6 Chair Exercises for a Toned Stomach in Three Weeks

In this article, we explain, step by step, a series of exercises that will help to strengthen your stomach muscles, define your waist, and burn localized fats so that your stomach is as toned as you could want it to be.

Reviewed and approved by Doctor Carlos Fabián Avila.

Written by Lorena González

Last update: 26 May, 2022

Getting a toned stomach in a short amount of time is a task that requires intense exercises and a good diet. However, neither exercise nor diet alone can help you achieve your desired results. For this reason, it’s important to always maintain a healthy lifestyle.

An article backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) explains that the majority of medical organizations suggest combining diet with physical activity to improve your health and reduce the global level of obesity. In other words. both of these go hand in hand to help you achieved your desired results. For that reason, we recommend the following simple exercises to reduce belly fat.

Best exercises for a toned stomach

1. Knee raises

This exercise will strengthen your abdominal muscles, improve your digestion, and also help you burn fat.

How to do it

• First, sit in a chair with a straight back and avoid leaning against the back of the chair.
• Place your feet in front of you hip-width apart while keeping your back straight.
• Then, lift your right knee and raise it to your chest. Pull in your abdomen while performing this motion.
• After that, place your hands over your leg to stretch your lower abdomen better.
• Do between 10 and 12 repetitions, alternating your knees.

2. Dual knee raises

This position will allow you to exercise your abdominal muscles more efficiently. If you’re looking for a toned stomach, you can include this in your exercise routine.

How to do it:

• First of all, sit on a chair. Bring your legs together and support them on the chair.  Keep your back straight throughout the entire exercise.
• Next, lift your knees to your chest and keep your abdominal muscles tight.
• Finally, return your legs to the starting position without letting them touch the ground.
• Do between 10 and 20 repetitions.

3. Knee raises with side lean

This exercise can help to cinch your waist and better define it over time. Thanks to the intense abdominal workout you get, you’ll eliminate fat that builds up in this area. It’s a little more demanding than the ones above, but it’s worth a go!

How to do it:

• First, you should sit on a chair with a straight back.
• Press your hands firmly on the seat of the chair.
• Next, lean your body to one side, supporting yourself by your glutes only.
• Bring your legs together and raise your knees towards your chest until you return to the starting position.
• Repeat this leaning to the opposite side.
• Do 10 to 20 repetitions of this exercise on each side.

4. Reach for the ground

This exercise will have you reaching for the floor. This routine will help you burn fat from your waist and hips. You just need to follow these steps:

• To begin, plant your feet firmly on the ground, whilst you lie down, face up.
• Next, extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
• Once in this position, twist your upper body to the right and lean forward, touching your left foot with your right hand. Once you’re in this position, hold it for a few seconds.
• To finish, straighten your body and repeat with the other side.
• You should hold this position for about 5 seconds.
• Repeat this series between 10 and 12 times.

5. Chair lifts

You’ll find it easy to burn fat quickly and increase muscle tone in the abdomen, back, and shoulders with this exercise. For more intense effects you can do this in a chair that has armrests.

How to do it:

• First, you’ll need to sit on a chair and support yourself with your hands on the armrests.
• Then, lift your body, pushing your hips out of the chair and your feet off the floor while you bring your knees to your chest.
• Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds, then lower and rest for 10.
• Repeat this series four times.

6. Knee to elbow

This last exercise will help you maintain a trim waistline and even work your lateral muscles, as well as your lower abdomen. Remember that your knee must touch the opposite elbow in this exercise, while your body is slightly turned.

How to do it:

• First, sit in a seat with your back straight without leaning on the back for support.
• Then, place your hands behind your head.
• After this, raise your right knee toward your chest whilst you twist to allow your elbow to touch your knee, or try to!
• Finally, repeat this 10 to 15 times.
• Change the knee and elbow and do the same amount of repetitions.
• Do 4 sets of this exercise.

Food that you can include in your diet

It’s important to reiterate that there’s no scientific evidence that demonstrates that food is able to burn fat alone. Burning fat is actually more about a calorie-burning process than what you eat. Of course, the amount of food you eat should be taken into account, but that’s more about burning fat on a general level, not a focused one.

In other words. if the person burns a certain percentage of fat, then that’ll happen to their body overall. It’s not possible to just burn fat on your stomach, for example. That said, consulting a nutritionist is always a good idea, as is hiring a personal trainer.

As such, some of the foods that we mention below are popular in the fitness world and among trainers in general:

1. Green tea to burn fat (without sugar).
2. Turkey or chicken breast, to avoid meats with high-fat contents.
3. Any kind of vegetables because they can substitute white carbs with high-fat contents.
4. Chia seeds that you can add to salads, as they contain fiber.
5. Fruits like pears or green apples can act as effective fat burners.

To conclude, you must remember that combining a healthy diet and exercise routine is fundamental when trying to reach your goals. Consulting a nutritionist to get advice is also ideal.

As discussed in this article from the Madrid Complutense University (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), physical exercise, of whatever intensity, helps burn energy and as such, aids your diet to help you lose weight. Furthermore, it’s important to note that you should control your calories when eating these foods. And, of course, as ever we suggest you visit a nutritionist who specializes in that area.