Proven Ways to Lose Lower Belly Fat Based on Science
Losing lower belly fat is possible with the proper diet and the right kind of exercise. Getting rid of lower belly fat is important because fat around your belly is associated with a number of health issues. Certain foods that are high in protein and fiber are good for burning belly fat. Also, restricting carbs, cutting out sugar, and avoiding alcohol will all help to get rid of belly fat.
To help lose lower belly fat even quicker, you should also incorporate good fat-burning workouts. Exercises to reduce belly fat will also help improve your cardio health and increase your stamina.
In this article, you will find out how to lose lower belly fat for men and women. With patience and determination, you will quickly find that these fat-burning foods and exercises will help you get a flatter stomach.
What Is Belly Fat and Why Is It Dangerous?
Having a large lower belly can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Although some amount of fat is necessary for a healthy body, too much lower abdominal fat certainly isn’t a good idea.
For example, the American Heart Association say that your body needs healthy fats for energy, to produce hormones, and support cell growth. In fact, a healthy diet should contain healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil. (1)
The Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports that too much subcutaneous fat (the type just under your skin) or visceral fat (the type around your organs) can negatively impact your heart. (2)
Studies show that the increase in abdominal fat in men and women raises the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Researchers report that simple lifestyle changes such as more physical exercise and healthier nutrition are sometimes all that is needed to burn fat around the stomach. (3)
Research has shown that having too much lower abdominal fat is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases for both men and women. (4)
Proven Ways to Lose Lower Belly Fat (Science Based)
Losing weight from your lower abdomen involves shedding pounds from your body in general. It is difficult to target just one area of your body for weight loss, so a program of general exercise and sticking to a healthy diet is one of the best ways to lose lower belly fat.
By lowering total body fat you will do an important step in helping to improve your health and lower your risk of chronic disease.
Here are some of the best ways to lose lower belly fat for men and women:
Consume Protein to Lose Lower Belly Fat
Protein is an important macronutrient if you want to lose weight around your middle. Protein contains amino acids which are necessary for good metabolism and increasing feelings of satiety. There is scientific evidence suggesting that protein consumption is effective against belly fat.
The journal Obesity reports that consuming higher protein meals can help adults lose weight. One study involving obese men found that high-protein meals increased feelings of fullness. Eating more protein-rich foods is a good way for men to lose weight when on a calorie-restricted diet. (5)
Another study found that increasing protein intake to 30% of your daily energy needs can help to lower your calorie intake by 440 calories. (6)
Researchers also noted that consuming more protein affects levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin. These two important hormones control our appetite and hunger signals. The results were that people who consumed more protein felt fuller and they also lost body fat. (6)
Reducing the number of carbs and increasing protein intake can also boost your metabolism making it an effective way to lose weight and belly fat. (7)
There is also evidence to suggest that continuing to consume a high-protein diet can also help prevent lower abdominal belly fat from returning. (8)
One medical study showed that people who ate more quality protein had much less belly fat (including lower belly fat). (34)
If you are a vegetarian, learn how to increase your protein intake without having to resort to meat that can contain unhealthy fats. In some cases, consuming whey protein can help you meet your daily protein needs.
Lose Belly Fat by Restricting Calorie Intake
Consuming fewer calories daily is also an important step in getting rid of lower belly fat and keeping it off.
Dietitians agree that restricting calorie intake helps not only to lose belly fat but also reduce the complications of obesity.
One randomized controlled trial on obese menopausal women found that restricting calories helped to decrease total body fat. Scientists noted that a calorie-controlled diet along with exercising was the most effective way of reducing your waistline. (9)
Some studies indicate that it is important to restrict calorie intake from the correct energy sources. For example, a small clinical trial involving 19 obese adults found that restricting calories intake from fats was more effective than reducing calories from carbohydrates. (10)
You can try these simple tweaks to help you save on calories.
Intermittent Fasting to Help Get Rid of Belly Fat
One way to reduce the size of your waistline and get rid of your lower belly is to try intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting is sometimes called the 5:2 diet. This involves severely restricting calories intake for 2 days and eating normally for the other 5 days in a week.
The Nutrition Journal published the results of the effects of intermittent fasting on obese women. The researchers provided women with a calorie-restricted diet for 6 days in the week (1,000 calories per day) and fasting on one day (120 calories). At the end of 8 weeks, researchers noted that visceral fat was reduced as well as total body fat mass. (11)
Other studies have found similar results on other intermittent fasting diets. Intermittent fasting is just as effective as continuous energy restriction for losing weight and belly fat. (12)
Learn more about the many benefits of intermittent fasting and how this type of diet can help you get rid of lower belly fat in my article “Intermittent Fasting 5:2 – Principles, Science and How To“.
Eat More Fiber to Lose Weight
If you really want to drop a few inches off your waistline, fiber is one of the foods that helps to burn belly fat.
Fiber is necessary for a well-balanced healthy diet because it keeps your digestive system working and helps prevent overeating.
Researchers say that it’s necessary for most people to increase their fiber intake. The journal Nutrition Reviews reports that the recommended daily intake of fiber is 30 grams, and the average person only consumes half of that amount. (13)
Scientists report that increasing fiber intake by 14 grams a day can lower energy intake by 10% which can result in a loss of 2 kg of body weight over a 12-week period. Consuming more fiber can help tackle problems of obesity. (13)
A review of 12 randomized clinical trials involving over 600 people found that taking more soluble fiber helps to reduce body fat, body weight, and improve your body mass index (BMI) readings. (14)
Other studies point to the fact that fiber actually targets lower belly fat. One study found that soluble fiber especially helps to lower abdominal fat (belly fat). Some studies claim that the best way to burn lower belly fat is to consume more fiber along with physical activity. (15)
The best way to get more fiber is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Legumes, whole oats and whole grains are also good sources of fiber. You could also try to consume psyllium husk to increase your fiber intake and help you lose weight.
Eat Fewer Carbs to Lose Lower Belly Fat
For some people, one of the best ways to lose belly fat is to go on a low-carbohydrate diet.
Although complex carbohydrates in the form of fiber, beans, whole grains, and vegetables are important sources of nutrients, a carb-restrictive diet can help lose lower belly fat quickly.
A number of scientific studies concluded that cutting carbs is effective at getting rid of the fat in the belly area, around the internal organs and in the liver.
One study found that restricting your carb intake to less than 40 grams per day helped both diabetics and non-diabetics lose weight. (16)
A randomized controlled trial involving overweight women found that restricting calories from a low-carb diet was more effective for losing body fat than a low-fat diet. Over a 6-month period, restricting carb intake was associated with body weight loss without any cardiovascular side effects. (17)
Other studies have found that consuming more protein and restricting carbohydrates increases feelings of satiety and boosts weight loss. (18)
The low-carb diet may not be for everyone, but there is clear evidence that cutting carbs can help lose weight and improve your overall health.
Even if you don’t want to cut out all carbs (which may cause you nutrient deficiencies), you should switch from simple carbs (sugar, pastries, and white bread) to complex carbs (whole grain products). Studies show that consuming simple carbs leads to obesity and the accumulation of lower belly fat. (19)
There is a lot more you can learn about the many health benefits of a carb-restricted diet.
Green Tea Can Help Lose Belly Fat
Drinking green tea can be one way to help lose weight around your stomach and also boost your immune system.
Green tea contains antioxidants called catechins. One clinical trial from Japan found that consuming green tea rich in catechins helped men and women to lose more body fat than tea with lower catechin levels. Other cardiovascular improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol were also noted. (20)
A review of 11 randomized controlled trials found that catechins from green tea help lose weight and maintain weight loss. (21)
Another study found that consuming Matcha green tea helped to burn more fat when consumed before physical exercise. (22)
Learn more about the many health benefits of consuming green tea, including how it can help you burn belly fat.
Drinking Water can Help Lose Weight Quicker
If you really need to reduce lower abdomen fat and lose weight, then increasing your hydration levels is absolutely necessary. Water is a belly fat burner because it increases the speed that fats break down.
There are many negative side effects of not drinking enough water, and an increase in body weight is just one of them.
The journal Frontiers in Nutrition reported that drinking more water and fluids can help to get rid of belly fat. Researchers have found that increased water intake causes increased lipolysis – a process where fat is broken down during fasting or exercise. (23)
Some clinical trials have found that drinking a glass of water before your meal can boost your weight-loss efforts. Taking a 500 ml of water before each meal helped elderly people to lose more weight than just a restricted-calorie diet. (24)
Learn how to make delicious flat tummy water if you want to get rid of your belly and increase the nutritional value of water.
Get Enough Sleep if You Want to Lose Lower Belly Fat
If you are really serious about losing fat from your lower belly, then it is essential that you get enough sleep.
Even though you could be eating foods that burn belly fat or doing intense physical exercises to lose belly fat, your effort will be in vain if you don’t get enough sleep.
One small trial involving 10 overweight adults found that increasing the hours of sleep from 5.5 hours to 8.5 hours had a marked difference on fat loss. The researchers concluded that not getting enough sleep can cause weight-loss programs to be less effective. (25)
Other studies support the fact that getting enough sleep can prevent the accumulation of body fat, including fat around your waist. (26)
Learn more about the many health consequences of not getting enough sleep every night.
Workouts to Help Lose Belly Fat
Keeping physically active is essential in helping to lower stomach fat and keeping your cardiovascular system healthy.
For example, a review of many randomized controlled trials found that exercise together with restricting your calorie intake is one of the best ways of losing lower belly fat. Studies consistently show that exercise training helps reduce visceral belly fat and improve cardio health. (27)
The best workout for losing weight is a combination of cardio workout (aerobics) and resistance workout (such as weights, bands, and your own body weight). Cardio is any movement that gets your heart rate up and increases blood circulation. The benefits of resistance workout include improved muscle strength and tone, healthy weight, increased bone density and strength. As you gain muscle, your body burns more calories when at rest.
Here are some types of workouts to help reduce belly fat:
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Belly Fat Loss
One of the best types of exercises to lose lower abdominal fat is high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
HIIT involves brief, intense bouts of physical activity followed by active rest or low-intensity exercise. For example, this could be a 60-second sprint followed by 2 minutes of walking. This is then repeated between 5 and 10 times to complete the HIIT sprinting fat-burning workout.
The Journal of Obesity reports that HIIT (or sometimes “high-intensity intermittent exercise”, HIIE) may help to reduce lower belly fat. Most researchers agree that HIIT is an excellent way to improve aerobic health. Some recent studies highlight the fact that HIIT may actually target belly fat and help to burn belly fat quicker. (28)
Learn about the many different types of HIIT exercises that you can use to lose weight fast.
Aerobic Training is Effective at Reducing Lower Belly Fat
If you want to lose body fat, including getting rid of fat around your abdomen, then aerobic training could be a good option.
The Journal of Applied Physiology reported that aerobic exercising is a good type of exercise to burn body fat and reduce body mass. The study also recommends middle-aged men and women to include resistance training to reduce obesity and build lean muscle mass. (29)
Examples of aerobic training include brisk walking, jogging, jumping rope, riding bicycles, and swimming.
Walking is one of the easiest ways of losing weight. Read my article “How Much Walking You Need to Lose Weight”
What to Avoid if You Want to Lose Belly Fat
When trying to eat the best foods to burn belly fat, it is important to avoid certain foods and lifestyle choices that may pile on the pounds.
Restrict Processed Sugar to Lose Lower Belly Fat
One of the most important foods to avoid if you really want to get rid of abdominal fat is processed sugar.
Many studies point to the fact that replacing processed sugar with healthy alternatives can help to lower body weight. Cutting out sugar from your diet can also help with long-term weight loss. (30)
Did you know that there is a natural sweetener you can use that is 300 times sweeter than sugar without the calories?
Avoid Alcohol if You Want to Get a Slimmer Belly
Cut down on the number of alcoholic drinks you consume to help burn lower belly fat faster.
Researchers say that alcohol is high in calories and can increase body fat in a number of ways. Although moderate amounts of alcohol consumed occasionally may have some health benefits, calories from alcohol could have a greater impact on overweight and obese people. (31)
Find out how long alcohol stays in your system and how to avoid habits that can damage your liver.
Don’t Skip Meals to Lose Weight
Skipping meals is not a way to reduce the number of calories you consume if you want to lose belly fat fast.
Skipping meals should not be confused with intermittent fasting. Following a 5:2 diet or other intermittent fasting regime includes low-calorie, healthy snacks throughout the day to help stabilize your metabolism.
Studies have shown that meal skipping causes people to eat more on other occasions. This actually has the effect of increasing abdominal fat and is not viewed by dietitians as a safe way of losing weight. (32)
Find out some fascinating facts about what really happens to your body when you skip meals.
Avoid Stress if You Want to Lose Lower Belly Fat
If you are eating properly to burn fat and exercise to reduce your waistline, it is extremely important to avoid stress.
Medical studies have shown that stress can increase lower belly fat because of certain hormonal changes in your body. The increase of cortisol under chronic stress causes more fat to be distributed around your midriff. (33)
Learn about some natural remedies for stress that may just help improve your effort to burn lower belly fat quickly.
Find more information on how to lose your belly without counting calories or starving yourself in my e-book “Blast Your Belly Fat” – this is the ultimate guide for losing belly fat.
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