Address this stubborn area of the body with these simple chair movements.
Ah, the dreaded “tummy leg” that seems to pop up when you least expect it. Extra fat around the midsection usually with age due to hormonal changes, muscle lossdecrease in physical activity and changes in body composition. Poor eating habits, especially eating excess calories, can also contribute to unwanted fat around the waist. Don’t worry, because with the right exercise routine on deck, you can tackle this stubborn area of the body. We spoke to an expert who shares five things bench exercises which can help stability belly fat faster than Pilates after 60.
“Losing muscle means less thermogenic tissue to burn calories, so with less muscle, you have to move more or eat less so that you don’t accumulate fat. Hormonal changes with age cause fat to accumulate around the midsection – especially for people who are under a lot of stress, where cortisol eliminates the risk of losing fat through exercise). It’s a bad balance,” he explains. Jose GuevaraFitness instructor, chiropractor and founder and gym equipment tester at ShreddedDad.com.
With a chiropractic degree and years of hands-on experience under his belt, Guevara offers helpful tips and expert advice for achieving fitness at home. Below, he breaks down five bench exercises that can tone and strengthen fat after age 60. All you need is a sturdy chair.
Paloff Press
- Start by anchoring a resistance band around a sturdy post.
- At the distance where there is resistance in the band, sit perpendicular to the post.
- Hold the band with both hands on your chest.
- Hold both arms straight in front of you for 3 seconds.
- Use control to return to your chest and resist the urge to rotate your trunk.
- Repeat 10 times on each side.
Seated leg raise
- Sit lightly with your hands on the chair.
- Extend one leg straight out.
- Hold for a moment, then lower.
- Repeat on the other side.
- As you move forward, lift both legs at the same time.
All sit on the edge
- Begin to sit.
- Reach one arm overhead and the other on the floor, holding an optional dumbbell.
- Bend through the waist. (Instead of “selling” your shoulders, engage your side body.)
- Stay in a straight line, don’t let yourself lean forward.
- Switch sides after completing all set repetitions on one side.
Seated side twists
- Begin sitting in a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- Cross your arms in front of your chest. Alternatively, hold a water bottle or light weight for added resistance.
- Gently roll your torso from side to side, keeping the movement slow and controlled and keeping your hips stable. Really feel your cuts turning on.
CHRISTMAS: Walking is the #1 way to lose belly fat fast after 50, according to a trainer
Chair Plank
- Assume a high plank with your hands on the seat of the chair and your body straight from head to toe.
- As you move forward, assume a front plank with your hands on your seat – elbows under your shoulders.
- Engage your legs, hamstrings and core as you hold the pose.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is a freelance writer, editor and content strategist in Greenwich, CT. She has over 11 years of experience in health, fitness, nutrition, travel, lifestyle and home. Read more about Alexa




