What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2024)

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (1)

Laura Cartwright, cardiac rehabilitation specialist and exercise physiologist at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, shares the best exercise to lose belly fat along with other helpful weight loss tips.

Studies have shown that people who carry excess belly fatcan face higher risks of heart diseaseand type 2 diabetes. If this applies to you, it’s natural that you’d want to reduce the amount of fatty tissue in this area.

But scientific evidence shows that it’s impossible to reduce fat in one specific area by exercising that body part alone. The body stores fat as triglycerides, which can be used for fuel anywhere in your body, not just in the exercised area.

Doing aerobic exercise while eating a healthy dietis the best way to lose belly fat and overall body fat. This will help to create a calorie deficit (where you use more calories than you consume), which promotes fat loss over time.

Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilatesand yogacan also help you lose belly fat.Seated exercisecan be an effective way to burn calories and increase your aerobic fitness levels if you find walking or standing difficult.

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NHS guidelines suggest aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week. Aim to exercise at a level where you become a little out of breath but can still speak in full sentences. Take time to warm up before and to cool down after exercise. If you begin to feel more breathless, slow down and rest.

If you are new to exercise, start slowly and build up gradually. You don’t need to exercise at a high intensity to burn calories. Stressand lack of sleep can also affect fat loss,because they can lead to increases in the stress hormone cortisol, affecting appetite.

Stress-relieving and good sleep-promoting activities can include mindfulness, breathing techniques, and gentle exercise like tai chi and yoga.

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2)Meet the expert

Laura Cartwright is a cardiac rehabilitation specialist and exercise physiologist at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, where she delivers exercise assessment and exercise classes alongside an education programme for cardiac patients.

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What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (3)

Published 5 June 2023

More useful information

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2024)

FAQs

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? ›

Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.

Which exercise burns the most belly fat? ›

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and interval training are exercise routines that use short bursts of intense exercise mixed with lower-intensity moves and rest periods. Research shows that HIIT exercises for belly fat help control weight and improve your overall physical condition.

How do I lose belly fat fast? ›

8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life
  1. Try curbing carbs instead of fats. ...
  2. Think eating plan, not diet. ...
  3. Keep moving. ...
  4. Lift weights. ...
  5. Become a label reader. ...
  6. Move away from processed foods. ...
  7. Focus on the way your clothes fit more than reading a scale. ...
  8. Hang out with health-focused friends.

How to reduce big stomach to flat stomach? ›

Diet strategies for losing belly fat
  1. Reduce calories (but not too much) ...
  2. Limit your sugar intake. ...
  3. Limit your intake of refined carbs.
  4. Eat more fiber, especially soluble fiber. ...
  5. Increase your consumption of probiotics. ...
  6. Eat more protein. ...
  7. Add eggs to your diet. ...
  8. Eat fatty fish each week or take fish oil.

What is the single best exercise to lose belly fat? ›

Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.

What are the 5 foods that burn belly fat? ›

Five foods that may help burn belly fat include:
  • foods with soluble fiber like fruits, vegetables, and legumes.
  • foods with protein like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.
  • fatty fish like tuna and salmon.
  • foods with probiotics like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
  • green tea.

What burns belly fat asap? ›

The key is to lower your overall body fat with moderate-intensity physical activity and a healthy diet; when you reduce your total body fat, you'll also be reducing your belly fat. So if you want to do abdominal exercises, make them part of your fitness routine.

What to drink to lose belly fat? ›

  • Mar 29, 2023. Detox drinks and juices to lose belly fat. ...
  • Beetroot juice. Whole beets are low in calories and high in fibre, which can support regularity, slow stomach emptying, and prolong satiety to support weight management. ...
  • Carrot juice. ...
  • Celery juice. ...
  • Cinnamon water. ...
  • Fennel water. ...
  • Ginger water. ...
  • Green vegetable juice.
Mar 29, 2023

What to drink to get a flat stomach fast? ›

Drinking water does not only mean having gallons of water in a day, but also drinking healthy drinks like green teas with anti-oxidants and fresh vegetable and fruit juice. Alcohol can make your stomach feel bloated.

How to slim down a tummy in 2 weeks? ›

Below are some of my tips for how to abdominal belly (and other) fat.
  1. Take a Brisk Walk Before Breakfast.
  2. Start with Some Fiber-Loaded Oatmeal.
  3. Choose Red Fruit Over Green.
  4. Load Up On Avocados.
  5. Mix Up a Plant-Protein Smoothie.
  6. Power Up with Eggs.
  7. Drink Citrus-Infused 'Spa Water'
May 6, 2023

Why is belly fat so hard to lose? ›

One reason belly fat is so hard to lose is that it's considered an “active fat.” Unlike some fatty tissue that simply sits “dormant,” belly fat releases hormones that can have an impact on your health — and your ability to lose weight, especially in the waist and abdomen areas.

What is a flat tummy walk? ›

A “flat tummy walk” is a type of exercise that is intended to help tone and strengthen the. abdominal muscles, leading to a flatter stomach. This type of exercise typically involves engaging the core muscles and walking at a brisk pace. It can be done indoors or outdoors and doesn't require any equipment.

What is the best exercise to reduce the size of your stomach? ›

Losing belly fat involves reducing the total mass of body fat. Some exercises that can help include planks, bicycle crunches, and burpees. Other techniques for reducing belly fat include reducing the calorie intake, staying hydrated, and improving sleep hygiene.

What decreases stomach size? ›

The only way you can physically and permanently reduce your stomach's size is to have surgery. You can lose overall body fat over time by eating healthy food choices, but that won't change your stomach size.

What exercise equipment burns the most belly fat? ›

The best exercise equipment to lose belly fat are treadmills, bikes, weight benches and abdominal trainers.

What is the 30 30 30 rule? ›

The 30-30-30 rule involves eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, followed by 30 minutes of low-intensity, steady state cardiovascular exercise. Beyond these steps, the 30-30-30 method doesn't require any changes to other meals or behaviors, restrictions or counting calories.

What exercise burns the most belly fat in 2 weeks? ›

Do at least 30 or 40 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 or 6 days a week. Go for a jog, run, or brisk walk to burn calories and fat every day for the next 2 weeks. Aerobic exercise also releases endorphins, which will leave you feeling happier and more confident after a good sweat session.

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