Physical exercise is one of the best options if we want to have good physical and psychological health . Some benefits of this practice are: better cardiovascular health, reduction of stress and improved self-esteem.

However, some people, in addition to improving their health, engage in sports to lose fat or tone their body. In today’s article, we present 5 exercises to tone your body and achieve the figure you want.

A routine of only 20 minutes

If you’re one of those people who have hours to spare in a day because they’re too busy, these exercises won’t take more than 20 minutes.

To do this, do the exercises in a row, with 10-20 repetitions each . Rest for 2 minutes and repeat the routine 2 more times for a total of 3 series. Do it 3 times a week and you will surely notice the results.

Losing fat is more than just exercise

Now, let’s not fool ourselves, to see the results and tone up we have to have a percentage of body fat that allows us to see more than just the fat tissue. Losing a belly can be a slow process depending on the percentage of fat you have. And to achieve this goal, physical, psychological and nutritional variables intervene that are not always taken into account. Be realistic!

It is important to note that if we want our body to look toned, we will have to combine aerobic work with or strength exercises, such as those shown below. In addition, if our objective is to burn fat , we will have to eat in a way that produces a caloric deficit , that is to say, that we burn more than we consume.

  • You can read more about these and other tips for losing fat in our post: “How to lose belly: 14 tips to look slim”

The best fat-burning foods

As we mentioned, nutrition is an important aspect. The essential thing is to be well nourished, because miracle diets can eventually cause a rebound effect. You may ask yourself: what should I eat then? Well, there are many foods that will be beneficial if you want to lose weight.

In our post “24 fat burning (and highly healthy) foods” you will find the best options to achieve your goal.

5 exercises to quickly tone your body

If you want to tone your body don’t miss the list with the following exercises . You can do them from your own home, and all you need is a fitball, an ab wheel and dumbbells. Enjoy them!

1. Iron with leg lift

The iron or “plank” is an ideal exercise for toning the body . It belongs to the group of isometric exercises, so you have to tense a muscle and keep it in a stationary position as long as necessary.

To do this we need to stretch upside down with our backs straight. We lift both arms and lean on our elbows. The feet must be on tiptoe and we maintain the position by making force with the core. Breathe without tension, and holding the position, lift your left leg. We hold it for a second and return to the starting position. We repeat with the other leg and repeat until we can hold the plate position with good form. If you are new, lift each leg 5 times and then move on to the next exercise.

There are different variations of this exercise that you can see in the video below:

2. Burpee

Burpee is an exercise that, in addition to promoting fat loss, helps to tone .

To execute it we stand with our hands relaxed at our sides. Then, we bend down so that our palms rest on the floor and our knees are bent. We put our legs back together in one go and get into position as if we were going to do push-ups. Then we return to the previous position, with our legs bent. Finally we return to the initial position: standing and with our hands relaxed. We repeat the sequence 10 to 20 times.

3. Abdominal wheel

The abdominal wheel is an exercise that can be complex, but that brings many benefits to the abdominal area and also tones. However, it is an exercise that you must execute correctly to avoid damaging your abs.

To do this, get on your knees, with one hand on each side of the roller. Move the roller forward and do so until your body is extended and your belly is close to the ground. Extend as far as you can and when your body is extended, exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat this up to 10 times.

4. Pelvic lift with fitball

This is another great toning exercise. There is the classic version without fitball, but the best results come with the ball . To do this you need to lie down on the floor on your back with your arms at your sides and your knees bent in the fitball.

For its execution, we must be placed stretched out on the floor on our backs, with our arms leaning on the sides of our bodies and our knees bent. We inhale and push with our feet to separate the buttocks from the ground and lift them. We maintain the position for a few seconds and exhale while slowly lowering the pelvis without resting the buttocks on the surface.

5. Stride with biceps

This exercise is ideal for toning and requires a great deal of abdominal work , in addition to working on the legs, buttocks and biceps.

To execute it, you must stand with your arms extended at your sides and with the dumbbells held in your hands. We take a step forward so that the legs are in an inverted “V” shape. We bend the leg in front so that it forms a 90-degree angle, while leaving the other knee parallel to our body, a few centimeters from the floor. We hold that position and we bend our arm in such a way that we lift the weights with the biceps. We return to the initial position and perform 10 repetitions.