tight and back straight. Use cushioning under your knees if they are sensitive.
2. Now straighten your right leg to your side. Make sure your knee is straight and not drooping towards the floor.
3. Now raise your hand straight overhead and bind your fingers together. Keep the first 2 fingers joined in a Charlie’s Angels pose.
4. Now bend at your waist to your left side. Go as low as you can and try to be parallel to the floor.
5. Rise up back into the starting position.
6. Do 15 dips and then repeat on the other side.

2. Hip Dips

Hip Dips are one of the best bodyweight exercises that are amazingly effective in toning those obliques and the entire waistline.

1. Get down into the plank position with your abs tightened.
2. Lower into the forearm plank by bending your elbows and coming down on your forearms.
3. Now roll to your left side into a forearm side plank and stack your right leg over your left leg. Put your right hand on your hip.
4. Now dip your hip towards the floor and lift back.
5. Do 10 dips on this side and then roll to the other side and do 10 dips.

3. Rolling Plank

Rolling Plank is another variation of the best classic core workouts plank exercise. It tones your entire midsection. Since it is a moving exercise, it is a good form of cardio.

1. Get down in a standard plank with your arms straight and abs tight. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders.
2. Now roll to your left side into a side plank and come back into the plank.
3. Now roll to your right side into a side plank and then come back into the plank.
4. Keep alternating the sides and complete 10 rolls each side.

Quick Tip

Do not rush through rolling planks. Slow and controlled movement is the key to this move. Otherwise, you may lose your posture and balance.

Dani, another blogger running a personal blog Foxy Lady Beauty, shares a bit about her workout regimen saying, “My favorite way to work out is to do most of my heavy lifting at the beginning of my workout followed by cardio afterwards. The heavy lifting at the beginning will burn the stored carbohydrates from food and once that is all burned you hit your body with cardio afterwards to burn PURE FAT (ii)!” She adds that ab workouts are flexible and can be done as part of any workout routine.

4. Butt Lift/Heat Wave

This is my all-time favorite exercise for muffin top. It tones your lower abs, obliques, muffin tops and lifts your butt.

1. Lie down on the floor on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent.
2. Now lift your butt up until you get a straight line from knees to shoulders.
3. Lower down again.
4. Do it 15-20 times.

5. Hip Twists

Hip twists are also called waist whittlers by some people because they totally, amazingly whittle your waist for good! So, if you want to try Twist exercises for a slim waist, follow these steps:

1. Get down into a forearm plank with your elbows directly under your shoulders and body in a straight line.
2. Now twist your hip to the left side and touch your left hip to the floor and then twist to the right, and then touch the right hip to the floor.
3. Do 20 twists.

6. Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches are one of the best and most effective exercises for your abs, belly fat and your muffin tops.

1. Lie down on the floor on your back and lift your feet with your knees bent such that your calves become parallel to the floor.
2. Put your hands behind your head to support your head and neck.
3. Now bring your left knee towards your right elbow and at the same time straighten the right leg out. Do not lower the right leg to the floor.
4. Now, bring the right knee to the left elbow and straighten the left leg out.
5. Keep alternating and do as much as you can for 1-2 minutes.

Quick Tip

Ensure your lower back is pressed into the floor while doing bicycle crunches. Only your torso should rotate during this exercise, and your hips should not.

7. Russian Twist

Russian Twist is one of the best fat-burning oblique exercises to get rid of muffin top. It strengthens your abs, tones your oblique muscles and helps in shredding that muffin top. You can do it with weight and without weight depending on your level.

1. Sit on your butt with your feet pressed into the ground and knees bent.
2. Now lean back a little.
3. Grab a dumbbell or a kettlebell in your hands. If that is too much for you, just join your hand together.
4. Now, rotate that dumbbell (or your hands) from side to side, twisting your torso with it.
5. Do 10 twists each side.

8. Burpees

Burpees are a highly effective full-body exercise that combines strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. They engage multiple muscle groups and offer an efficient way to burn calories, shed those muffin tops, and boost overall endurance and agility.

1. Stand as you keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Get into a squat position and place your hands on the ground in front of your legs.
3. Kick your legs back and extend them behind you to land in a plank position.
4. Perform a push-up.
5. Get back into the squatting position.
6. Jump up from the squat and reach your arms overhead.
7. Repeat the sequence for 3 to 5 sets of 10, 15, or 20 repetitions.

While exercise is essential for reducing muffin top, it is equally important to focus on your diet and lifestyle. Learn more about it in the next section.

Diet And Lifestyle

A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help you shed excess weight and improve your health. Combining regular exercise with a healthy diet and lifestyle can effectively reduce muffin tops and achieve your fitness goals. Here are some lifestyle tips to consider:

• Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid consuming more calories than you burn.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help your body function optimally.
• Reduce your intake of processed foods as they are high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and sodium.
• Stress can contribute to weight gain, so find healthy ways to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, or spending time in nature.
• Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Infographic: Effective Exercises To Reduce Muffin Top

To recap, a muffin top is the accumulation of lower belly fat right above your hips which can be distinctly noticed when you wear skin tight clothes like skinny jeans. It restricts the type of clothing you can wear and may affect your confidence and the way you view yourself. If you want to reduce a muffin top, there are some important exercises from the article above that you need to really focus on.

Check out the infographic below to know 5 effective exercises that can help reduce a muffin top when done consistently.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Are muffin tops hormonal?

Jesse Feder, Personal Trainer and Clinical Dietitian, says, “Muffin tops can be due to several factors, including diet, exercise, and hormones.”

Does wearing tight pants cause muffin tops?

According to Jesse, “Wearing tight pants pushes the fat from the hips in a manner that creates muffin tops.”

Can Jump Rope get rid of the muffin top?

Jesse says, “Jump rope is a great cardiovascular workout that can burn a significant amount of calories in a short time. This can help reduce body fat and help get rid of muffin tops.”

Are muffin tops genetic?

According to Jesse Feder, “Muffin tops can partly be due to our genes. Everyone stores their fat in different areas, and if your parents store it in their hips, this can get passed down to the kids. The genes that affect our hormones can also contribute to muffin tops.”

Does walking help reduce muffin tops?

Yes. Walking can help reduce muffin tops as it helps you burn calories and fat.

Why am I skinny with a muffin top?

You may have a muffin top despite being skinny because of your genes, unhealthy eating habits, or lack of resistance training.

How long does it take to lose the muffin top?

It depends on how much fat you need to burn. As you lose your overall body fat, you can observe your midsection tone up as well.

Do sit-ups get rid of muffin top?

No. Sit-ups alone can’t help you get rid of the muffin top. You will need a comprehensive strength training exercise plan and a low-calorie, healthy diet.

Is muffin top the same as love handles?

Yes. Love handles refer to the pinchable fat on both sides of your stomach, leading to a ‘muffin top’ appearance.

Illustration: Best Exercises To Get Rid Of Muffin Top

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Bid farewell to muffin top fat with a quick and effective 10-minute home workout designed to help you lose those love handles. Click on the video below to boost your confidence and achieve a more sculpted body!

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Reviewer Expert Author Editor Fact Checker

Rakesh RathodCertified Personal Trainer

     

Rakesh Rathod is a certified fitness trainer and yoga instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. He also has a diploma in nutrition, level 1 in Krav maga, and is a bodybuilding contest coach.

Read full bio of Rakesh Rathod

• 
  Jesse FederRDN/LDN Jesse Feder, RDN/LDN, is a Clinical Dietitian at the Memorial Regional Hospital. He is also a certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer (ACSM-CPT) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS).
  
  Jesse Feder, RDN/LDN, is a Clinical Dietitian at the Memorial Regional Hospital. He is also a certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a personal trainer (ACSM-CPT) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA-CSCS).

Jyotsana RaoBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Jyotsana Rao is an engineering graduate from NIT, Nagpur, who discovered her love for writing during her undergraduate days. She is passionate about writing about everything related to beauty - makeup, fashion, hairstyles, skin care, or hair care and has 4 years of experience on writing in these genres.

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Arshiya SyedaCo-Editor-in-Chief

Arshiya Syeda is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of StyleCraze with 8 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer who combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care.

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Himanshi MahajanHealth & Wellness Writer

Himanshi Mahajan is a Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach. She has a bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences from Guru Nanak Dev University and two years of experience in writing SEO-based and research-backed content across health and lifestyle genres.

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