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Belly fat is a serious problem that effects both women and men. Too much belly fat will increase a person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. The fat that surrounds internal organs is called visceral and subcutaneous fat. This is the fat that is cause for concern. How to lose it? Change of diet and an increase of exercise.

To lose belly fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in. This is the simple formula for weight loss though not a simple task to take on. Cardiovascular exercise is imperative for weight loss as is strength training. Once the layer of fat is gone from your waistline, abdominal exercises will help to tone your mid-section.

Core strengthening helps in your mobility, flexibility, and everyday strength. Pilates is considered the original core workout. Here are 5 abdominal exercises reprinted with permission from: *everything-about-pilates.com that will help you on your road to less belly fat:

• The Hundred: Lie on your back with your knees bent and on top of your chest and arms stretched down at your sides. Roll your chin and chest off the mat so that you are raised up on your shoulder blades drawing your shoulders away from your ears. Extend your legs long and as low as you can while still keeping your lower back on the mat. Lift your arms up 6 inches and quickly pump them up and down five times while inhaling and then exhale, pumping your arms five times. Repeat 10 times to make 100 pumps.

• Crisscross or Obliques: Roll head and shoulders off the mat, bring your knees to your chest and place your hands gently behind your head for support. Inhale and slowly twist to the right, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee while extending your left leg. Hold this long enough to exhale. Now inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times each side keeping your lower back connected to the mat at all times. For more challenge: alternate right and left without stopping in between.

• Rolling like a ball: Sit up tall and pull your ankles in towards your bottom as close as you can get them. With your hands wrapped around your ankles, bring your head towards your knees and lift your feet off the ground so you are balancing on your sit bones. (You should be on a mat to avoid any pain in your tailbone) Tighten your abs and slowly roll backward through your spine until your shoulders have touched the ground, being careful not to roll on your neck. Then slowly roll back up again, like a ball! Use your core for stability. Start with a sequence of 5 and then slowly increase as your abdominal muscles strengthen.

• The Teaser: Lie flat on your back with your legs bent into your chest and your arms stretched straight back over your head. Inhale raise your arms, exhale and roll up through your spine extending your legs and arms out and up until your fingers are pointing at your toes and you are sitting up on your sit bones. Think of creating a “V” with your body. Inhale to stay, exhale and return slowly back to starting position. Do this in a sequence of 5 and gradually increase to more reps.

• Plank Pose: Start out on all fours, hands under your shoulders and hips in lie with your knees. Straighten your legs behind you and put your feet on the floor pushing your weight into you heels. Once you have reached a position where your arms and wrists are directly in line with your shoulders and your spine is long and straight, push your weight forward, transferring the weight to your toes. Think of lengthening your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet and maintain that “plank” position. Feel the scapula down on your spine, shoulders pulled away from your ears, and abdominals pulling up into your back.

Along with a fitness program and healthy dieting, you will start to see your waistline shrink along with your belly fat. That’s a solution for better and healthier living.