How to Lose Fat Off Your Back

A young woman is doing lateral pull downs. Photo Credit prudkov/iStock/Getty Images

Back fat is embarrassing and unsightly, but it can be dealt with by doing a little hard work. Strong back muscles are good for your posture, relieve many types of common back pain and help you look good in a bathing suit. Do exercises targeted toward your back and core to strengthen and tone back muscles. You can also bust back fat by losing weight throughout your whole body. This is accomplished by reducing the total number of calories you eat each day, or burning more calories than you consume through exercise. A combination of diet and exercise is often the best and fastest way to lose troublesome weight on your back.

Diet and Lifestyle

Step 1

Reduce the total number of calories you eat each day by 250 to 500. This will help you lose 1/2 to 1 pound per week. This weight will come off your entire body, so do not expect major changes to your back fat right away if you do this without exercise.

Step 2

Eat healthy, whole, unprocessed foods. Choose your diet mainly from lean proteins, healthy fats, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water, as this helps everything in your body work efficiently and makes you feel a bit more full.

Step 3

Do aerobic exercise three to five times per week for 30 to 90 minutes per session, depending on your current fitness and health. Choose from moderate-intensity activities such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, taking a kick boxing class or swimming.

Exercises to Strengthen and Tone

Step 1

Lie on top of a stability or exercise ball with your belly on the ball, your back flat, your legs straight out behind you and your feet firmly planted on the ground. Raise your chest off the ball and let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders. Lift your arms at a 30-degree angle from your body, so they form a Y-shape above you. Pause for a few moments before slowly lowering them back down. Do 10 repetitions three times per week.

Step 2

Stay with the stability ball and roll your body forward so your legs and feet are lifted off the ground, your arms are pointing down toward the floor in front of the ball and your hands are firmly planted on the ground in front of the ball. Walk your hands forward until you begin to feel slightly unsteady, and then walk them back and place your feet back on the floor behind the ball. Repeat this exercise 10 times three times per week.

Step 3

Pick up a pair of dumbbells. Bend forward at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor. Let your arms, which are holding the dumbbells, hang straight down from your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Raise your arms straight out to the sides and hold for a few moments. Breathe deeply. Slowly return your arms to the starting position. Do 12 repetitions three times per week.

Warnings

• Speak with your physician before beginning a new diet and fitness regimen. Do not attempt to lose more than 2 pounds per week at a maximum, as more than that can be dangerous for your body. Use proper technique when lifting weights to avoid injury. If you do not know how to use free weights, ask a trainer at your gym for help.

Things You'll Need

• Large exercise stability ball
• Dumbbells

www.livestrong.com