The Genius Belly Fat-Busting Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner
Belly fat is stubborn. Not only is it hard to lose, the majority of Americans deal with it in excess. According to a 2022 study published in Frontiers in Public Health, abdominal obesity affects about 53.13% of the population in the United States.
That said, it's important to know that there are two types of belly fat, and they aren't created equal.
"When we talk about belly fat, what we usually mean is visceral fat, which is the fat that is deposited around the internal organs," explains Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb, MD, a physician triple board-certified in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine and obesity medicine in Boston, who also produces a weekly YouTube series, Weight Medicine with Dr. Meghan. "Visceral fat is especially harmful as it increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and fatty liver disease."
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The other type of belly fat is called subcutaneous fat, which lies outside the abdominal cavity. This is the type of fat that you can pinch.
One thing both types of belly fat have in common is that they can, unfortunately, be difficult to lose.
"Belly fat is easy to accumulate if we are too sedentary, eating calorie-dense nutrient-poor foods or not getting up and moving enough throughout the day," adds Dr. Katrina Mattingly, MD, obesity medicine specialist and chief medical officer of Options Medical Weight Loss. "Poor sleep and uncontrolled stress raise our cortisol levels, which leads to inflammation and the deposition of unhealthy fat in areas throughout the body, including inside and outside of the belly."
The Genius Belly Fat-Busting Trick
Struggling to lose belly fat? The one thing you should be doing to burn it away is resistance training.
Resistance training has been studied to reduce abdominal fat–especially in postmenopausal women.
"It becomes difficult to lose belly fat if we have poor abdominal wall muscle tone or not enough muscle mass to help us keep up our metabolism," says Dr. Mattingly. "Resistance training builds muscle mass. Muscle mass burns a lot of calories during the day as our muscles keep us moving and mobile."
The best news: It can have a snowball effect on losing belly fat.
"Increasing our muscle mass also helps to increase the blood supply to our nerves and muscles, improving our muscle stamina and decreasing fatigue," adds Dr. Mattingly.
Translation: You'll have more energy to get up and move to burn off some of that extra belly fat.
Related: The Clever Belly Fat-Burning Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
Resistance Training Exercises To Lose Belly Fat
To effectively tackle belly fat, aim for resistance training at least two to three times a week.
"This frequency allows your muscles to recover and grow, promoting fat loss," explains Josh York, CPT, a certified personal trainer and founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ.
Add these seven resistance training exercises into your fitness routine to lose belly fat, according to personal trainers.
Lunges
"Lunges are one of the best ways to work your legs and core, while also improving balance," says York.
How to do it: Start by standing tall with your feet together. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Push back to the starting position and switch legs. Aim for three sets of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.
Squats
“Squats are a functional movement that targets core and total lower body,” says Carol Teteak, MS, medical fitness supervisor at Endeavor Health.
How to do it: Begin standing tall with feet on floor about hip-width apart. Keeping head, neck and spine in alignment and feet and heels on ground, simultaneously begin to bend/flex the knees and hips as you would sitting back toward a chair. Pause briefly at the bottom, then return to standing position. Do two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Plank rocks
"Plank rocks work the entire body while building strength and control in the upper body, creating range of motion in the ankles and stretching the calves," says Portia Page, CPT, NCPT, PMA, ACE and AFAA, certified personal trainer and educator at Balanced Body.
How to do it: Come to the floor on all fours with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Straighten one leg, then the other, keeping your back long and straight. Rock forward on your toes, then rock to bring the heels forward and back, while still keeping the spine long and straight. Repeat the rocking back and forth for one minute.
Related: You'll Love the Results! Check Out the Best Workouts for Stubborn Belly Fat
Bent-over rows
"Bent-over rows are amazing for targeting your back, arms and core, helping to build strength and improve posture," says York.
How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees slightly, keeping your back straight. Pull the weights up towards your ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower them back down. Go for three sets of eight to 10 reps.
Push-ups
"Push-ups are another functional pushing movement that targets core, chest, shoulders and arms," says Teteak.
How to do it: Begin in either a full or modified plank position with arms extended, hands on floor slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and fingers spread. Keeping head, neck and spine in alignment, lower your body toward floor in control. Pause briefly at bottom, then push your body away from floor back to starting position. Do two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Bridge to crunch
"A bridge to crunch strengthens the entire core (abdominals and back) while enhancing the posture muscles for sitting and standing," says Page.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, in line with the sit bones (the bottom of your pelvis), arms to the sides with your palms up. Press into both feet and lift the hips up towards the ceiling making a straight line between the shoulders and the knees. This is the bridge.
Next, keep your arms and the back of your head pressing into the floor. Lower your hips down to the floor, then lift your head, chest and shoulders up while bringing both knees about the hips (coming into a crunch). Look between your thighs with your eyes while keeping your chin away from your chest. Lower your head, arms and feet.
Repeat the entire bridge to crunch move for two minutes.
Bicycle crunches
"Bicycle crunches are a fun way to work your abs and obliques, helping to strengthen your core," says York.
How to do it: First, lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your shoulders off the ground and bring one knee toward your chest while extending the other leg out. Twist your torso to bring your opposite elbow toward the bent knee, then switch sides. Aim for three sets of 15 to 20 reps.
Sources
Dr. Meghan Garcia-Webb, MD, triple board-certified physician in internal medicine, lifestyle medicine and obesity medicine
Dr. Katrina Mattingly, MD, obesity medicine specialist and chief medical officer of Options Medical Weight Loss
Carol Teteak, MS, medical fitness supervisor at Endeavor Health
Portia Page, CPT, NCPT, PMA, ACE, AFAA, certified personal trainer and educator at Balanced Body
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