4 Seated Exercises That Flatten Belly Pooch While Working From Home After 40

By Alexa Mellardo

February 4, 2026

When you work from home, it’s easy to get sucked into deadlines and take minimal breaks. One of the first things that gets pushed to the back burner? Fitness. If you don’t have extra time to head to the gym, it’s important to be prepared with the right exercises you can do at home. We spoke with Felicia Hernandez, NASM-certified personal trainer and community engagement lead at Eden Health Club, who breaks down four seated exercises that help flatten belly pooch after 40. The best part? You don’t need to leave your desk chair—so long as it’s a sturdy one!

Why Seated Exercises Are Surprisingly Effective

Many fitness enthusiasts automatically think they need to roll out a workout mat and crank out endless crunches to sculpt abs. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“When you are seated, especially when you are actively seated, you can reinforce your posture, turn the core muscles on, and control the pelvis effectively,” Hernandez explains. “Think about it: when you’re seated upright and stable, you’re forced to use your core, not momentum, to move the legs or rotate. Less cheating. More engagement. And if you’re doing it consistently throughout the day, you’re applying way more total tension to the abs than one short gym floor core session ever could. That’s real-time activation, while you’re already sitting for work anyway.”

The Importance of Training the Deep Core

Working the deep core muscles is particularly important for those who sit for an extended period of time. If you can relate, focusing on posture control and muscle activation is key.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

“When you sit at a desk all day, the transverse abdominis, the muscle that flattens the waist from the inside, stops working. The hip flexors take over. The back becomes stiff. The tension stays in the belly. Over time, the pooch appears, not from fat, but from weak internal support,” Hernandez says. “Activating the deep core while seated helps reactivate that muscle system. It reinforces the neutral spine, keeps your pelvis from tilting forward, and applies precisely the kind of work your core was designed to do: stabilize you under pressure all day.”

4 Seated Exercises That Flatten Belly Pooch

According to Hernandez, these exercises are controlled strength moves you can perform right at your desk chair. Do them on a daily basis, and you’ll quickly feel the difference.

Seated Leg Lifts (Both Legs)

“The seated leg lift hits your lower abs directly and activates your hip flexors as support. Keeping your spine tall makes your deep core fire harder to hold a position,” Hernandez explains.

1. Begin seated at the edge of your chair with your legs straight out.
2. Activate your abs as you lift both legs a few inches off the floor.
3. Hold for 2 seconds at the top, making sure not to round your back.
4. Slowly lower.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Tummy Twists

“The tummy twist activates your obliques and lower transverse abdominis while training your spine to move independently of your hips—exactly what prevents that side bulge and builds waist control,” Hernandez tells us.

1. Begin sitting tall with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Cross your arms in front of your chest, or hold a lightweight dumbbell or medicine ball.
3. Rotate your torso to the left, return to the center, then rotate toward the right—without moving your hips.
4. Perform 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.

Seated Crunch + Reach

“The seated crunch with reach tracks like a traditional crunch but with better spinal control. Great for reinforcing upright posture and internal compression through your abs,” Hernandez says.

1. Begin sitting slightly forward in your chair with your feet flat and arms reaching overhead.
2. Crunch your torso forward while reaching toward your knees.
3. Brace your core and avoid collapsing.
4. Slowly return to an upright position.
5. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps.

Chair Scissor Kicks

“The chair scissor kick promotes dynamic lower ab engagement. Keeps constant tension through your core and mimics the movement patterns that flatten out lower belly mass when done consistently,” Hernandez says.

1. Begin sitting tall.
2. Lean back slightly and hold onto each side of the chair.
3. Lift both legs off the ground and alternate crossing one leg over the other, like scissors, without touching the floor.
4. Perform 3 rounds of 20 seconds.