Are you afraid of wearing sports bras at the gym or bikinis at the beach because of the unsightly back fat? Do you refrain from going shirtless in front of other? Perhaps you avoid looking in the mirror, so you don’t catch a glimpse of your backfat. Do you secretly wish to turn back time to when your back was as flat as a pancake?
If this sounds like you, it’s about time to make your back great again.
In this piece, we’re going to talk about this pesky back fat, why we get it, and what you can do about it. We’re going to give you some exercise and nutrition tips and trucks to help you bring back(!) your confidence.
Simply put, we got your back (pun intended) every step of the way.
But before we rush into that, let’s understand first why and how you get these back rolls in the first place.
What Causes Back Fat?
When it comes to rolls of fat hanging on your back, one of the main causes is simply a poor lifestyle. If you keep on eating unhealthy foods and skipping your workouts, layers of jiggly flab on your back are inevitable.
Keep in mind that a combination of good nutrition and targeted workouts will help to keep the back rolls and bra overhang away. But consistency is key. You need to take a balanced approach because even if you work out every day, but you sabotage your diet, or if you eat well but rarely make time to build up a sweat, you won’t see many results when it comes to shifting the back bulge.
Other factors that might cause back rolls are alcohol intake, stress, and insufficient sleep.
How to Get Rid of Back Fat
Getting rid of back flab is not an impossible undertaking – it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. With the right strategy and unwavering dedication, you’ll certainly see results though! You just have to start grinding and make sure there’s no going back.
Once you’ve decided to embark on a fitness journey to lose those “muffin tops” in your lower back, you’ll need to shake things up first in your diet, workout routines, and other habits.
In terms of workout strategy, there are certain types of exercises that you need to focus on if you’re aiming for better results. These exercises will certainly help you tone your back and achieve the physique that you’re gunning for.
Resistance Training – it’s a kind of training that uses resistance that can come either from your own body weight, dumbbells, or gym machines to build muscles at the targeted areas of the body. In this case, in your upper and lower back.
Strength Training – as the name suggests, this type of exercise aims to build muscle strength. Strength training will also help shape your lower, middle, and upper back while promoting better posture.
Aerobics – this type of exercise involves day-to-day activities like walking, biking, running, or even swimming. Aerobics is crucial for maintaining your weight because it allows your body to burn fat gradually.
Cardio Exercises – improving your cardio will definitely help you last longer in the gym. With cardio exercises, you can keep up with intense workouts so you can achieve maximum results.
5 Exercises to Lose Back Fat
Enough with our chit chat. Below are some examples of workouts you need to try next time you hit the gym or pick up your home gym equipment. Because scouring the internet for tips can only get you so far. It’s the training that will actually produce your desired results. Simply put, this is where the rubber meets the road.
So, fuel up and let’s burn some back fat!
Rowing Machine Drills
Whenever you’re doing exercises for your back, jumping on the rowing machine is the perfect warm-up routine. Aside from your regular warm-ups, of course. Working the rowing machine preps the muscle groups on your back while burning some calories as well.
How to do it:
- Put the strap around your feet.
- Grip the handle.
- Push your feet off the footrest to straighten your legs while you pull the grip to the bottom of your chest simultaneously
- Make sure to keep a straight posture and always engage your core or abs.
- Reverse and repeat for five minutes.
Standing Cable Pullover
This exercise targets both your back and the chest. It’s relatively easy to pull off since there are just two basic steps in this routine. Stand and pull the cable over to your thighs.
While it’s an easy routine, it’s not something that you should do half-heartedly. It can burn that back bulge of yours, as well as the flab that sits near your underarms, big time! So, it’s definitely worth the sweat.
How to do it:
- Stand up by the machine and hoist up the cable.
- Grab the straight bar attachment using an overhand grip. With your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Pull the bar down to your thighs. Keep your arms straight.
- Make sure to push the bar into your quads then pause.
- Back to the starting position. Do 15 reps and 3 sets.
Plank Row with Cable Machine
Since you’re already working the cable machine, you might as well make the most out of it. This next routine is an example of resistance training. It keeps your whole body, especially the core, engaged to build muscles.
While this exercise is usually meant to sculpt the abs, it also targets the back muscles. So, you could say that you get the best of both worlds!
How to do it:
- Lower down your cable, almost near the bottom.
- Drop into a forearm planking position, with your elbows on the ground. With your whole body in a straight line, and your feet wider apart.
- Keep in mind that you should be 60 centimetres away from the cable machine. So that when you grip the handle, your arm is stretched.
- After grabbing the handle, pull your back toward your waist. Keep your elbow close to your body.
- Do 15 reps on each arm. Then do three sets. Make sure to rest in between sets.
Lats Pulldown
If it’s the bra overhang you’re frustrated about, worry no more. This lats workout will surely trim down the fat.
How to do it:
- Take a seat on the machine and adjust the thigh pads to keep your knees in place as you pull the bars down. But make sure your knees are also comfortable with it.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip.
- Pull the bar down up to your chin. Make sure to keep your back straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Return to the starting position slowly. Repeat.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are probably one of the oldest routines listed in every fitness coach’s playbook. They are great for building muscles and strength in your upper body. But if it’s the back fat you want to target specifically, you might need to shake things up a bit in your regular pull-ups.
This is where the assisted pull-up machine in your gym comes in. It can make your workout a whole lot easier, especially for beginners, but it will definitely target the fat at the back.
How to do it:
- Set the assistance weight first to 9-10 kilograms less than your actual weight.
- Work some reps first and see if it’s challenging enough.
- If it’s way too easy for you, cut down some of the assistance weight. Keep in mind that the higher the number on the machine, the easier the routine will be.
- Place your knees on the assistance pads or knee rest and grip the pullup bar with an overhand grip. If you want to hit your lats and bra bulge more, go wider with your hands.
- Straighten your arms slowly up to full extension.
- Pull yourself up until your chin clears the pullup bar.
- Do 15 reps and three sets.
5 Foods That Can Help with Losing Back Fat
What we’ve laid out above are only some of the best exercises that you can try on your next run to the gym. But like we’ve said earlier, pulling these off is a futile effort without proper nutrition and diet.
To lose some of the back fat and the muffin top, you should try incorporating these foods that will help burn those excess fats!
1. Ave an avocado
Healthy and delicious, there are no better words to describe this fruit. Avocados are rich in Vitamin B6 and filled with unsaturated fat which is great for burning excess fat and suppressing your hunger for hours.
A spoonful of guacamole or a glass of avocado shake just ticks all the boxes when it comes to healthy eating, so make sure to include this fruit in your diet.
2. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of those foods that they call “slow-carbs” in nutrition language. It basically means that they are digested more slowly compared to other carbs, making you feel fuller and more energized for a longer period. And that’s all thanks to the carotenoids in sweet potatoes that convert calories to energy efficiently instead of storing them as fat.
Not only that, but sweet potatoes also contain Vitamins A, C and B6 which provide you energy to complete the routines.
3. Berry healthy berries
Berries like strawberry and blueberry can help boost your back fat exercises by improving the blood circulation to your muscles. They’re also rich in polyphenol antioxidants that’ll help burn some fats. No wonder why they’re a staple in a fitness freak’s pantry.
Munching on berries is also a great way to curb your craving for unhealthy sweets.
4. Dark chocolate with pure cacao goodness
If you’re really tempted to take a bite of your favourite sweets, listing dark chocolate in your cheat sheet is the way to go. As long as that bar of chocolate contains 70% of pure cacao or more, it’s all good.
Studies have found out that pure dark chocolate and gut microbes increase the production of fatty acids that help burn some excess fats. So, when you feel like you’re caving in to your cravings, curb that with gut-healthy indulgences like pure dark chocolate.
5. Lean on lean meats
Contrary to popular belief, not all kinds of meat are bad for your health. High protein foods like lean meats are exactly what you need for gaining some muscles. Below are only some of the lean meats to include in your diet:
- Chicken breasts
- Tuna
- Eggs
- Salmon
- Shrimp
- Lean beef
- Turkey breasts
- Tilapia
- Pork tenderloins
6. Quinoa
Quinoa seeds are an ancient grain that can help you eliminate back fat! Quinoa is a complete protein food. Meaning, all essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and fat loss are present in every grain. So, every cup of these seeds is a nutritional powerhouse.
It’s also high in fibre, healthy carbs, and protein which are everything you need if you want to build some muscles and cut down some weight.
More Tips in Getting Rid of the Back Fat
1. Cut down the booze
We love a wine or beer every now and then. But if you’re serious about trimming the back fat, you might need to cut back or give it up.
Each glass of wine or bottle of beer contains several calories per gram. So if you’re a heavy or frequent drinker, your chances of trimming down the excess fat on your body is zero.
2. Destress as much as possible
When it comes to gaining or losing weight, it’s not always physical. It’s also a mental battle in some ways. And stress is one great example of that.
What happens when your mind is not in great condition is that the stress hormones prevent your body’s ability to burn fat. That’s why it’s also important to recharge both your mind and body once in a while.
Do whatever relieves you of stress and, trust us, you can expect better physical results.
3. Get the Zs
We can’t stress enough how important rest is in your fitness journey. Keep in mind that it’s not always about grinding out in the gym. You should also take breaks and allow your body to recover and your mind to recharge. Avoid overtraining.
Getting a good night’s sleep of 6-8 hours allows you to perform in great condition so you can achieve your desired results.
Now that we’ve got these out of the way, there’s only one thing left: get up and hit the gym.
Get Rid of Your Back Fat at Rec Xpress
Trimming down those back rolls can be challenging especially if you’re just starting out. You might find yourself backing out of your workout regimen if you don’t achieve your goals right away.
That’s why we recommend working out with a professional trainer in Rec Xpress. Our fitness coaches can help structure a program that will work best for you and help you every step of the way until you get those well-toned back.
The best thing about subscribing to a membership in Rec Xpress is that you can opt out anytime you want. If you don’t like the service and the facility (which is impossible), or you’ve already achieved your desired results and just want to continue the program at home, you can simply ghost us. No strings attached!
You can get access to all our equipment and facilities and amenities for just $11. And like we’ve said, no lock-in contracts. You can find us at Bentleigh, Cheltenham, Clayton, East Brighton, Oakleigh, and Ormond. See you there!