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Fastest Way To Lose Belly Fat: 5 Simple Tips In 2024

Mitchelle Morgan

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Kimberly Langdon, MD

fastest way to lose belly fat
Consistent physical activity plays a significant role in regulating energy metabolism. Photo: Nghi Tran

Central obesity, also known as belly fat, is where the abdomen protrudes excessively. Belly fat is either visceral or subcutaneous fat. The latter isn’t of much concern to overall health because it’s the type of body fat just under your skin.

However, visceral fat lies deep within the abdomen, surrounding the internal organs.

Abdominal obesity tends to increase with weight gain. Scientific evidence reveals that having excess visceral fat within the belly predisposes you to many diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke, and some cancers.

Using CBD oil is believed to induce anti-obesity properties via a study that demonstrated it effectively increases weight loss in obese mice. Taking pills can also help in accelerating weight loss. Cutting sugar out of your diet is scientifically known to cause less fat storage.

Whichever the pick, the efficacy is increased when combined with rigorous exercise.

Regular exercise is deeply involved in controlling energy metabolism. For example, the body burns its stored fat when we exercise. Aerobic activities such as jogging and running can increase the metabolism of stored fat and thus help you lose weight. If you’re looking for the fastest way to lose belly fat, then we’ve got you covered.

How To Flatten Your Belly

Here are five of the most effective workouts to assist you in your journey to lose belly fat:

  • Aerobics (walking, running, cycling, swimming, rowing)
  • Crunches (oblique crunches, bicycle crunches)
  • Planks
  • Bent-knee sit up
  • Leg lifts

Fastest Ways To Lose Belly Fat

In case you don’t know, abs are made in the kitchen. In other words, losing belly fat starts with a clean healthy diet. Most people think that exercising is enough to lose weight but let us tell you, if your diet is terrible, then it won’t matter how much training you do or what supplements you take.

A study, aptly named SHAPE-2[1] conducted in the Netherlands, looked at the rate of weight loss among dieting menopausal overweight, and obese women with or without exercise. SHAPE-2 concluded that 6–7% of weight loss with diet or exercise plus calorie restriction reduced both subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat.

When it comes to losing belly fat around the midsection (whether subcutaneous or visceral), exercise plays a significant role. Here are 5 of the best workouts to help you lose belly fat.

Aerobics

Aerobics
Aerobics might be the best exercise to burn unhealthy belly fat. Photo: Bojan Milinkov/Shutterstock

According to a study on the efficacy of different exercises on abdominal weight loss, the researchers established that aerobics might be the best exercise to burn unhealthy belly fat.

Using aerobic workouts requires more oxygen to burn fat, which produces more energy in the body. According to CT scans conducted by researchers at the end of the trial, people who exercised for eight months aerobically lost 2.5 square inches of belly fat.

That was about 1.5 times as much as those who only worked out with weights, 20 times as much as people who combined aerobic exercise with weight lifting, and about 2.5 times the amount lost.

Variations of aerobic workouts are an effective way to reduce fat and lose weight around the belly area. One can alternate between low-impact aerobic exercises, such as power-walking or jogging, to high-impact aerobic activities, such as running. 

There are numerous types of aerobic exercises that target abdominal fat along with overall weight loss and management, such as:

Walking

Considered the most basic and simplest form of aerobic exercise, people using this workout can burn about 100 calories in an hour.

Running

Although it seems like a high-impact exercise, running is one of the best workouts to lose belly fat because it targets abdominal muscles and works out the lower abs. It also aids in total body weight management.

Cycling

Whether indoor or outdoor, cycling is an effective tool to prevent obesity and reduce body fat, as proven in a study on Korean students[2]. However, the results indicated that spin cycling (the type that occurs indoors) has more benefits than riding a regular bicycle.

Swimming

Research supports swimming[3] as an effective aerobic exercise performed in water. It reduces the stress in the joints, increases a person’s physical strength, and reduces body fat – including abdominal fat.

Rowing

Scientists tested rowing as a form of aerobic exercise training for overweight seniors in Japan. Seniors worldwide participate in rowing exercises utilizing boats on the lake or indoor ergometers in sports centers.

Because rowing is done while seated, it has a lower impact on the knee joints, making it suitable for senior citizens who are overweight or obese. The results show that those who participated in the 6-month program had greater muscle mass in the trunk.

When possible, include a mix of high and low-impact cardio sessions in a single workout session to achieve the most remarkable results.

Crunches

fastest way to lose belly fat
When it comes to flattening your belly, crunches are among the most effective fat-burning exercises. Photo: Halfpoint/Shutterstock

Typically, to flatten your belly crunches rank at the top of fat-burning exercises. To do a regular crunch, simply lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and cross your arms over your chest or put your hands behind your head (but don’t pull).

Then contract your abs and lift to about 45 degrees. We’ll look at two different derivatives of crunches and how to do them:

Oblique Crunches

To do an oblique crunch:

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Put your hands behind your head.
  3. Lower both knees to the left side.
  4. Lift your shoulder blades while contracting the abdominal muscles as you slowly lift your shoulder blades off of the ground.
  5. Press your lower back into the floor as you relax.
  6. Repeat on the other side.

You can make crunches more effective by lifting your legs while keeping your shins parallel with the floor, synchronizing your breathing, and doing more repetitions.

Bicycle Crunches

To do a bicycle crunch:

  1. Lie down on your back.
  2. Bend your knees to about a 90-degree angle and plant your feet on the floor, hip-width apart.
  3. Place your hands gently behind your head.
  4. Pull your shoulder blades back and slowly raise your knees, lifting your feet from the floor.
  5. Exhale and rotate your trunk, moving your right elbow and left knee toward each other. This should emulate a bicycle pedal motion – simultaneously straighten your right leg.
  6. Rotate your torso so you can touch your elbow to the opposite knee as it comes up.

A Word Of Caution

However, some researchers claim that crunches may potentially increase one’s risk for injury to the lumbar spine because of the nature of repetitive flexion, rises in lumbar intradiscal pressure, and ensuing muscle imbalances.

Counterpoint research[4] argues that crunches are not very practical for targeting the transverse abdominis—that it’s more about the coveted abs! Whatever the case, to achieve the ultimate six-pack, one must keep abdominal fat at bay. A win-win situation if you ask us.

Planks

Planks
Planks are a highly effective exercise for reducing your risk of disease and promoting overall health. Photo: Svitlana Hulko/Shutterstock

Planks are an effective exercise to lower your risk of disease and keep your body healthy. The movement targets the core muscles and flexes the back muscles while using the arms, legs, and shoulders.

A research team in India observed a group of healthy, young people aged 18 – 30 years over 30 days to assess the effect of planks on waist circumference.

They found that 30 days of abdominal exercise is equally effective as 30 days of planks in reducing waist circumference and abdominal skinfold measurements.

You can perform planks using both static and dynamic styles. Static variants maintain a steady form during the entire exercise. Dynamic techniques, on the other hand, involve the movement of other body areas. Such as the plank with elbow taps.

Bent-Knee Sit Up

fastest way to lose belly fat
Bent-knee Sit Up are a core conditioning type of exercise that is easy to perform. Photo: Pressmaster/Shutterstock

This is a core conditioning type of exercise that is easy to perform. It improves muscle mass while working on core strength.

  1. Lie supine on the floor with your knees bent at about 45 degrees and feet flat.
  2. Stack your forearms in front of your chest.
  3. Raise your torso to a sitting position in one fluid movement. Lift the shoulders as far as possible towards the knees.
  4. Slowly lower your torso back to the starting position for one repetition.

Keep your feet, hips, and knees in line with knees bent and feet flat on the floor for the most significant results. Exhale as you rise to the top position and inhale as you return to the start position.

Leg Lifts

Leg Lifts
Leg Lifts also is a good exercise to flatten your belly. Photo: KieferPix/Shutterstock

You can try several types of leg lifts[5]: vertical leg lifts, hanging leg lifts, side leg lifts, or, for a bit of challenge, leg lifts with a ball where you begin while lying flat on your back and placing a ball between your legs. With every movement towards the chest, pick the ball with your hands while keeping it straight. On the subsequent leg lift, place the ball back between your feet.

Alternative Tips To Flatten Belly

CBD Oil

CBD oil is used for various reasons, from helping to treat epilepsy in young children to regulating food intake and thus weight gain. Scientific evidence indicates that CBD can block CB1 receptors[6], thereby producing anti-obesity effects. Using CBD oil may be a good option for those looking for anti-obesity drugs.

Pick A Diet And Stick To It

There are numerous diets for weight loss, specifically those targeting belly fat and claiming to reduce susceptibility to abdominal obesity. There are high-protein, low-carb, paleo, and many others. Some regimens may advise using pills to aid in faster abdominal fat loss. 

Consult a dietitian for specific advice-experts advice on keeping track of your diet to monitor its efficiency.

Reduce Sugar Intake

The biggest culprit is fructose, which slows down your metabolism and makes you store more fat around your middle. Fructose also suppresses a vital hormone called leptin, which tells your body when it’s had enough calories.

Added sugars are extremely unhealthy and should be avoided whenever possible. Cutting added sugar is thus a direct strategy to shed off those extra pounds around your waist.

More Protein, Fewer Carbs

Protein is said to be a macronutrient when it comes to losing belly fat. Lean protein reduces cravings and boosts metabolism. Carb restriction is a very effective way to lose fat. When people cut carbs, their appetite goes down, and they lose weight. 

Low-carb diets also lead to quick reductions in water weight, which gives people near-instant results. It also helps to reduce belly fat.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting the right amount of shut-eye helps. When you get adequate sleep per night, you gain less visceral fat in the long term than those who sleep fewer hours per night. Although sleep may not be the only thing that matters— it sure plays a role in weight loss or gains.

Final Thought

Belly fat is either subcutaneous or visceral. The risk is higher if the fat deposit lies within the belly of the adipose tissue. A good diet plan combined with a regular exercise regimen is all one needs to flatten the tummy.

However, dedication and adherence are key to your success. The above simple tips will help you flatten your belly.


+ 6 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. ‌van Gemert, W.A., Peeters, P.H., May, A.M., Doornbos, A.J.H., Elias, S.G., van der Palen, J., Veldhuis, W., Stapper, M., Schuit, J.A. and Monninkhof, E.M. (2019). Effect of diet with or without exercise on abdominal fat in postmenopausal women – a randomised trial. BMC Public Health, [online] 19(1). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6371569/
  2. ‌Yoon, J.-G., Kim, S.-H. and Rhyu, H.-S. (2017). Effects of 16-week spinning and bicycle exercise on body composition, physical fitness and blood variables of middle school students. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, [online] 13(4), pp.400–404. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5667616/
  3. ‌Lee, B.-A. and Oh, D.-J. (2015). Effect of regular swimming exercise on the physical composition, strength, and blood lipid of middle-aged women. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, [online] 11(5), pp.266–271. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4625655/ [Accessed 14 Oct. 2021].
  4. ‌Schoenfeld, B.J. and Kolber, M.J. (2016). Abdominal Crunches Are/Are Not a Safe and Effective Exercise. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309885300_Abdominal_Crunches_AreAre_Not_a_Safe_and_Effective_Exercise
  5. ‌Vispute, S.S., Smith, J.D., LeCheminant, J.D. and Hurley, K.S. (2011). The Effect of Abdominal Exercise on Abdominal Fat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, [online] 25(9), pp.2559–2564. Available at: https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2011/09000/the_effect_of_abdominal_exercise_on_abdominal_fat.27.aspx
  6. ‌Bielawiec, P., Harasim-Symbor, E. and Chabowski, A. (2020). Phytocannabinoids: Useful Drugs for the Treatment of Obesity? Special Focus on Cannabidiol. Frontiers in Endocrinology, [online] 11. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7064444/
Mitchelle Morgan

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

Mitchelle Morgan is a health and wellness writer with over 10 years of experience. She holds a Master's in Communication. Her mission is to provide readers with information that helps them live a better lifestyle. All her work is backed by scientific evidence to ensure readers get valuable and actionable content.

Medically reviewed by:

Kimberly Langdon

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