In addition to eating clean, one major thing you should be doing to lose excess belly flab is strength training. Lifting weights should be a constant in your fitness routine, because it helps build muscle, burn calories, and elevate your metabolism. Simply put: When your goal is to melt fat and tone up, strength training is non-negotiable. If you don't know what exercises will help you lose your gut in your 40s, or you're intimidated by complicated workouts, don't fret. We have just the right, easy-to-navigate game plan for you.

You can kick things off with simple compound movements, mixing in a combination of both machine exercises and free weight moves. Your selection should target the major muscle groups in your body, mostly in your back and your legs. This is because those body parts make up a good majority of your physique, and you end up torching more calories than if you picked traditional ab exercises such as sit-ups and crunches.

The following five movements are so simple. Perform them either as a standalone workout, or sprinkle them into your current fitness routine. And next up, don't miss The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Start the Machine Hack Squat with your feet in front of you and slightly turned out. Push yourself up, then hit the switches below to unlock the machine. Lower yourself under control as you would for a regular squat until your hips are at least at a 90-degree angle. Then, drive through your heels, flexing your quads and glutes to finish. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

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For this move, grab the attachment on a seated row machine, and place your feet firmly on the footpad. Pull the handle out, then straighten your legs fully. Keeping your chest tall, drive your elbows back towards your hips, squeezing your back and lats hard to finish. Straighten your arms all the way, and get a good stretch in your shoulder blades before performing another rep. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Begin this exercise with the dumbbells up next to your shoulders and your palms facing each other. Keep your core tight and glutes squeezed, and press the dumbbells up, flexing your shoulders and triceps at the top. Lower the weight under control before performing another rep. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

Related: The #1 Bodyweight Workout To Shrink Your Waistline After 40

Grip the lat pulldown bar with your palms facing away from you just outside your shoulders. Lean back slightly, and pull the bar down toward your sternum with your elbows, squeezing your lats at the very bottom of the movement. Resist on the way up, maintaining tension in your lats. Get a good stretch at the very top by letting your shoulder blades come up before performing another rep. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Start the Dumbbell Split Squat by holding a pair of dumbbells and getting into a staggered stance with one foot forward and one foot behind you. Keep your chest tall, and come down slowly until your back knee touches the ground. Get a good stretch in the hips of your back leg, then drive through the front heel, flexing your quad and glutes to finish. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps on one side before switching over to the other.

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