If everything you've tried hasn't helped you reach your lean-belly goals, we've asked four dietitians to share the most effective ways to reduce belly fat. While exercise can help burn calories and build lean muscle, you'll get the most results if you take a hard look at your diet.
Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and Arivale Coach Ginger Hultin, MS, CSO, and Vermont-based registered dietitian nutritionist Maddie Kinzly MS, LD, told POPSUGAR that while you can't choose where on your body you gain (sorry boobs!) or lose fat, some people are more predisposed to holding weight in their bellies. "Much of this is driven by genetics, so you can look to your parents and other relatives to better understand the body shape that you naturally have and where you may deposit fat stores," Hultin explained.
Although you can't specifically tell your tummy to slim down on command, Kinzly said you can see reductions in your belly fat and other areas of your body when you lose weight overall. Here are the most effective eating tips to reduce belly fat.
If your fitness goals include a flatter belly and stronger core, you're going to need a solid plan, expert guidance, and a little outside motivation. Our 30 Days to a Flat Belly plan has all three! This comprehensive workout plan will give you results you want without a pricey gym membership; you can do these workouts anywhere — and they're all 30 minutes or less.
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Do: Control Calories
Follow a diet with appropriate calories for your needs, because eating too much can lead to greater fat deposits, including around the belly, Hultin explained. "Caloric needs are based on numerous factors, but the most important ones for a healthy individual include gender, age, weight, height, and activity level," added Stephanie Ferrari, a registered dietitian with Fresh Communications.
Everyone is different, so in order to find out how many calories you need, meet with a registered dietitian who can assess your lifestyle and health history to make recommendations.
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Everyone is different, so in order to find out how many calories you need, meet with a registered dietitian who can assess your lifestyle and health history to make recommendations.
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Don't: Drink Alcohol
Both Hultin and Kinzly agree that drinking alcohol won't help you reduce belly fat. "We say that alcohol is empty calories for a reason; with 80 to 150 calories per drink, these can add up quickly," Kinzly said. "Excessive alcohol will cause the liver to stop metabolizing fat and carbohydrates in order to get the alcohol metabolized first." This leads to the storage of more fat in your body (and your belly), so limit the wine, beer, and cocktails.
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Do: Eat More Plant-Based Meals
Hultin said studies show that vegetarians (and even more so, vegans) routinely have lower body weights. That's because plant-based foods like veggies are high in fiber, and research shows that women who followed a higher-fiber diet were at a reduced likelihood of having an increased waist circumference. Try eating a more plant-based diet, focusing on veggies, whole grains, and plant proteins such as beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
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Don't: Consume Trans Fat
"Trans fats could make you fatter than other foods with the same number of calories," Kinzly said, which is shocking. New research indicates that trans fats increase the amount of fat around the belly. These are man-made fats and our bodies have a very hard time digesting them, so avoid hydrogenated oils found in manufactured baked goods such as cookies and crackers, frosting, some brands of margarine and shortening, and candies.
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Do: Get Enough Protein
Kinzly suggested focusing on lean protein at every single meal to build muscle and satiate hunger.
For protein, you need about 0.8 to 1.8 gram per pound of body weight, depending on how active you are. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 20 to 30 grams per meal of lean protein from sources that are low in saturated fats and processed carbohydrates. "This doesn't necessarily mean eat more meat," Kinzly explained. "There are many plant foods that contain protein, including grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and vegetables."
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For protein, you need about 0.8 to 1.8 gram per pound of body weight, depending on how active you are. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 20 to 30 grams per meal of lean protein from sources that are low in saturated fats and processed carbohydrates. "This doesn't necessarily mean eat more meat," Kinzly explained. "There are many plant foods that contain protein, including grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and vegetables."
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Do: Focus on Whole Foods
Eat foods in the form most closely found in nature. Kinzly said they're "loaded with healthy vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep you full." Your plate should include whole foods, such as complex carbs like fruit, sweet potatoes, and whole grains, a variety of veggies, nuts and seeds, lean protein, and eggs, and limit the packaged foods with tons of ingredients, additives, and dyes.
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Don't: Eat Sugar and Processed Junk
Aside from being high in carbs, these foods also tend to be high in calories. That's not the only problem, though: Eating them doesn't offer your body any nutrition, so you end up feeling hungry, which makes you eat more. Eating sugary foods also increases your cravings for them, another contributor to overeating.
It's OK to enjoy sugary treats and processed carbs every once in a while, but if you cut down on these types of food, you'll definitely notice a difference in how you feel and how your belly looks.
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Do: Try Intermittent Fasting
Ferrari and Luiza Petre, MD, a weight-loss specialist and board-certified cardiologist, told POPSUGAR that intermittent fasting raises growth hormone levels and lowers insulin levels, both of which help burn more fat. "Insulin decreases when you fast, and lower levels of insulin results in burning more fat," Ferrari added.
Eating in a shortened window not only reduces hunger (it's true!), but since you're not eating for long periods of time, there are fewer opportunities to consume calories, which is why IF helps people eat fewer calories effortlessly.
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Do: Add Exercise
If you do like cardio, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are the most effective type of cardio proven to target belly fat. It not only works, but it saves you time at the gym.
Strenuous workouts aren't essential for losing body fat since diet plays such a huge role. But moving throughout the day and getting in at least 10,000 steps can absolutely help you burn extra calories and lose weight.
