Health

5 barre moves to help beat midlife bloating

Bothersome bloating affects us all from time to time and, while it’s not often cause for concern, it can leave us feeling uncomfortable and less than our best. The good news, as Nathalie Errandonea of NRG barrebody explains, is that exercise can be a real game-changer when it comes to beating the bloat.

“In midlife, the stress and fear of bloating up around the mid-section is real,” she says. “This is why I am here to tell you that at 43, I have never felt stronger and healthier, especially in my core.

“There are many things we can do fitness-wise to avoid a round tummy. This should complement a healthy diet that includes plenty of protein, alongside having a well-balanced hormonal system.”

Here, Nathalie shares the go-to barre moves that she uses to help improve digestion, relieve stress and elevate fat burning for a trimmer waistline.

5 barre-inspired moves to help beat bloating

Side bends

  1. Stand in a comfortable second position, feet wider than hips, toes pointing out to the sides. Feel your feet strongly rooted to the ground.
  2. With your right arm reaching towards your left side, bend the spine to stretch and strengthen your obliques.
  3. Then move to the other side and repeat. Do this move up to 30 times (15 times each side).
High knees

  1. Start with your feet in a parallel position, keeping your hands on the hips. Keep your pelvis in neutral position, with your back straight and shoulders low, away from the ears.
  2. Push on the supporting leg, engage your core and lift the other leg in front of you into a knee lift.
  3. Come back into parallel position and build up until you can repeat 50 times on each leg.
Russian twists

  1. Sit on a mat with your feet parallel. Lean back so that you’re in a C-shape position, scooping your belly in and engaging your core. Hold your arms in ballet first position (this is a round shape, as if you were holding a big beach ball).
  2. Twist side to side from the waist to engage your obliques. Keep your arms in this first position and make sure to exhale on the twist to help you go a bit further.
  3. Repeat up to 30 times on one side. Have a quick rest and then repeat for another 30 on the other side.
Mountain climbers

  1. Start in a high plank position, with the shoulders above the wrists, your back straight, core engaged and tummy held in to protect the lower back from arching.
  2. Pull your right knee towards your chest and stretch the leg back, then do the same with the other knee/leg.
  3. Keep your shoulders aligned and abdominals engaged, and repeat up to 20 times. Take a quick rest and then repeat for another 20 reps.
Low plank with hip dips

  1. Start in a low plank position. Keep the shoulders above the elbows, with your back straight, core engaged and tummy held in to protect the lower back from arching.
  2. Move the right hip down towards the mat and then do the same on the left side.
  3. Keep your shoulders aligned and abdominals engaged, and repeat up to 20 times. Take a quick rest and repeat for another 20 reps.

Nathalie is the founder of NRG at home, an on-demand digital fitness platform

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