Body fat loss has become an essential part of our lifestyle; therefore, everyone has started doing exercises or workouts to keep their body in shape. Fat deposition is more common in the abdomen and thigh region, which is so hard to burn. Including this, back fat is also too hard to burn.
Excess fat in the back region is a sign of weight gain; you need to pay attention to that. If you do not know how to get rid of back fat, then this post will guide you to tone your back muscles.
Here, you not only know how to lose back fat through exercises but also how diet and lifestyle changes contribute to getting rid of back fat.
1. Causes of Back Fat
Although you do an entire-body workout, there are still some specific areas of your body where fat gets stored. Fat accumulation generally happens when you consume excess calories, which are not completely used up for energy.
Usually, the fat in your back region usually results from overall body weight gain. This shows your body is gaining excess weight, which you must reduce. Although back fat does not cause any harm to your body, increased back fat is a sign of aging, reduced growth hormone, and overall body weight gain. Please pay attention to it. And do some of the best exercises to control it.
2. Why is the back fat problem more prevalent among females than males?
In women, the stored fat is around 15-20% of their body weight, while in men, it is 10-15% of their body weight. Therefore, women have more fat accumulation than men. Women also have more fat in the back region than men.
Along with the back fat problem, females also have breast fat issues. Fat tissues around the armpits, breasts, and back are more common in females. With the increase in age, women get more back fat, this is due to the lower level of growth hormone. Growth hormone keeps your muscles healthy and also helps to build new muscles.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is another factor that contributes to fat problems in females. Women with PCOS show insulin resistance as a result body is not able to convert sugar into an energy form. This ultimately results in fat accumulation in specific areas such as thighs, hips, back, and belly.
3. How to Get Rid of Back Fat: 10 Effective Exercises
For back fat, the spot reduction strategy does not work. But some back fat exercises target your back muscles quite efficiently. In this way, you can effectively lose fat from the back region, which is hard.
Well, there is no single exercise that will target both upper and lower back fat, so there are different exercises for upper back fat and lower back fat loss. You can try these exercises at home according to your pace and strength. If you have a certified personal trainer, then that could be more beneficial for you.
3.1. Exercises for Upper Back Fat
Upper back fat is defined as the fat stored between the shoulder blade, which appears as a hump. That is why it is also called “buffalo hump.” Although it does not harm you, it affects your physical appearance.
So, tone your upper body through these upper back fat exercises.
3.1.1. Planks
It is the best exercise for upper body fat, as it targets your arms and shoulder muscles. It is a kind of body balancing and weight training workout. It not only targets upper back muscles but also covers abdominal muscles.
For the effective results of plank, you have to hold it for a longer duration along with engaging upper back muscles. To do a perfect plank, get into a tabletop position with your elbow and feet touching the mat. Legs should be in a straight line. Also, your back, shoulder, and abdomen muscles are completely engaged. Do 10-12 repetitions of it, increasing the posture holding time in each repetition.
Also, avoid common mistakes that most people make while doing the plank.
- Arched back: In this case, your abdominal muscles are not engaged, and the whole weight is put on your arms. As a result, you wake up within a few minutes.
- Raised hip: Most people do the plank with too high a hip position, therefore not getting the benefits of it. So, make sure your hips and knees are in a straight line.
3.1.2. Push Ups
Push-ups are effective for back fat as well as body fat. In push-ups, your arm muscles and chest muscles are included. That is why you can consider it a chest exercise. It also targets your back and core muscles, effectively losing back fat.
10-15 repetitions of push-ups are good for beginners as upper body strength training. For perfect push-ups, the first thing to correct is your plank position. Another important thing to correct is your hands should be shoulder-width apart. And the last thing, try to engage your shoulder blades while going up and down along with core muscles.
3.1.3. Lateral Raises with Dumbbells
This weight-training exercise targets your shoulder, back, and armpit muscles. Through this exercise, you can tone your upper body. In this exercise, you have to stand straight with a dumbbell in each hand. Your back should be stretched or straight; once you get into this posture, raise your hands until they become parallel to the floor. Do this 10-12 times.
A tip for the effective dumbbell lateral raise workout is to do it with lightweight dumbbells in many repetitions. Also, remember to move your shoulder in the right direction with controlled movement, and when you move your hands down, control that as well.
3.1.4. Resistant Band Pull Down
Another best exercise for back muscles is resistance band pull-down. During this exercise, your arm and shoulder muscles engage fully so that your back fat burns quickly. So, what you need to do in this exercise is pull down the resistance band through your hands and, while doing so, keep your back straight.
Before beginning this exercise, ensure the resistance band is properly fixed so that nothing wrong happens when you pull it down. Do 12-15 repeats of resistance band pull-down to reduce the fat from the shoulders, arms, and back area. It also targets the side fat of your abdomen. This exercise will greatly help you if you have fat only in your upper body.
3.1.5. Reverse Dumbbell Fly
It is quite similar to the lateral dumbbell raise exercise. The only difference is that this exercise slightly bent your upper body at a 45-degree angle. Hold dumbbells in each hand, then move your hands up and down without bending. During reverse dumbbell fly, your eye is looking at the floor, and your arms are straight. Do 10-15 repeats of reverse dumbbell fly, or you can increase its number as per your strength.
Through this exercise, you not only tone your upper body fat but also your lower body fat. By standing in an angle position, your hip muscles also get included.
3.2. Exercises for Lower Back Fat
The lower back fat is the fat around your waist, which is also known as Love Handles. Here are the best exercises that will help you to get rid of lower back fat and also help you tone your lower back muscles. These exercises target your lower back muscles, abs muscles, and buttocks.
So, tone your lower back muscles through these simple exercises.
3.2.6. Bridge
This one exercise gives you many benefits. It is good for the core muscles, abs, waistline, spine, and hip muscles. Through this exercise, you get rid of lower back fat and poor posture.
Remember this while doing this exercise: hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute and try to engage your core and hip muscles. Do 10-12 repeats or according to your strength.
3.2.7. Russian Twists
This is also the best core and balancing exercise. While doing this exercise, ensure a 45-degree angle between your legs and spine, making a V shape. Another important thing is to do side-to-side twists slowly while keeping your spine or back straight.
Engage your core muscles while doing this exercise. 10-15 repeats in one go are good for beginners, but you can increase the number of repeats according to your stamina.
3.2.8. Reverse Hip Raise
With the help of an exercise ball, you can do reverse hip raises efficiently. Lie on the ball from your belly side, your palms touching the floor. Once you feel balanced in this position, start raising your legs slowly and then bring them down.
Repeat it at least ten times if you are a beginner.
3.2.9. Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches are good for reducing fat around your waist. To get a slim waist, do 12-15 repeats of bicycle crunches. They also target your abs muscles. With the correct bicycle crunches, your core and leg muscles get properly engaged, giving the best result in reducing lower back fat.
Avoid these mistakes while doing bicycle crunches for effective results.
- Your neck position is very important. If you feel pain in the neck, that means you are doing wrong, so correct your neck position. It should not be too bent or straight.
- Never hold your breath while doing this or any exercise. Do continuous breathing so that oxygen flows throughout your body and you do not get any cramps due to lack of oxygen in muscles.
- Do it at your own pace, not too fast or too slow.
3.2.10. Side Jackknife
This is one of the best exercises for side fat. It targets oblique muscles. To tone your waist and abdomen, this exercise works efficiently. While doing this exercise, you do not put too much effort into your spine, which is why it is a “spine-friendly” exercise.
It is quite simple to lie on one of your sides, right or left, and keep your body straight. Raise your leg to touch the elbow. Do 10-12 repeats on each side. Reduce your waist fat through this simple and effective exercise.
4. How to Get Rid of Back Fat: Diet Tips to Lose Fat
A healthy diet plays an important role in your weight loss journey, without a doubt. You also feel that eating a proper diet and exercising regularly will help you lose weight. So, following a healthy diet along with back fat exercises gives you good and quick results.
Here are some essential diet tips to enhance your back fat exercise result. Doing back fat exercises along with these diet tips gives you quick results.
4.1. Eliminate Sugars
Sugar is not good for your health. Eliminating sugar from your diet burns more fat and is good for a healthy lifestyle. Sugar contributes too many calories to your body, so you cannot lose weight effectively.
Therefore, it is good for you to avoid sugar and sweet substances from your diet. Cutting sugar also helps to maintain your blood sugar levels.
4.2. Consume More Fibers
A high-fiber diet keeps you healthy. It gives your body many benefits, such as reducing cholesterol levels, improving bowel health, and reducing calorie intake. By consuming fiber-rich food, you feel full for a whole day. As a result, you do not crave to eat more food.
In this way, you will maintain your eating habits and weight. Through studies, it is found that fiber-rich diet-taking people have well-maintained weight in comparison to those who eat low-fiber food.
4.3. Avoid Saturated Fats
It is always recommended to avoid saturated fats whether you are overweight or a normal-weight person. This is because saturated fats or trans fats are not good for health, especially for heart health, as they cause the risk of various heart diseases.
Saturated fat-containing foods are pizza, fries, and oily foods. They add too many calories to your diet, and as a result, you end up with weight gain. Therefore, avoiding such food items will be the best way to eliminate back fat or other body fat. That is why it is suggested to eat healthy fats.
4.4. Reduce Salt Intake
Salt intake indeed leads to weight gain and obesity. Studies have found that high sodium intake affects how your body burns fat. Hence, eating a low-salt diet shows effective results in weight loss.
4.5. Focus on Calorie Deficit Diet
Your body stores fat when you consume more calories. That is why a reduced calorie intake will tremendously result in fat loss. It is important to be aware of how many calories you would consume daily. So, follow a calorie-deficit diet according to your weight loss target.
5. How to Get Rid of Back Fat: Few Lifestyle Changes
Remember that exercise and diet are not enough; your lifestyle and routine also play an important role. So, by following the fat mentioned above exercises and diet tips, you cannot get rid of back fat; you must also make certain lifestyle changes.
5.1. Take Meals on Time
Taking meals on time is not possible in today’s busy world. Everyone is so busy with work and life that their eating routine is affected.
5.2. Get Better Sleep
Well, this is quite unbelievable, but sleeping helps you lose weight. Your body fat, especially belly fat, burns while you sleep. Good sleep induces positive signals to your metabolism, and as a result, your overall body fat is reduced.
5.3. Stay Hydrated
Drinking lots of water makes you feel full, resulting in a low intake of solid food inside your body. In this way, you can indirectly reduce your calorie intake and maintain good body weight.
5.4. Do Not Take Too Much Stress
Most of the time, people forget about their mental health. Just like your physical health is important, your mental health is also very important, so never ignore it. Always try to maintain both. This might be confusing how increased weight can be related to stress levels. It has been found that a raised stress level leads to the high secretion of cortisol hormone.
This hormone is responsible for your increased body weight and fat. Due to the high cortisol level in the body, you cannot lose weight effectively. So, make sure you do not take the stress.
5.5. Avoid a Sedentary Lifestyle
Last but not least, you have to be active. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of overall body fat, and without quitting this kind of lifestyle, you cannot get rid of back fat. Even your healthy diet does not help you to get rid of back fat.
6. Final Note
Now, you do not need to struggle with your back fat; do the abovementioned exercises and follow a healthy diet with an active lifestyle. Hope this article helps you to reduce back fat. Keep reading such articles with us, and ‘Stay healthy and Fit!’
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
