What is the Best Exercise for Belly Fat? – Hula Hoop Review

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Want to know the secret of how to lose lower belly fat fast and effectively? If so, have you ever tried in earnest to lose weight with a simple hula hoop?

In this hula hoop review I will tell you exactly why hula hooping is the best exercise for belly fat blasting EVER!

In fact, it has blown my mind how quickly I gained a toned and noticeably flatter stomach. I have also gone down a couple of dress sizes, AND lost over half a stone in weight in just 8 weeks of use.

And for good reason, as I’ve discovered hula hooping engages the whole body and can burn over 600 CALORIES AN HOUR!

That’s more calories and fat burnt than any other abdominal exercise! This weight loss is all due to the fact it elevates your heart rate up to 84%! High enough for your body to trigger its fat burning process.

The fantastic thing about the hula hoop is it is a whole body workout that tones every muscle. It also vastly improves balance and joint flexibility, is a great stress burner, and is great fun to do too!

However, to gain the success that I did, you will need to commit at least 5 days a week if you want results this quickly.

How Often Should I Hula Hoop?

woman hula hooping

I started out the first week by doing 10-15 minutes a day, then I built up to 30 minutes 5 times a week.

I did get a little bruising at first, simply due to the fact that I wasn’t used to it. But also because the hula hoop is weighted which makes it harder (a weighted hula hoop is crucial for the best fat burning effects), but I persevered, and it was SO worth it.

The bruising went after a couple of days and didn’t come back, so I presumed my body had become accustomed to it.

Hula Hopping is EASIER than other Exercises!

I started doing hula hooping instead of my usual more time consuming workouts of swimming and the gym and found it was so much easier. I did it this way because I wanted to gauge the true results, and didn’t want the results to be blurred by doing other workouts.

And you know what, the results were fantastic because I put the effort in. But, it doesn’t feel like effort because the best thing about hula hooping is you can do it in front of the TV or listening to music. You can also do it in the comfort of your own home come rain or shine, so there is never an excuse not to do it.

You never know, you might get so into exercise because of it that you decide to look into personal training courses and switch careers so you can help others get fitter and healthier too. 

 

Keep your ‘CORE’ engaged

abdominal muscles woman

The key to this exercise (especially when it comes to belly fat loss specifically) is to make sure you keep your stomach pulled in and your core muscles engaged at all times. Do this whilst keeping the hoop spinning above your hips as much as possible (this will also help refine your motor skills).

The pulling in tightly of your tummy is the part that you must concentrate on the most. This is what will give you those tight abs you’re looking for. The more you can do this, the better.

A weighted hula hoop is best for the results I know you want

You will need to make sure you are using a weighted hula hoop specifically designed for adults. The kid’s ones just won’t work as well for the results I know you want. It takes a bit of practice, but once you’ve mastered it you will start to love it.

I’ve begun to really look forward to my hula hooping sessions, because my stomach feels more toned immediately afterwards. And, that is a MASSIVE reward and incentive to keep going.

It’s great to have a quick session when I need to look good for a night out.

 

 

weight loss program

How to Hula Hoop

  1. With your right foot forward and standing inside the hoop, press the hoop against your lower back
  2. Bend your knees a little and give your hula hoop a spin around the waist to get it level. This may take practice, but once you get the hoop moving you need to shift your weight back and forth between your back and front legs. If the hoop starts to drop, stand straight and push your hip harder into the hoop as it spins around to the front.
  3. After you’ve got the hoop going, it’s best to stand with your feet apart wider than shoulder width. Keep your head held high and really pull your waist in as much as possible whilst spinning the hoop and working those tummy muscles.

Check out this video if you have any problems as you may find a visual interpretation easier to understand.

Don’t forget to watch what you eat!

To get the best results from your hula hoop, belly fat torching, you really should be eating a healthy diet full of wholegrains, proteins, fruits and vegetables. Cut out sugar and junk foods as much as possible.

The diet part is JUST as important as the exercise part, otherwise you will just be undoing all the work you have done with your hula hoop.

As you are already doing the best exercise for belly fat loss, it also makes sense to also add into your diet lots of specific metabolism boosting foods, and definitely this fat burning, spice drink first thing. These specific foods and drinks can help you to blast belly fat faster than any other foods (as long as you are controlling your calorie intake and eating them instead of unhealthy foods and not as well as).

So be sure to stock up on foods that torch the metabolism and have them ready for snacks and side dishes to your meals. Every little helps!

It’s also worth mentioning that since I have eaten a mostly low GI, whole plant food diet in the past four year my body has turned into a fat burning machine.

The Best Weighted Hula Hoop To Use

I did much researching and reading of many reviews to find the right hula hoop for the job. I finally decided upon a mid range, medium weighted foam hula hoop for maximum comfort.

As they come in different weights, you can start lower if you are a complete novice to exercise.

This hula hoop is soft, making it easier on the stomach. It also splits into 6 pieces for easy storage, which is great as these bulky, odd shaped things can be awkward to store away.

 

selection of hula hoops

NOTHING, I Say NOTHING, has given me results for belly fat burning like a weighted hula hoop!!

Believe me, I have tried every new fitness fad under the sun over the years and have had much success with many of them. But I can honestly say that the hula hoop has given me the most noticeable belly fat reducing results in the fastest time, and for the LEAST amount of cost and effort.

It also has the added advantage of being easy to use in your own home, either in front of the TV or listening to music.

It is also so much less time consuming than other workouts. Plus, it just feels easier, almost like you’re not working that hard, which is great if you find it hard to get motivated.

Other Important Exercises

Hula hooping is great for a short term fat blast around the middle. But, for long term it is recommended that you mix your exercise regime up, and always either rotate, or do a couple of different types of workouts every week.

This is because your body soon adapts to something that you do continually.

Also, it’s just good to do fitness work on other parts of your body too. Doing a range of different exercises helps keep your body from getting too used to one thing. It also give you reasons to get out in the fresh air, join clubs, gyms, or dance classes and meet new people.

For instance, it’s best to do a mix of cardio, such as running, cycling and swimming along with weight bearing exercises, such as gym work, body building, and HITT taining. These, along with a good session of a stretching type exercise, such as a weekly yoga session, will help to keep you supple and flexible and is yet another important aspect of over-all fitness.

Benefits of Muscle Mass

The importance of regular weight bearing exercise CANNOT be stressed enough if you want to keep your lovely hula hoop, toned body in the long term.

Building muscle helps to keep your whole body toned and your metabolism in faster fat burning mode continually. This is due to the fact that your muscles are metabolic and need energy for every day movement, but your fat doesn’t. Fat just sits there looking not so pretty.

That’s just one important reason to keep this metabolism stoking muscle mass on your body high. And, of course, the other benefits simply go WAY beyond aesthetics. These include:-

  • STRONGER BONES – Means less risk of breakages and osteoporosis, especially as you age.
  • FLEXIBLE JOINTS – Exercise increases your production of synovial fluid, something that keeps your joints well lubricated which therefore will keep you a lot more supple.
  • INSULIN SENSITIVITY – Your muscles primary functions are the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream, which is then stored for fuel. This means the more you have, the more of that potentially dangerous (if not burnt off) sugar is extracted form your bloodstream. This helps to protect you from insulin resistance. Even ultimately diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and a myriad of other problems.
  • YOU WILL STAY SLIM – Muscle burns up more calories than fat just to keep itself maintained, so in layman’s terms it basically means a free calorie burn for nothing.
  • LESS CHANCE OF INJURIES – Muscle around your joints and vital organs (especially your middle) will really offer some great protection should you become involved in any kind of accident. You’d be surprised how often your inner organs can get knocked about and need protecting, especially when you up your training and exercise routine.
  • DECREASED RISK OF STRESS RELATED ILLNESS – Weight bearing exercise burns up excess stress. This pretty much improves everything considering stress is known as the biggest killer.
  • YOU WILL LIVE LONGER – It’s been proven in studies that people with more muscle mass live longer; it’s as simple as that.
  • STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM – Our muscles store certain amino acids that are vital to our immune response. It makes sense then that the more muscle mass you have, the more of these vital amino acids can be stored, meaning lower chance of infection and illness.

Which Weighted Hula Hoop Should I Buy?

If you are a complete beginner to exercise (or a novice to hula hooping),then you may want to start off with one of the lower weighed hula hoops and build up. They range from around the 2 to 9lbs in weight, so you should follow these guidelines when choosing:-

  • FEMALE BEGINNER – 2-4lbs
  • MALE BEGINNER – 4-5lbs
  • INTERMEDIATE – 4-7 lbs
  • PRO (once you have strong stomach muscles) – 5-9lbs

Obviously, you don’t want to be purchasing too many hula hoops as the cost will soon add up. I suggest going for the higher end of your range, as you will quickly become accustomed to a low weight.

There are many different types of weighted hula hoop available.

Feel free to check some out through the button below. But, they do vary wildly in prices so go for something that suits your budget and you needs, as per table above.

 

Foods To Eat To Keep Your Toned Stomach

As well as doing your exercises to keep a nice flat tummy, there are specific foods you should also eat to keep trim.

These include lots of plant based fat burning foods, along with a low GI diet. This combination works really well, keeps you full, and helps your body build lean muscle mass and recover from exercise faster.

One of the best ways to keep your blood sugar stable, boost metabolism, and keep your body in fat burning mode all day is to have 30g of protein powder in the morning.

Metabolism boosting chocolate pudding

Eat your protein powder whizzed up in a blender with half a medium avocado, some plant milk and some cacao powder. This makes the ULTIMATE fat burning chocolate pudding that also tastes delicious and feels like a real treat.

This low carb, high protein and healthy fat containing pudding will keep you sated and full for up to 5 HOURS for around 400 calories. The avocado keeps your blood sugar stable to stop any sugar cravings you may get, causing you to eat less over-all calories throughout the day.

Another great way to get your protein in in the morning is to make a delicious nice-cream.

For a more structured routine and FAST and EASY Meal plans, why not check out our ZestForever Fit & Food Program. It will show you some great ‘at home’ exercises that you can incorporate alongside your hula hooping to keep things fresh and new for you.

Learn how to cook plant based meals that will help you keep your fabulous body looking good. They will also give you that all important energy to fuel your workouts and help build your stamina.

CONCLUSION

I hope that hula hooping brings you the same success it did me. Just remember to do it often if you wish to see faster results.

And, don’t forget to eat a healthy low sugar diet if you want to look and feel amazing too.

For more tips and tricks on losing belly fat then check out these other great tips that can be used alongside your hula hooping for even more amazing results.

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15 thoughts on “What is the Best Exercise for Belly Fat? – Hula Hoop Review”

  1. I love this exercise since I do Hula hoop a lot when I was kid. I would spend hours on doing it and trying not to let it fall off my body and the result after that is my belly gets pretty itchy haha. I like the technique you mentioned above that one should do 5 to 10 mins a day then increase the time to 30 mins a day. That would be a proper practice for this exercise.

    Feel free to let me know what you think so that we can discuss new ideas!

    Best!

    1. Yes hula hooping is DEFINITELY one of the best ways I have come across to lose belly fat but you must stick to it every day to see results and I suppose it can get a little boring for some. But it’s great to do in front of the TV, that way you can kill two birds with one stone ha ha.

      I read your article and made a comment on it and yes it was very interesting and yes, would love to discuss new ideas. I am always researching in this field, probably as you are and I really like to try things out for myself to find what works best etc… will look forward to speaking to you soon. Stefanie

  2. Oh wow, this is the article we all need, especially busy mum’s who don’t get enough time to go to gym – amazing exercise and food ideas. This post is worth a share with everyone, and I am going to share it on my twitter right now. I love the video demonstration and find it really useful. We can now lose weight without spending money and time. Thank you.

    1. Thanks for reading and sharing Sarah, I really appreciate it! Yes this sort of exercise really is great for those who don’t have lots of time or money to pay for expensive gym memberships and classes. It’s great to know that you can get a great body just in your own front room with a simple and cheap device such as a hula hoop.

  3. Wow, I haven’t used a hula hoop since I was a kid. I never thought it could be used to trim belly fat. But it make sense because that’s the target area you’re exercising, right?
    So Stefanie let me ask you this? You say to use it everyday. Once you’re at the point that you want to be, should you still use it daily and for how long?

    1. Hi Rob, yes most people underestimate the humble hula hoop and presume it just for kids, but the weighted ones are a totally different story which is why you find them in most gyms. They really can be a hardcore exercise for fat burning.

      I would say that once you have achieved the body you desire you will always need to maintain it, however you could probably cut it down to a couple of times per week. You should not use this one exercise alone to keep yourself slim and fit, you should always do a range of exercise, especially weight bearing. As I explained in the post, this is most important for keeping muscle mass up and bones strong, and it is especially important for diabetics to have good amounts of muscle on their body as it uptakes sugar from the bloodstream and stores it as glycogen. So the more you have, the more can be stored and out of harms way. This would ultimately mean better insulin sensitivity.

  4. Hi Stephanie!

    I love hooping! I actually got into it originally for a new physical activity to do, but then started teaching myself tricks. It really does work out your core because like you stated, it keeps your core engaged just to do the motion. I never thought to pick up a weighted hoop though.
    I just had a baby about 16 months ago and I’ve been trying to shed the belly fat I picked up from the pregnancy. If I started hooping to help lose weight, is there a particular speed I should be hooping at to burn 600 calories in an hour?

    1. Hi Tina, congrats on having a baby, you must be very happy. And as you already know how to hula hoop then it should be a piece of cake for you to start up again, even with a weighted one. My advice is to just make sure you keep going as fast as is comfortable for the half hour every day. You want to break yourself in slowly otherwise you may get some bruising. It’s the weighted hula hoops that make all the difference if you really want to get a toned belly fast.

    1. Hi Rick, yeah it’s a great idea hey? And very inexpensive and not too time consuming, plus you really do get great results. I love it! People often dismiss hula hooping as something that’s for kids but it can have huge benefits when done daily by adults.

  5. Thats such a fun way to loose fat! I had no idea! Thanks for the great info on it, I am excited to start this new hobbie haha though I am very uncoordinated so we will see how long this lasts.
    I am also on a plant-based diet and absolutely love it! I am so glad you are spreading this message.

    1. Hi Danielle, that’s great you are on a plant based diet, it just makes you feel so much healthier doesn’t it? As for your co-ordination, I’m sure you will be fine once you get into it. In fact, it would probably help your co-ordination skills no end as it’s good to use parts of the brain that we are not used to using. Good luck!

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