Muffin Top: Avoiding That Annoying Overhang

Written by: Holly Smith, M.D.,

B.S. - Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Written by: Holly Smith, M.D.,

B.S. - Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

muffin top

Remember the days when a muffin top was that scrumptious top half of a breakfast treat? Oh, how the times have changed.

Now, when you hear ‘muffin top,' your first thought is, “How do I get rid of this embarrassing fat around my midsection?”

Try an internet search for ‘muffin top'. The first results won’t be about blueberries or bakeries.

What you will find instead is talk about those pesky love handles and specific exercises to target the fat that is hanging over your waistline.

Unfortunately, if you are looking to get rid of your muffin top for good, these exercises will not completely solve your problems.

In this video, we’ll teach you how to lose lower belly fat!

What is a Muffin Top Anyway?

A muffin top is the fat that surrounds the abdomen and hips. This fat is visible over the top of your pants, hence the descriptive name.

But just like fat anywhere else on the body, spot reduction is not possible.

You can’t lose fat from specific places no matter how much you work the muscles in that area.

So those fitness plans that have you doing hundreds of crunches and side bends to get rid of your muffin top? Well, it’s just not going to work.

While core exercises are a necessary part of any training program, it is only one component.

In order to lose your muffin top for good, you will need to follow a comprehensive fitness routine that incorporates strength training, cardio, and a quality nutrition plan.

And, losing that central fat goes far beyond looks.

A recent study found that abdominal fat is related to higher mortality in postmenopausal women.

This is even in women who are at a normal weight!

This study also showed that central obesity was correlated with a higher risk for cancer mortality as well as all-cause mortality.

This certainly goes to show that body composition is much more important than a number on a scale.

That is why losing that muffin top can greatly enhance your overall health.

How Do I Lose That Stubborn Belly Fat?

Let’s start at the beginning.

Basically, to lose fat you will need to burn more calories than you consume.

You may think that cardio is the only way to burn enough calories to lose weight, but that is far from the truth.

Both cardio and strength training are essential here.

There is the misconception that resistance training doesn’t burn as many calories during a workout as cardiovascular exercises.

For one, it depends on the type of exercise you are doing.

Sure, a high-intensity interval training session is going to be more effective than if you are just mindlessly moving 2-pound dumbbells.

This is why you need a specific strength training program.

Five Great Strength Training Moves To Lose That Muffin Top

While you can’t spot-reduce your waistline, below are some great strength-training exercises that will build overall lean body mass while strengthening your midsection.

You may be surprised to find this doesn’t include a bunch of crunches!

These are all compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups to burn some serious calories all while engaging your core.

Farmer’s March

  • Hold one dumbbell in each hand with your arms by your sides. They should be heavy enough that you need to engage your core, arms, and upper and middle back muscles to hold them.
  • Squeeze your shoulder blades together while contracting your abs.
  • Bring your left knee up as high as you can, keeping your foot flexed.
  • Step forward and repeat with the right leg.
  • Walk 50-100 feet forward, then turn around and walk back to complete one set.
  • Do three sets to start.

Dumbbell Squat and Press

  • Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, holding a dumbbell at shoulder level with palms facing inward.
  • Slowly bend your knees and squat down, keeping all the weight in your heels. Don't let your knees move beyond your toes.
  • Press through your heels and slowly straighten your legs to stand up as you press the dumbbells overhead.
  • Slowly lower the dumbbells back down.
  • Repeat 8-10 times for three sets.

Push-Ups

  • Start in a plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists and legs out behind you.
  • Contract your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight.
  • As you lower and exhale, bend your elbows outward to the sides.
  • Hold at the bottom for a brief pause and then press back up.
  • Aim for three sets of 10-12 reps.

Russian Twist with Medicine Ball

  • Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Contract your abs and sit at about a 45-degree angle.
  • Hold the medicine ball with both hands directly in front of you.
  • Contract your abs and twist slowly from your torso to your right and touch the medicine ball to the floor beside you.
  • Pause, then twist your torso back to the center position, and then over to the left and touch the medicine ball to the floor beside you again.
  • Alternate sides 20 times.
  • Pro-tip: You can raise your feet off the floor to make this exercise more difficult.

Reverse Lunge With Twist

  • Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
  • Hold a five to ten-pound medicine ball with both hands with your arms outstretched in front of you.
  • Contract your abs and take a big step back with your right foot.
  • Plant your foot and lower your body into a lunge.
  • As you sink into the lunge, twist your torso to the left with the medicine ball still stretched out in your arms.
  • Twist back to center as you straighten your legs.
  • Bring your feet back together, and then step back on your left leg, twisting to the right.
  • Repeat 8-10 times on each side.

These exercises are great because they are all compound movements that work multiple muscle groups.

Your back, legs, arms, shoulders, chest, and core are all being targeted.

That means you are burning more calories, increasing lean muscle mass, and strengthening your core all at the same time!

That also means bye-bye muffin top!

Cardio Training

Now that we’ve covered why strength training is important, let’s move on to cardio.

By raising your heart rate through cardiovascular exercises you will be burning calories at a high rate.

Plus, cardio activities will also increase how many calories you burn after your workout, something known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

The higher the intensity and duration of your workout, the more efficient your body will be at burning calories in the hours following.

Recent research suggests that continuous cardio and interval training produce similar calorie-burning effects, however, interval training can be done in a shorter period of time with the same benefits.

So if you are short on time, a quick 20-minute HIIT workout will still give you some serious fat-burning ability.

But if you would rather do a lower intensity 50-60 minute cardio session this is still a great way to burn calories during and after the exercise.

The idea here is to pick cardio workouts that you enjoy, are safe on your joints, and that you will stick to.

Anything that gets the heart rate up is going to help you burn weight and shed that muffin top.

Workouts like swimming, running, rowing, and HIIT intervals are excellent exercises for this.

These will burn calories and also engage your core and strengthen your abdominal muscles to give you that midsection you have been dreaming of.

Here is an example of a great HIIT workout to help rid yourself of your muffin top if you are short on time.

Sample HIIT Workout

Warm-Up

Perform 30 seconds each for all of the following moves:

  • Jump Rope
  • High Knees
  • Butt Kickers
  • Squat Jumps

Do this twice through for a total of a four-minute warm-up.

Rest one minute then start the main set.

Main Set

Perform each exercise as quickly as you can for 30 seconds, then take 30 seconds of rest and immediately move on to the next exercise.

After the circuit, rest for one minute.

Then repeat two more times.

Each of these exercises will burn calories while also forcing you to engage and contract your core.

  • Mountain Climbers
  • Burpee with Tuck Jump
  • Jump Lunges
  • Side to Side Push-Ups
  • Kettlebell Swings

Cool Down

Do some light jogging in place for 1-2 minutes.

Follow that with some upper and lower body stretches to make sure you have cooled down completely.

This is just one example of a cardio workout you can add to your weekly schedule.

You can always mix it up and remember to choose things that you will enjoy doing!

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Quality Nutrition is Essential

The next part of getting rid of that muffin top is going to be how you eat.

No matter how much you work out, you cannot out-exercise a bad diet.

Making smart food choices throughout your day is essential if you really want to shed that belly fat.

That means including lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains into your diet.

You want to make sure to limit foods with high amounts of simple carbs and added sugars.

These foods will spike your insulin levels and increase your body’s potential to store weight around the midsection.

You also want to be sure to get an adequate amount of protein after a workout.

Now, you may see a lot of articles or books talking about “bad” foods or “off-limits” foods if you want to lose weight around your midsection.

However, I feel this is the wrong approach to any healthy lifestyle.

If you start depriving yourself of the things you love, this likely won’t be a plan you follow for the long term.

And fitness and health are not about quick fixes — it's about adopting a new way of living.

In the end, it’s all about smart nutrition decisions.

Simple things like drinking water instead of soft drinks and eating fresh whole foods instead of processed, packaged foods are little things that can make a big difference!

Holly Smith, M.D.
B.S. - Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, The Fit Mother Project

Holly is an osteopathic physician, runner, triathlete, and fitness and nutrition enthusiast.

She is board certified in nephrology and internal medicine, has a bachelors degree in dietetics and is a certified personal trainer with NASM-PES certification.

Holly has completed four full ironmans, twelve marathons, countless half ironmans, olympic distance triathlons, half marathons and numerous other road races.

Holly joined the Fit Father Project in May 2019 as a regular writer, contributing articles on health, wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

She has also recently qualified for the 2020 World Championships for Ironman 70.3, in New Zealand!

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*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on the dreaded muffin top.

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