What Exercises Work the Best to Shred Belly Fat?

When it comes to body fat, location counts, according to Harvard Medical School. Abdominal fat is more dangerous than other types of fat -- in particular, internal visceral belly fat can increase your risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Subcutaneous fat is the fat that you can see hanging over your jeans, which is less dangerous. The right exercises can help reduce both types of abdominal fat.

Jumping Rope

Jumping rope helps burn stomach fat. (Image: Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images)

Jumping rope is a convenient exercise that can help reduce your abdominal fat. According to Harvard Medical School, jumping rope is among the most effective exercises when it comes to caloric burn. A 155-pound person burns 744 calories jumping rope for one hour. This high-calorie burn helps you lose fat from your entire body, including your belly, because the most effective way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you take in. Interval train with your jump rope to improve your fat-burning ability. Work at a high speed for one minute followed by a moderate speed for two minutes. The change of tempo places a greater demand on the body and boosts your calorie burn.

Running

Running is a full body workout (Image: Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Running is a full-body workout that engages the largest muscles groups of the body, scorching calories. Running promotes a high-calorie burn and can be done anywhere. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's National Runners Health Study, which includes more than 120,000 runners, has found that women who ran the greatest weekly mileage were the leanest. The longer the duration of your run, the more calories you can burn, helping you lose belly fat. Running also helps tone abdominal muscles, which must be engaged to help stabilize the body.

Circuit Training

Perform push ups as part of circuit training. (Image: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Circuit training strengthens your muscles, helping you work at higher intensities. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body can burn calories -- allowing you to melt more fat. Circuit training consists of six to 10 exercises that are completed one after another, without rest. Moving from one exercise to the next keeps your heart rate elevated and promotes fat loss. Circuit train with full-body exercises that activate the abdominals. For example, complete a circuit of squat jumps, planks, one-leg bicep curls, pushups, lunges and pullups. Complete as many repetitions of each exercise as you can, with proper form, for one minute. Rest for three minutes after you complete your circuit, and repeat it three times total.

Considerations

Nuts are good fuel. (Image: Katie Nesling/iStock/Getty Images)

Completing 60 minutes of cardio training daily helps reduce your body fat. A balanced diet is also linked to a shrinking waistline. Foods that fuel your body and keep you full, like whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and nuts, help whittle your belly. Complement your cardio routines with abdominal work like crunches, planks and bicycle twists to tone your midsection.