5 Best Exercises to Reduce PCOS Belly Fat

PCOS belly fat tends to be one of the most common symptoms of the hormonal condition Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Women suffering from PCOS are often highly resistant to insulin with increased carb cravings, which more or less leads to weight gain.

Other symptoms for PCOS include increased inflammation, irregular periods, excess hair growth in the the body, excessive testosterone, reduced fertility, acne prone skin, and more. All of this can also result in psychological distress affecting the overall lifestyle of the PCOS-affected population.

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How to Reduce PCOS Belly Fat?

There is no permanent cure for PCOS yet, and it can only be managed with positive lifestyle changes which include both exercise and diet routine.

The changes that you can make to your diet routine to effectively manage PCOS belly fat are reducing the intake of caffeine, increasing the intake of fiber & protein in your diet, avoiding foods that are high in sugar, restricting processed foods, and reducing refined carbs from your diet.

Including regular exercise in your routine will go a long way in reducing PCOS belly fat. Regular physical activity will also provide numerous other advantages such as regulating hormones, relaxing mood by releasing endorphins, increasing insulin sensitivity, and lowering cholesterol levels.

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Best Exercises to Reduce PCOS Belly Fat

1. Planks

Planks are a great exercise which will help in reducing PCOS belly fat by burning a high number of calories. Planks also contribute to building greater strength in the body. There are also several variations of a plank that you can try after increasing the strength and stability of your body.

To do this exercise:

• Bring your body into the tabletop position with your knees and palms on the ground.
• Extend both your legs to the back and balance on your toes.
• Make sure that your body forms a straight line and keeps your core tightened. Hold.

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2. Barbell Deadlifts

Barbell deadlifts will help in improving muscle mass in the body and torching fat from your belly region.

To do this exercise:

• Begin in a good standing position as the barbell is placed right in front of your ankles and legs are apart at shoulder distance.
• Hold the bar in both your palms while hinging down with your back flat.
• Push your hips to the front to raise the bar off the ground, and bring it to the front of your thighs while standing straight.
• Return the barbell back to the ground and repeat.

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3. Resistance Band Squats

Resistance band squats will not only help in blasting calories from the body but will also increase the overall strength of the body.

To do this exercise:

• Loop a resistance band around both your legs just above your knees with the legs apart at shoulder distance.
• Drive your hips to the back and lower your body to the ground to effectively perform squats.
• Bring your body back to the standing position and repeat.

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4. Running or Brisk Walking

Running is amongst the best cardio exercises that you can incorporate into your lifestyle to reduce PCOS belly fat. It will help in burning a decent amount of calories along with increasing the heart rate, which will not only help you get rid of the fat around your belly, but also enhance the cardiorespiratory fitness of the body.

To do this exercise:

• You can easily modify the run to meet your fitness goals and strength of the body.
• You can work out in the gym on the treadmill or go outside to run in the park.

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5. Renegade Row

Renegade row will provide numerous advantages besides helping you get rid of the fat from your abdomen. These include toned arms, increased core stability, improved balance of the body, and more.

To do this exercise:

• Begin in the traditional plank position on the ground while clutching dumbbells in both your arms.
• Maintain a balanced body and keep your core tightened.
• Raise your left arm and dumbbell off the floor to row it upwards with your elbows pointed towards the ceiling.
• Return the weight back to the starting position and repeat.
• Swap sides and repeat.

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Bottom Line

The aforementioned exercises are some of the best and most efficient ones that will help you reduce PCOS belly fat. It is important to remember that you should include both cardio exercises as well as strength training exercises into your workout regimen to effectively manage PCOS belly fat.

The amalgamation of these exercises will enable you to reduce PCOS belly fat by regulating blood sugar in the body, improving metabolism, building lean muscles, and reducing insulin resistance.

You can also make certain lifestyle changes to manage PCOS belly fat, including avoiding alcohol, getting proper sleep, eating a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and managing your stress better.