What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2025)

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (1)

Laura Cartwright, cardiac rehabilitation specialist and exercise physiologist at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, shares the best exercise to lose belly fat along with other helpful weight loss tips.

Studies have shown that people who carry excess belly fatcan face higher risks of heart diseaseand type 2 diabetes. If this applies to you, it’s natural that you’d want to reduce the amount of fatty tissue in this area.

But scientific evidence shows that it’s impossible to reduce fat in one specific area by exercising that body part alone. The body stores fat as triglycerides, which can be used for fuel anywhere in your body, not just in the exercised area.

Doing aerobic exercise while eating a healthy dietis the best way to lose belly fat and overall body fat. This will help to create a calorie deficit (where you use more calories than you consume), which promotes fat loss over time.

Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilatesand yogacan also help you lose belly fat.Seated exercisecan be an effective way to burn calories and increase your aerobic fitness levels if you find walking or standing difficult.

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NHS guidelines suggest aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week. Aim to exercise at a level where you become a little out of breath but can still speak in full sentences. Take time to warm up before and to cool down after exercise. If you begin to feel more breathless, slow down and rest.

If you are new to exercise, start slowly and build up gradually. You don’t need to exercise at a high intensity to burn calories. Stressand lack of sleep can also affect fat loss,because they can lead to increases in the stress hormone cortisol, affecting appetite.

Stress-relieving and good sleep-promoting activities can include mindfulness, breathing techniques, and gentle exercise like tai chi and yoga.

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2)Meet the expert

Laura Cartwright is a cardiac rehabilitation specialist and exercise physiologist at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, where she delivers exercise assessment and exercise classes alongside an education programme for cardiac patients.

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What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (3)

Published 5 June 2023

More useful information

What's the best exercise to lose fat around your belly? (2025)

FAQs

What exercise burns the most belly fat? ›

Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.

What is the number 1 best way to lose belly fat? ›

Exercise can help reduce your waist circumference. Even if you don't lose weight, you lose visceral belly fat and gain muscle mass. Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days, such as brisk walking or bicycling at a casual pace. Also create opportunities to add motion to routine tasks.

What is the number 1 exercise to lose fat? ›

Some great choices for burning calories include walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, weight training, interval training, yoga, and Pilates. Many other exercises can also help boost your weight loss efforts. It's most important to choose an exercise that you enjoy doing.

What can I drink to get rid of belly fat? ›

Still, to help reduce excess belly fat, moderate your intake and enjoy other beverages with lower sugar content, such as water, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling water with a wedge of lemon or lime. Fruit juice often contains as much sugar as soda and may contribute to weight gain if consumed in high amounts.

How can I reduce my tummy in 7 days? ›

Additionally, check out these tips for how to burn belly fat in less than a week.
  1. Include aerobic exercises in your daily routine. ...
  2. Reduce refined carbs. ...
  3. Add fatty fish to your diet. ...
  4. Start the day with a high protein breakfast. ...
  5. Drink enough water. ...
  6. Reduce your salt intake. ...
  7. Consume soluble fiber.
Jun 3, 2019

What are the 5 foods that burn belly fat? ›

Studies indicate that a diet rich in high-protein foods, such as eggs, fish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat, and dairy results in overall less abdominal fat, more satiety, and an increased metabolic function.

What burns belly fat quicker? ›

Try high intensity interval training

For instance, HIIT might involve a cycle of walking for 3 minutes and then running for 30 seconds. Research suggests that HIIT is as effective as other methods of losing weight, but it may have quicker effects due to requiring shorter training sessions.

What burns a lot of belly fat? ›

High-intensity interval training (HIIT): It is probably one of the fastest and most efficient ways to lose stomach fat and reduce the overall body fat percentage. HIIT is a high-intensity short period of exercise that usually doesn't exceed 30 minutes, with short breaks of recovery periods of 30-60 seconds.

How can I slim my stomach in a week? ›

Diet strategies for losing belly fat
  1. Reduce calories (but not too much) ...
  2. Limit your sugar intake. ...
  3. Limit your intake of refined carbs.
  4. Eat more fiber, especially soluble fiber. ...
  5. Increase your consumption of probiotics. ...
  6. Eat more protein. ...
  7. Add eggs to your diet. ...
  8. Eat fatty fish each week or take fish oil.

How can I slim my stomach in 2 weeks? ›

BEAT BELLY FAT
  1. Eat more fiber. Foods that are high in refined carbs and sugar don't actually tame your hunger, so you end up reaching for more. ...
  2. Walk every day. If you don't have an established exercise routine, “walking is a pretty good entry point for people,” says Gagliardi. ...
  3. Begin strength training.
Oct 24, 2023

Does walking reduce belly fat? ›

Studies show walking is one of the best ways to shed belly fat, in less time than you think. Researchers reviewed 40 years of studies on exercise and belly fat and found that just 2 1/2 hours of brisk walking a week--about 20 minutes a day--can shrink your belly by about 1 inch in 4 weeks.

What is the #1 exercise to lose belly fat for good? ›

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, such as sprinting or cycling at maximum effort for short bursts with rest periods, are highly effective for burning calories and fat. Running, jogging, swimming, and cycling at a moderate to vigorous intensity also promote fat loss.

What workout equipment burns the most belly fat? ›

The following are among the most popular and effective gym machines that target belly fat:
  • Treadmill.
  • Elliptical.
  • Stairmaster.
  • Stationary bike.
  • Rowing machine.
Nov 10, 2020

How to reduce belly fat in 7 days? ›

Exercises to lose belly fat
  1. Running. Running is an aerobic activity that is very efficient for weight loss and belly fat burning. ...
  2. Aerobic classes. ...
  3. Jumping rope. ...
  4. Cycling. ...
  5. Speed walking. ...
  6. Swimming.
Aug 14, 2024

How to lose belly fat in 2 weeks? ›

BEAT BELLY FAT
  1. Eat more fiber. Foods that are high in refined carbs and sugar don't actually tame your hunger, so you end up reaching for more. ...
  2. Walk every day. If you don't have an established exercise routine, “walking is a pretty good entry point for people,” says Gagliardi. ...
  3. Begin strength training.
Oct 24, 2023

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