Fat loss begins with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Getting enough sleep can also help to reduce belly fat by controlling appetite-stimulating hormones. Stress management techniques like yoga, meditation and therapy can also decrease visceral fat production.
Spot exercises (like tons of crunches) won’t get rid of belly fat, but a combination of resistance training and cardio can help to burn calories and shrink your stomach. Additionally, replacing saturated and trans fats with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats can improve insulin resistance.
1. Exercise is the only way to lose belly fat
If you search ‘how to lose belly fat’ on Google, or scroll through the #losebellyfat hashtag on TikTok, it’s easy to believe that the answer lies solely in exercise. In reality, however, diet is equally important.
Belly fat doesn’t just mean the extra skin you can pinch, but also visceral fat that surrounds your internal organs. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, even when you are at a healthy weight.
Cardio and aerobic exercise — like walking, running, swimming, Zumba, boxing, or cross body mountain climbers — can help you lose belly fat, but a combination of cardio and strength training is best. In addition to burning calories during the workout, resistance training helps build muscle and boost metabolism at rest.
2. Eating a low-fat diet is the only way to lose belly fat
Having some belly fat is normal, but too much can lead to serious health issues. The good news is that you can lose your excess belly fat with a combination of exercise, healthy eating and stress management.
Eating a diet low in saturated and trans fat can help you reduce your belly fat by decreasing the amount of visceral fat you have. This fat surrounds the organs in your abdomen, and reducing it is important for your overall health.
Avoiding foods that are high in added sugars can also help you lower your belly fat. Studies show that eating more protein can also reduce belly fat, so make sure you get enough protein in your diet. Also, adding strength training to your cardio workouts can help you lose belly fat by burning more calories.
3. Eating a high-fat diet is the only way to lose belly fat
Belly fat isn’t just unsightly—it can also raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, dementia and certain cancers. A trim midsection can lower your risk for these conditions, and it can also help you live longer.
But despite what many Internet ads may claim, there’s no “one trick” to get rid of belly fat. You can slim your tummy by losing overall body fat and reducing visceral fat, which surrounds the organs in the abdominal cavity.
To do this, you need to exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet that includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean protein. You should also avoid processed foods, sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates. And, don’t forget to de-stress: stress can trigger the release of the hormone cortisol, which is associated with belly fat.
4. Eating a high-carbohydrate diet is the only way to lose belly fat
Fat has many important roles, including energy storage and hormone regulation. But too much belly fat, also called visceral fat, can increase your risk for health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and dementia.
Cutting carbohydrates is one way to reduce belly fat, but most of the initial weight loss will be water and glycogen (the carbohydrate your body stores after eating). For long-term success, eat a moderate amount of carbohydrates, with the majority of them coming from whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, starchy veggies, berries, and lentils.
If you need help losing belly fat, try a healthy eating plan that cuts out sugars and processed foods and focuses on lean proteins, whole fruits, and leafy greens. You can find free apps and websites to track your calories, nutrients, and weight loss progress.
5. Drinking water is the only way to lose belly fat
There’s no one-trick pony when it comes to losing belly fat. It’s a combination of diet and exercise that will help you reduce your overall body weight, including the belly fat.
Choosing water over sugary drinks will cut calories. Also, drinking water before meals can make you feel full and therefore eat less at mealtime.
Try tracking your calories using a free food diary app. Apps like MealLogger, MyNetDiary, and iEatBetter can help you track the nutrients and calories of your diet right from your phone. Keeping track of what you eat can help you identify areas for improvement and boost your calorie burn during exercise.
