How To Lose Belly Fat? Causes, Exercises, Dietary Changes & Lifestyle Changes

Overview

Losing belly fat makes you more aesthetic and lowers the risk of many health conditions like heart diseases, metabolic disorders, diabetes, etc. To enjoy a healthy life, you need to lose this fat. Many people think if they take a fat burner, they will lose weight without any effort, but it is just only a myth. Weight loss is a combination of dietary modifications, lifestyle changes, exercise, etc.

Belly Fat and It's Types?

Fat accumulation around the visceral part of your body is called belly fat. It may be just beneath your skin or deep routed.

It is important to understand how to lose belly fat. One changes your toned appearance, while the other increases the risk of diseases. Let's discuss the types and challenges of belly fat.

There are two types of belly fat.

• Subcutaneous Fat: Subcutaneous fat is just beneath the skin. It changes the appearance and is very easy to lose.

• Visceral Fat: Visceral fat is deep. It covers your internal organs and changes their blood supply and normal functions therefore, it's dangerous and difficult to lose.

Health Risks of Belly Fat

• Heart Disease: Higher levels of visceral belly fat increase your blood pressure by increasing the bad cholesterol in your body, which leads to heart disease.
•  Type 2 Diabetes: Visceral fat also contributes to resistance to insulin, which is used to reduce the level of sugar/glucose in our bloodstream. Thus, high levels of sugar in the blood for a long time increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Metabolic syndrome: When different health conditions combine, they produce the syndrome in the body. That lowers immunity and overall health. High blood pressure and diabetes lead to such issues. This increases the risk of chronic disorders.

Why is Belly Fat Hard to Lose?

Losing belly fat is hard sometimes due to multiple reasons. It requires several physiological and lifestyle modifications, dietary patterns, generics, stress, etc. Let's discuss the main causes of belly fat.

• Hormonal Factors: Hormonal imbalance affects the storage of belly fat. Our body stores more fat in stress for survival. Decrease in the insulin automatically increases the amount of sugar in the blood. Thus, the body consumes less carbohydrates and converts them into fats. These fats are stored in the midsection of the body. Menopause in women decreases the estrogen level, leading to fat accumulation. A low level of testosterone increases the risk of abdominal fat accumulation.
• Genetics and Body Type: Your genetics signal the body where the fat will be stored. There are three types of body types according to shape:
  • Apple-shaped: Fat is naturally stored in the abdominal region in such individuals. Body signals determine the location of fat storage.
  • Pear-shaped: These individuals store more fats in the hip and thigh region.
  • Mesomorphs & Endomorphs: These individuals have a higher propensity to store fat in the belly region.
• Slow Metabolism: Your age, muscle, and health conditions, such as thyroid,d lead to low metabolism. This increases the weight gain. The fat normally accumulates in the belly region. To improve your metabolism, you need to do physical exercises. It will also increase your muscle mass.
• Diet Choices & Nutrient Imbalance: A high carbohydrate, fat, and low protein diet results in weight gain. Refined sugar increases the glucose level in the body, and these refined sugars increase the chance of fat accumulation in the abdomen region. Trans fat and ultra-processed foods increase the risk of inflammation. 
• Lack of Exercise & Sedentary Lifestyle: Sitting for long hours, not doing strength training, and not doing cardio lead to low-calorie consumption. If you eat more but burn fewer calories, these extra calories accumulate in the body as fat.

Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat

A full body workout is required to lose the belly fat. Combination of cardiovascular exercise, core workouts, and strength training. Here are some important exercises that are used to lose belly fat.

• Cardio Workouts for Belly Fat Loss: Aerobic exercises are considered the best exercises to burn calories. Thirty minutes of a brisk walk burns 300-500 calories, while cycling burns 250-500 calories, and swimming burns 400-700 calories. Jumping burns 10-15 calories per minute when you start with a 30-second interval. 
• Strength Training: Boosting Metabolism for Fat Loss: Strength training is vital for losing belly fat. It helps you build the muscles. Deadlifts that hit the group of muscles help in weight loss. You must have to avoid the injuries. Push-ups target your chest and legs for muscle building. Dumbbell or Kettlebell Swings is a great exercise for weight loss. 
• Core Workouts: Strengthening Abdominal Muscles: Core workouts are best to lose abdominal fat and build muscle mass. They hit the core part of our body, and abdominal muscles become more visible once the fat is reduced. Crunches and Leg Raises are best for upper and lower abs, respectively. 
• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) for Maximum Fat Burn: HIIT burns your exercise before and after the workout. It started from small calories to high calories, e.g., jumping, mountain climbing, jumping rope, and rest

Dietary Changes for Belly Fat Loss

Just exercise is not a way to lose belly fat; you must also modify your dietary pattern. A nutrient-dense and balanced diet is required to achieve your goal.

• Macronutrient Balance: The Right Ratio for Fat Loss: The proportion of macromolecules is important for dietary modifications. High protein, low carbs, and fats are required for belly fat loss. The proper percentage of macromolecules is given below:

• • High-protein diet (30-40% of daily intake)

  • Moderate Carbohydrate Intake (30-40%)

  • Healthy Fats (20-30%)

• Foods to Eat for Belly Fat Reduction: All those foods reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, and stabilize the blood sugar level, helping lose belly fat. These foods promote fat burning.

• • Leafy Greens

  • Lean Proteins

  • Whole Grains

  • Nuts and Seeds

  • Green Tea

  • Apple Cider Vinegar, etc.

• Foods to Avoid That Promote Belly Fat: You need to cut the foods high in carbs and processed fats. Avoid sugary drinks, fried foods, and processed or ultra-processed foods.

• Hydration: Importance of Drinking Enough Water: Water is a vital element of life. Everybody needs water to live. Water provides the medium for chemical actions and metabolism and regulates the body's functions. Approximately 8-12 glasses of water are necessary for active individuals. 

• Meal Timing & Intermittent Fasting: Optimizing Fat Loss: Your meal timing is important. Intermittent fasting helps you to lose weight. You can try fasting for 16 hours. Eating normally for 5 days or fasting for an alternative day. 

Lifestyle Changes for Lasting Belly Fat Loss

Along with diet and exercise, lifestyle changes are necessary for long-term changes. Habit build your lifestyle. Your sleeping, stress level, and many other factors depend upon your lifestyle. These lifestyle modifications help you to lose weight.

• Sleep Optimization: 7-9 Hours for Hormone Balance: Deep sleep plays a critical role in a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping increases your cortisol hormones, which increases the chance of fat accumulation. Poor sleeping also reduces the metabolism, which slows down the burning.

• Stress Management: Reduce Cortisol to Prevent Belly Fat: High stress levels reduce the cortisol level in the body, which promotes fat in the body. Emotional eating leads to high-calorie intake. Because it increases the craving for sugary food items. 

• Reducing Sedentary Time: Your metabolism slows down when you sit for extended periods of time. This also increases insulin resistance. All these factors lead to belly fat. You must take a break every 60 minutes and walk for 5 minutes.

• Consistency & Mindset: Building a Sustainable Approach: Consistency matters in everything. You need to exercise regularly for a long time result. During the belly fat loss, never go for easy fixes. Set realistic and achievable goals.

Myths About Belly Fat Loss: Separating Fact from Fiction

When you start belly fat loss, you come to know many myths that do not work. Let's break some common myths.

1. Myth:

🚫You Can Target Belly Fat with Spot Reduction

✔️ You can't target belly fats as your body loses weight completely.

2. Myth:

🚫Magic Pills, Detox Teas & Fat Burners Can Melt Belly Fat

✔️ There is no magic, weight loss is the combination of exercise, lifestyle changes, and dietary modifications.

3. Myth:

🚫Cardio is the Only Way to Lose Belly Fat

✔️ Cardio is not the only option. Even when you walk, you lose calories. Losing the calories helps you to lose weight.

4. Myth:

🚫Eating Fat Makes You Fat

✔️ All fats are not bad. Even fat is a necessary part of your diet. It provides omega 3 and 6, that are necessary for brain functioning.

5. Myth:

🚫Belly Fat is Entirely Genetic

✔️Genetics has some contribution. Your genes decide where your fat will be stored, but losing fat works the same way. 

Conclusion

Losing belly fat is not difficult. Change your dietary pattern and lifestyle modifications, and exercise regularly. For longer results, change your habits and work out with consistency. Set realistic goals and be kind to yourself. Focus on strategies that help you lose fat without losing muscle so your body stays strong and toned. Once you lose belly fat, don’t change your habits.

FAQs

What causes belly fat to accumulate?

It’s never just one thing, most certainly. It’s always a mix of stuff like when you’re eating too much junk and sugar and not moving enough and also stress and no sleep. And for some people it’s age or hormones or even medicine they take. Your body just starts keeping more fat in the belly because it’s kinda the easiest place for it to go. It’s genes, diet, overall health, family history etc. 

Why is belly fat harder to lose than fat in other areas? 

Because belly fat is the stubborn kind, for many South Asians. The deep layer inside called visceral fat doesn’t go first. Your body burns the easier stuff like in your arms or face before it even touches your stomach. That’s why you can be losing weight but your belly still looks the same for a while.

 Can walking help burn belly fat? 

Yes obviously it can, but it’s not magic or instant and spot reducing is a myth. If you walk every day and eat better then it works over time. Walking helps burn calories and keeps your sugar steady and your metabolism moving. Even 30 minutes a day can help, but you gotta keep doing it to see a difference.

How does sugar intake affect belly fat?

 Too much sugar especially from drinks and snacks makes your blood sugar go up and your body stores the extra as fat. And guess where it likes to store it? Yeah, belly. Plus it messes with your hunger hormones so you end up eating even more without noticing.

 How does stress contribute to belly fat gain? 

Stress makes your body release cortisol and that makes you hold more belly fat. And it can mess up your sleep and make you want sugary or fatty food so it’s like a double hit.

 Can you lose belly fat without exercising? 

Yes you can lose belly fat without exercising but it’s slower for sure. If you eat balanced meals with enough protein and veggies and healthy fats then you can still lose it. Exercise just makes it faster and helps keep it off later.