How Do You Lose Belly Fat?

melbann
melbann Posts: 115 Member
Hi, so I was wondering if there are any exercises/foods that others have found to have helped them to burn belly fat the most efficiently. I have one of those stomachs that just seems to hang. And I'd really want to focus on burning the fat off that area. And suggestions?

Replies

  • daedus
    daedus Posts: 6 Member
    It would be nice, but unfortunately you can't target fat loss. Otherwise we'd all be walking around with 6 packs. You can tone the muscles though which can help.
  • melbann
    melbann Posts: 115 Member
    That is kind of what I mean. LIke what kind of exercises will tone the muscles there (which will promote fat burning in that area). I've also heard that some foods can help burn belly fat. Like apples. I ate one apple a day about a year ago when I was doing light exercise and eating right and I lost a few inches around my stomach.
  • It would be helpful to know if anyone know thanks!
  • (which will promote fat burning in that area)

    ???
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    You can't spot reduce. There is no flat belly miracle food or exercise. Avoiding foods that cause bloat can help with a flatter appearance. Your body picks where you lose fat from when, for many, especially women, the belly is the last to go. You need to eat at a moderate deficit, do some cardio and do resistance training to lose fat, but retain muscle. Doing core exercises will help to strengthen your abdominal muscles, but it will not make the fat melt away from there.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    That is kind of what I mean. LIke what kind of exercises will tone the muscles there (which will promote fat burning in that area). I've also heard that some foods can help burn belly fat. Like apples. I ate one apple a day about a year ago when I was doing light exercise and eating right and I lost a few inches around my stomach.

    No food or exercise can target body fat. If you like apple by all mean eat those but fat loss is genetic. Have a calories deficit, do exercises you enjoy and be patient

    Good luck ;)
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    As the person above said, you can't target belly fat specifically. Toning the area will not promote fat burning in that area. No particular foods will help burn belly fat either.
    You lost inches around your stomach about a year ago because you were 'doing light exercise and eating right', not because you were eating an apple.
  • Psalm17v22
    Psalm17v22 Posts: 168 Member
    Unfortunately I have found that my belly fat is the last of the weight I lose. It seems as though my body holds on to the fat closest to my waist and hips.

    God bless,
    Karen
  • supergirl6
    supergirl6 Posts: 224 Member
    Agreed on everything everyone has said, although I would point out that even though targeting an area for exercise, weight training, core workouts, whatever may not burn fat in that area, once your body does burn the fat in that area you'll at least already have a start on really showing off the muscles there. So I would still do the workouts, but just accept the fact that it won't have any real effect on what you see in the mirror right now.

    Everyone is different on where their body loses. You could get lucky and have your belly reduce quickly, but even if you don't remember to be proud of ALL your accomplishments and not get bogged down with being disappointed in any one spot.
  • melbann
    melbann Posts: 115 Member
    This was just something I was wondering since I've read many articles online that suggest it was possible to aid fat loss around the stomach. By doing things like abdominal exercises and eating foods that help flatten the tummy. I was just trying to see if there was any truth in any of the articles based on others experience.

    Apparently by the booming response there is no way to focus on that area.
  • Desterknee
    Desterknee Posts: 1,056 Member
    Caloric deficit.
  • impromark
    impromark Posts: 119 Member
    I was once naive and stubborn enough to do sets of 300 situps every other day over stretches lasting months at a go, and can confirm that this along does absolutely nothing to reduce belly fat. At best, what it CAN do for SOME people is make the muscles in that area SLIGHTLY larger by adding muscle mass (and in my case, it DID help strengthen that area and reduced back strain). However, there will NEVER be a visible change if there's a layer of fat thick enough covering it to make it invisible.

    Best thing to do is to reduce fat by overall workout and diet. The marketing machine for those workouts or machines that "target" fat areas is not true in any way.

    Mark
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    This was just something I was wondering since I've read many articles online that suggest it was possible to aid fat loss around the stomach. By doing things like abdominal exercises and eating foods that help flatten the tummy. I was just trying to see if there was any truth in any of the articles based on others experience.

    Apparently by the booming response there is no way to focus on that area.

    You will ba amazed by the number of lies and myth about weight loss!!!!!
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Jamaica tea and beet juice
  • mattbell007
    mattbell007 Posts: 45 Member
    Question:

    How can I fly?

    Anwer:

    a. Flap your arms really hard.

    b. Eat chicken feathers.

    c. Get in an airplane.

    You can't fly by flapping your arms or eating chicken feathers, and you won't lose belly fat by doing situps or eating specific foods. They are equally (in)effective. Still, there are people who will sell you ideas, foods, or techniques that try to convince you that it might be possible... but it just won't happen. You can tone muscles, but not fat.

    Personally, I have good, solid abs -- under what's left of my belly fat.
  • funsmile1234
    funsmile1234 Posts: 83 Member
    I've lost about half of my belly fat by eating whole and healthy, lots of fruits and veggies, lean meats low fat dairy and whole grains walking and doing the stationary bike 3-4x a week, 35 minutes at a time. Once a week I do circuit training.
  • samahines
    samahines Posts: 6 Member
    Jillian Michaels said once in one of her vidoes on YouTube watch your salt : Eating a diet high in sodium increased levels of cortisol Which is what creates weight gain in the mid section.
  • DerekZA
    DerekZA Posts: 1 Member
    You can not target any area of your body to loose fat period. Your body will loose fat overall, and genetics play a role in which area's you may burn more fat than others. All you need to do is create a calorie deficit, stick to it and eventually your abs will show.

    If it was as easy as doing crunches to get 6 pack abs we would all have them :)
  • faely
    faely Posts: 144 Member
    This was just something I was wondering since I've read many articles online that suggest it was possible to aid fat loss around the stomach. By doing things like abdominal exercises and eating foods that help flatten the tummy. I was just trying to see if there was any truth in any of the articles based on others experience.

    Apparently by the booming response there is no way to focus on that area.

    They are gimmicks :flowerforyou:
  • samahines
    samahines Posts: 6 Member
    Scheduling exercise at the same time every day is important if you're trying to lose weight, because it helps make your workout a habit. If every day you're deciding when you're going to find time to exercise that day, then it won't happen. But if you have a set schedule, you're much more likely to actually do it. --Dr Hill
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    Eat a deficit to lose weight.
    Strength train to minimize muscle loss.
    Get enough protein to help retain your muscle.

    Combining all of this will help you lose weight while minimizing muscle loss, thus resulting in a lower bodyfat percentage which is what you need to lose belly fat.
  • Amandabelanger614
    Amandabelanger614 Posts: 110 Member
    I have the same type of shape you are talking about. I have had people tell me my mid section looks smaller when i did these two things...

    1 - ate well / counted calories
    2 - PLANK workouts! Do low, high, side and modified planks!!
  • natschic02
    natschic02 Posts: 3 Member
    I know exactly what you are talking about. The only way I was ever able to lose the belly hand was continuing to lose weight. I got down to 150 before I noticed that my tummy had shrank up and even that was hard to do. I was there was a miracle way to do, but unfortunately not.
  • AnexRavensong
    AnexRavensong Posts: 262 Member
    Work on gaining muscle and losing fat (including making sure you're eating enough to do that) through diet and exercise. Targetting your abs with a bunch of crunches will give you good ab muscles still buried under a layer of fat. :/

    Sadly we can't choose where we lose the fat from. My body like to lose it on my top half first but my thighs won't budge.. the top half looks normal (minus pregnancy pouch that refuses to die completely) and the bottom is KA BLAM. :/

    Gotta stick with it and be patient as annoying as it is.
  • Young adults are already in a category that lose weight a lot faster than say someone who is 45.
    I am 40 and found P90X and Insanity worked well..very well. Bill Phillips Body for Life worked very well years ago.
    And I wanted something that was easier on my body, didn't take as much time, and I didn't have to think about what my next meal was going to be.
    I researched and found two that my full criteria. I know there are more out there...
    First I found one that is great for men and women at http://buildthemuscle.net.
    And the one I decided to do because it has a great support system of women doing the program and finished the program, just for women, and simply laid out and guaranteed and I found it at http://inshapenow.net.
    I'm losing on average 1 1/2 pounds a week.
    I think one of the keys to success is setting yourself up for success. Find a plan that is realistic to your lifestyle so you aren't cheating or angry at yourself for missing a workout or a meal.

    To your lifestyle change!
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