5 Exercises to Get Rid Of Muffin Top for Good, Says a Top Trainer

The muffin top is one of the most stubborn areas of the body to lose fat. It’s extremely frustrating for people who want to get rid of their muffin top a.k.a love handles.

Not only that, the muffin top takes time to get rid of. But it’s not impossible to lose it all. With the right eating habits and workout plans, you can lose the muffin top. 

In this article, I’ll share 5 exercises to get rid of muffin tops and a short muffin top workout you can start with. But before we begin, let’s quickly learn what a muffin top is.

What Is a Muffin Top?

A muffin top is a term commonly used to describe the excess belly fat that spills over on the sides of your waistline. 

It also goes by other names like love handles, spare tire, and donut belly due to its resemblance. 

This excess body fat stored in the midsection is common amongst both men and women across all age groups. 

Under the belly, there are two types of fat: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. 

Both types of belly fat make up the muffin top. 

Subcutaneous Fat

Subcutaneous fat is the fat that’s right under your skin and is pinchable. When you grab your muffin top, you are grabbing this fat. Though it may not be aesthetically pleasing, this body fat is fairly harmless to your health. 

Underneath the subcutaneous fat is visceral fat. This fat, though invisible from the outside is the reason why the muffin top is stubborn and hard to get rid of. 

Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is stored around the essential organs located beneath the abdominal wall. Not only it’s hard to reach this fat and burn it, but also it’s a type of fat that is harmful to your body.

Visceral fat cells are known to release toxins that can cause inflammation, which can cause damage to your arteries. It can also narrow your blood vessels and affect your body’s ability to break down sugar and fats.

That’s why it’s extremely important to lose visceral fat when you have an excess of it. 

It not only helps aesthetically but also reduces your risk of diseases. 

To lose the muffin top and keep it off, it’s essential to stay on a healthy, wholesome clean diet rich in lean protein, vegetables, and fiber. 

Limit simple carbs like sugar and white bread and stay away from unhealthy fat like fried foods and fast food. 

It’s also just as important to get active and add exercises to your daily routine. 

That’s where this daily muffin top exercise regimen comes in. It can help enhance the efforts you are making with your diet and also boost your metabolism. 

This muffin top workout is comprised of compound exercises that target multiple muscles at a time and help burn more fat. 

They also help build lean muscle mass, which raises your resting metabolic rate for a higher calorie burn throughout the day. 

The 5 Best Muffin Top Exercises

Pick a few of these exercises and add them to your muffin top workout to help you shrink your waistline.

1. Bicycle Crunch

The bicycle crunch is one of the most effective ab exercises for the rectus abdominus and the obliques. It’s one move you want to add to your muffin top workout to get results. 

How to perform the bicycle crunch:

1. Lie flat on your back on the floor. Gently press down the lower back to the ground by pulling your abs down. Place your hands behind your head and interlace your fingers to support your head and neck. 
2. Bring in both of your knees toward your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground. 
3. Turn your upper body to the left and extend your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground. Bring in your right elbow toward your left knee. 
4. Make sure to use your abdominals to pull your rib cage in, not your elbow. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. 
5. Complete 10 reps per side, creating the pedaling motion. 

2. Hip Dips Side Plank

Hip dips are the #1 muffin top killer. This effective exercise works on toning the oblique muscles and the entire waistline.

How to do hip dips:

1. Lie down on your right side with your legs extended and feet stacked. Position your elbow directly under your shoulder and your body forms a straight line from head to feet. 
2. Rest your left arm along the left side of your body. 
3. Engage your abs and dip your hip toward the floor with control. Pause at the bottom for a moment and return to the starting position. 
4. Complete 10-12 reps. Switch sides and repeat. 

3. Side Plank With Arm Reach

The side plank with arm reach is another move that activates your side abs and all your core. 

This abs move fires up every inch of your abs and strengthen your upper body including your arms. 

How to do side plank with arm reach

1. Get into a side plank with your hips in line with the torso and the legs. Support your body alignment on your bottom arm and feet. 
2. Hold your body in a straight line and keep your spine neutral. 
3. Extend your top arm straight up above your body so it is perpendicular to the body. 
4. Slowly fold your torso inward and reach your arm under your torso. Hold the bottom position for a moment and bring your arm straight up toward the ceiling. 
5. Repeat 10-15 times before switching sides. 

4. Mountain Climbers

The mountain climber is an effective calorie-burning exercise that really gets your heart rate up. It is also a great exercise to target your core, making it the perfect move to lose that stubborn muffin top and reveal your obliques. 

How to do mountain climbers:

1. Get into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Form a straight line from your head to your heels.
2. Pull your right knee towards your chest as quickly as you can. The next moment put the leg back and pull the other knee towards your chest. 
3. Create the in-place running motion with your legs. 
4. Continue alternating to complete 15-20 reps per side. 

5. Russian Twists

The Russian twist is a simple and effective exercise to build your core strength. The rotating motion really forces the oblique muscles to engage. 

How to do the Russian Twists:

1. Sit with your knees bent with your arms together in front of your chest. 
2. Lean back slightly so your torso and legs form a V-like shape. 
3. Brace your abdominals before you start. 
4. Balancing on your butt and keeping your legs stationary, twist your torso from side to side.
5. Complete 10-15 reps on each side.