No one single exercise can enable you to lose the beer belly but “slight edge” repetitions of a variety of simple exercises can make a massive difference in just a few weeks. I should know after losing the beer belly aged 45 in 2007 and it’s stayed away too!

Perhaps the most effective exercise to lose the beer belly is what I call “air cycling”.  Lie on your back, arms flat on the floor by your sides and cycle in the air with thighs as close to 90 degrees to the ground as possible.  Start with as few a 10-20 rotations, depending on your level of fitness and add 5 more each day until you’re up to 100.  Don’t overdo this one – it’s a great way to get a six-pack but start carefully as these stomach muscles may be very sluggish to begin with and can be quite sensitive.

Another great exercise to lose the beer belly is “the plank”.  Lie on your front on the floor with weight on your elbows. Clasp both hands and then push your pelvis towards the floor and look upwards, clenching the buttock muscles.  Hold this position for 15 seconds to start with and then work up to 30 seconds.  You’ll feel the stomach muscles immediately you get into plank, so again listen to your body and take it easy to begin with.

I don’t advocate sit-ups, even with bent knees as these can cause damage to the lower back. Full press-ups are a more effective and safer alternative.  Start by doing 5 at a time, working up to 10, then 20 and 30.  For even better results, do “knuckle press-ups” by taking your bodyweight on the knuckles.

Another great exercise to help lose the beer belly is the foot raise. Lie on your back, arms by your sides. Lift your feet 2-3 inches off the ground and hold for a count of 5, then building to a count of 10 and so on.  Don’t arch the back while doing this exercise and keep the tailbone in contact with the floor at all times.

The exercises mentioned above will strengthen and tone the stomach muscles which in turn will help you lose the beer belly.  Ideally, you should complement these exercises with 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week.  Getting the heart rate up in this way boosts the metabolism and helps burn fat more effectively.  But again – take it steady as too much  too soon can actually cause you to hold onto fat around the middle as a result of the production of the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol.

Spend a few minutes each day doing these exercise and add your favourite aerobic exercise (mine is cycling as it’s easy on the joints and muscles) and you’ll soon lose the beer belly.

Andrew Bridgewater is a Chartered Psychologist and the author of ByeBye BeerBelly for mid-life men. To find out more about how to lose a beer belly easily and effortlessly, visit http://ByeByeBeerBelly.com and download your free limited edition audio “5 Steps To Lose A Beer Belly” now.