How to Lose Belly Fat: what works and what is a myth

Key takeaways

• Six weeks of abdominal exercises five days a week improved muscle endurance but did not reduce belly fat in a randomized study.^[1]
• Aerobic exercise reduced visceral fat in a meta-analysis of 35 trials, even below standard weight-loss amounts; resistance training alone did not.^[9]
• A waist of more than 35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men) increases health risk.^[3]
• Two weeks of four-hour nights increased abdominal and visceral fat in a small controlled study.^[12]
• Visceral fat is an independent risk marker for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.^[2]

In short: You cannot burn belly fat by exercising your belly; in a randomized study, six weeks of ab exercises five days a week improved muscle endurance but did not shrink belly fat. What works is losing fat overall: a modest calorie deficit, regular aerobic activity (which research links most clearly to less deep belly fat), strength training, enough sleep and less alcohol. Track your progress with a tape measure around your waist, not only the scale.

Belly fat is one of the most common reasons people start thinking about their weight, and it is about more than how clothes fit. This guide explains why spot reduction does not work, the two kinds of belly fat, and the eating, movement and lifestyle changes with the best evidence. If you want the medical side of the deep fat around your organs, our guide to visceral fat goes into detail; this page focuses on what you can do.

The spot-reduction myth

Crunches, sit-ups and planks build your core, and that is worth doing for posture and strength. But they do not burn the fat that sits on top of those muscles. In a randomized study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24 adults were split into two groups. One did seven abdominal exercises five days a week for six weeks; the other did no ab work, and both kept their usual calories. The exercise group gained muscle endurance, yet their belly fat, waist size and body fat did not change compared with the other group. Fat is released from stores all over the body as you lose weight, and you cannot choose which store goes first.

The same goes for waist trainers, belly wraps and “fat-burning” creams. A waist trainer can change how you look while you wear it, but it does not remove fat; our guide to waist trainers explains what they can and cannot do.

Two kinds of belly fat

• Subcutaneous fat sits just under the skin. It is the fat you can pinch.
• Visceral fat lies deeper, inside the abdomen, around organs such as the liver and intestines. You cannot pinch it, and NICE notes that a person in the healthy-weight BMI range can still carry excess fat around the middle.

Visceral fat is the one that matters most for health. A 2019 position statement from the International Atherosclerosis Society and an international working group on visceral obesity concluded that visceral fat, measured precisely with CT or MRI, is an independent risk marker for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and death, and called for public health messages to focus on it, not only on body weight. The good news is that visceral fat can be reduced by the same kinds of changes that reduce body fat in general, as the exercise research below shows. Our visceral fat guide covers the health links and medical options; this page covers the practical steps.

Measure your waist, not just your weight

Your waist tells you more about belly fat than the scale does, and it can shrink even when your weight barely moves, for example when you are building muscle. To measure it the way the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) describes: stand up, place a tape measure around your middle just above your hip bones, and read it just after you breathe out.

• Waist size: the NHLBI says a waist of more than 35 inches for women or more than 40 inches for men increases health risk.
• Waist-to-height ratio: the UK’s NICE guideline suggests keeping your waist to less than half your height; 0.5 to 0.59 means increased risk and 0.6 or more a further increase. Try our waist-to-height calculator.

Measure once every two to four weeks, at the same time of day, and note it next to your weight. Our body fat calculator uses your waist and neck measurements to estimate body fat, too.

Diet: the biggest lever

To lose belly fat you need to lose body fat, and for most people that starts with eating somewhat less than they burn. Our calorie deficit guide explains how to set a gap you can live with, and the calorie calculator gives a starting number. Within that:

• Choose a style you can keep. In the DIETFITS trial, healthy low-fat and healthy low-carb diets led to similar weight loss after a year. The Mediterranean diet, rich in vegetables, legumes, fish and olive oil, is a popular, flexible choice.
• Make protein a priority. With the same calories, higher-protein diets led to slightly more fat loss and less muscle loss in a meta-analysis of 24 trials.
• Eat fewer ultra-processed foods. In an NIH study, people offered ultra-processed meals ate about 500 more calories a day than when offered unprocessed meals, without trying to.
• Watch sugary drinks and snacks. The CDC’s healthy eating advice for weight includes limiting added sugars. See our healthy snacks guide for easy swaps.

Exercise: cardio for belly fat, strength for shape

A meta-analysis of 35 randomized trials in adults with overweight or obesity, using CT or MRI scans, found that aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming reduced visceral fat compared with no exercise, even at amounts below the usual weight-loss recommendations. Resistance training on its own did not show a significant effect on visceral fat in that analysis. That does not make strength training less useful: the American College of Sports Medicine notes it can increase lean mass and fat loss, and it changes your shape.

A practical weekly plan follows the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines: at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, such as 30 minutes or more of brisk walking on five days, plus muscle-strengthening work on two or more days. Start with our walking guide and strength training guide, and keep core exercises in the mix for strength and posture rather than fat loss.

Sleep, stress and alcohol

Sleep. In a controlled 21-day inpatient study, healthy young adults allowed only four hours of sleep a night for two weeks ate more and gained more weight than when they slept normally, and their fat increased specifically in the abdomen, including visceral fat, even though their total body fat change was similar. It was a small study of 12 people, so it shows a direction rather than a final answer. The CDC recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults.

Stress. Stress affects eating, sleep and motivation. In one study, women who carried more fat around the middle released more of the stress hormone cortisol in response to repeated lab challenges than women whose fat sat lower on the body. That study shows a link, not that stress causes belly fat, but managing stress is good for health either way. If stress or emotions drive your eating, our guide to emotional eating has practical strategies.

Alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that alcoholic drinks supply calories but few nutrients and may contribute to unwanted weight gain, and suggests looking at drinking as a good place to start if you need to lose weight. Their free alcohol calorie calculator shows how quickly drinks add up.

A four-week starter plan

Progress on the tape is often slow and uneven. Keep going for at least three months before judging the plan, and celebrate the changes that do not show on a tape: more energy, better sleep, easier stairs.

Belly fat at midlife and menopause

Midlife can bring changes in where fat is stored. A review in the journal Climacteric found that the hormonal changes of the menopause transition are linked with more total and abdominal fat, even though menopause itself does not explain weight gain. The same approach applies, with strength training becoming even more important. Our guides to weight loss and menopause and losing weight after 40 go into detail.

Body contouring is a separate thing

Procedures such as cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting), liposuction and a tummy tuck remove or reduce fat or skin in one area. They can change shape in one area, but they are not a way to lose weight. Our body contouring hub explains the options, costs and risks.

When to talk to a doctor

If your waist is above the NHLBI thresholds or your waist-to-height ratio is 0.5 or more, it is worth asking your doctor about blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checks. A sudden change in belly size, a hard or painful swelling, or bloating that does not go away should be checked by a doctor rather than treated as fat. And if lifestyle changes are not enough, a clinician can talk through structured programs and medical options; see our how to lose weight hub and Find My Options.

Questions to ask a professional

• Is my waist size a concern for my heart, blood sugar or liver health?
• Which tests would show whether belly fat is affecting my health?
• What kind and amount of exercise is safe for me to start with?
• Could my sleep, stress, alcohol or any medicines be making belly fat harder to lose?
• If lifestyle changes are not enough, which medical options could we discuss?

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to lose belly fat?

There is no way to target the belly alone. Losing fat overall, through a modest calorie deficit, regular aerobic exercise, strength training, enough sleep and less alcohol, is what shrinks the waist.

Do crunches and sit-ups burn belly fat?

No. They train the abdominal muscles, which is good for core strength, but a randomized study found they did not reduce belly fat on their own.

Which exercise is best for belly fat?

Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming, has the clearest evidence for reducing deep belly fat. Strength training helps you keep muscle while you lose weight, so a mix of both works well.

Why is belly fat so hard to lose?

Fat comes off from all over the body as you lose weight, in an order you cannot choose. Hormonal changes around menopause and short sleep have both been linked with more fat around the middle. Patience and consistency matter.

Is belly fat the same as visceral fat?

Not exactly. Belly fat includes the fat under the skin you can pinch and the deeper visceral fat around your organs. Visceral fat is the type most linked with health risks, and our visceral fat guide covers it in detail.

References

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2. Neeland IJ, Ross R, Després JP, et al.. Visceral and ectopic fat, atherosclerosis, and cardiometabolic disease: a position statement. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2019. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(19)30084-1 · PMID 31301983 (accessed October 6, 2026) Society statement
3. Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH). (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
4. Overweight and obesity management (NG246): identifying and assessing overweight, obesity and central adiposity. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2025. (accessed October 7, 2026) Guideline
5. Gardner CD, Trepanowski JF, Del Gobbo LC, et al.. Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults (DIETFITS randomized clinical trial). JAMA, 2018. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.0245 · PMID 29466592 · NCT01826591 (accessed October 7, 2026) Randomized trial
6. Wycherley TP, Moran LJ, Clifton PM, Noakes M, Brinkworth GD. Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.044321 · PMID 23097268 (accessed October 7, 2026) Meta-analysis
7. Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al.. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metabolism, 2019. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008 · PMID 31105044 (accessed October 7, 2026) Randomized trial
8. Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
9. Ismail I, Keating SE, Baker MK, Johnson NA. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of aerobic vs. resistance exercise training on visceral fat. Obesity Reviews, 2012. doi:10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00931.x · PMID 21951360 (accessed October 7, 2026) Meta-analysis
10. Donnelly JE, Blair SN, Jakicic JM, et al.. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand: Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181949333 · PMID 19127177 (accessed October 7, 2026) Society statement
11. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition: top 10 things to know. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (ODPHP). (accessed October 7, 2026) Guideline
12. Covassin N, Singh P, McCrady-Spitzer SK, et al.. Effects of Experimental Sleep Restriction on Energy Intake, Energy Expenditure, and Visceral Obesity. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.038 · PMID 35361348 · NCT01580761 (accessed October 7, 2026) Randomized trial
13. About Sleep. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
14. Epel ES, McEwen B, Seeman T, et al.. Stress and body shape: stress-induced cortisol secretion is consistently greater among women with central fat. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2000. doi:10.1097/00006842-200009000-00005 · PMID 11020091 (accessed October 6, 2026) Other
15. Alcohol Calorie Calculator (Rethinking Drinking). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH). (accessed October 7, 2026) Government page
16. Davis SR, Castelo-Branco C, Chedraui P, et al.. Understanding weight gain at menopause. Climacteric, 2012. doi:10.3109/13697137.2012.707385 · PMID 22978257 (accessed October 7, 2026) Review

Facts checked on October 6, 2026

Educational information, not medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation. In an emergency call 911.