What type of exercise is the most effective for belly fat?
If you’ve been searching for ‘how to burn stomach fat’ for a while, you probably know that exercise can help trim your waistline. However, you can’t spot-reduce belly fat. Sit-ups and other spot exercises may help tighten the muscles in your abdominal area, but they won’t hit your visceral fat, which is one of the two types of fat in your midsection. So, how to exercise to lose belly fat correctly?
Studies show that a combination of aerobic exercises and strength training is ideal for reducing belly fat and preventing you from gaining it back. Brisk walking and cycling are two great examples of aerobic exercises, while strength training can be done by lifting free weights or your own body weight.[1]
It’s important to ease into increased physical activity if you’ve had a sedentary lifestyle in recent years, so make sure to consult a doctor about the appropriate fat-burning exercises for you. When you ask a Moshy doctor for advice on how to burn stomach fat, they will consider many factors before giving you advice or recommending a tailored weight loss plan.
In addition to the initial information you provide your doctor through the Moshy health quiz, your doctor may further want to discuss your medical history, medications you’re taking, and weight loss methods you’ve tried in the past, if any. This can help your doctor assess your situation and see if exercise – or any other weight loss treatment – is a solution that might work for you.
What foods should I eat more to burn stomach fat?
Diet is a crucial consideration when it comes to finding out how to burn stomach fat, so you should know which foods that burn belly fat you should eat and which ones you should avoid.
One study found that a diet that incorporates carotenoid-rich foods can help reduce intra-abdominal visceral fat.[2] Foods rich in carotenoids usually have a yellow or orange pigment and may include corn, carrots, peppers, fish, and eggs.[3] On the other hand, simple sugars found in fructose-sweetened foods and beverages can encourage belly fat deposition, so it’s best to avoid them and stick to a balanced diet.[4]
But because everyone is built differently, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to ‘what to eat to lose weight’ or ‘how many calories are needed in a day to lose weight’. Moshy doctors can advise you on your ideal daily calorie intake as well as the food groups to include in your diet based on your unique factors such as your age, weight, gender, and desired results.
If your situation requires it, your Moshy doctor will propose a tailored weight loss plan that includes regular meal plan guides so you don’t have to constantly look up ‘best diet to lose body fat’ or ‘belly fat burning foods’. You may be recommended meal replacement shakes, which are easy to prepare, to increase your chances of sticking to your diet since you don’t have to constantly stress about what to eat.
Why is visceral fat difficult to get rid of?
You can make a more informed decision about how to burn stomach fat when you understand what makes up belly fat in the first place. There are two types of belly fat: subcutaneous fat, which lies just underneath your skin, and visceral fat, which is a fat tissue that surrounds your organs, including your stomach.[5]
One study compared visceral fat loss and subcutaneous fat loss to confirm if it’s really more difficult to lose one type of fat over the other. The results show that the per cent decrease in visceral fat is greater than that of subcutaneous fat after implementing diet and exercise weight loss strategies, suggesting that some people may lose visceral fat faster than subcutaneous fat.[6]
The same study shows, however, that visceral fat loss is linked to subcutaneous fat loss, and no weight loss intervention preferentially targets visceral fat. This suggests that diet and exercise can help reduce both types of belly fat.[7] Similarly, it can be difficult to lose both types of fat – not just visceral fat – due to factors such as age, insulin resistance, inflammation, and inappropriate weight loss strategies.[8]
Your Moshy doctor can create a diet and exercise plan tailored to your needs, if appropriate. Moshy weight loss plans also come with ongoing consultations so your doctor can track how you respond to the weight loss treatments and make necessary adjustments. You’re welcome to text, video chat, or call your doctor for any additional questions.
Whether you need help with how to burn stomach fat or a different weight loss concern, Moshy can connect you with the right doctor for science-backed advice you can rely on.
Talk to a Moshy doctor when you’re ready to address your weight loss concerns.