Belly fat is characterized by the excess weight around the center of your body. Experts often warn about this kind of abdominal fat, also known as central adiposity, because carrying around this kind of excess weight can be bad for your heart. The fat isn’t just a layer of subcutaneous fat right under the skin; it’s deeper inside your body, surrounding your organs. “There is an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, along with insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure, elevation in cholesterol and triglycerides, increased risk for obstructive sleep apnea and overall inflammation,” says Dr. Michele Arthurs, MD, a family medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente in Camp Springs, Maryland, and part of Kaiser Permanente’s Lifestyle Medicine Program, which helps members to lose weight. Men and post-menopausal women tend to carry more of this kind of visceral fat in their abdomens. Prior to menopause, women secrete estrogen that affects how fat is distributed around their bodies, and as estrogen levels decline, they may notice an increase in this kind of abdominal belly fat. Then there’s excess weight in your lower abdomen around your hips. This kind of fat may not pose the same risk to your heart, but depending on how much you’re carrying around, you might not want to completely dismiss it, either. “If you have excessive fat, it’s not going to be healthy anyway,” says Dr. Marcio Griebeler, MD, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Obesity and Medical Weight Loss Center. “It’s not as dangerous as visceral fat, but it’s still something that you want to work on because there is increased inflammation that is not going to be good for your health.” And while metabolically, that subcutaneous fat in your lower belly may not be as risky as visceral fat, carrying around extra weight can also be hard on your joints, adds Dr. Caroline Apovian, MD, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
How to lose lower belly fat
Long story short: If you’re dealing with excess belly fat, losing it is a good idea. Here are some expert-approved ways to go about it.
Try shedding a few pounds
Before you can get rid of that stubborn lower belly fat, you may need to start by shedding a few pounds overall. That may include changing your approach to eating while also incorporating more exercise into your routine. Dr. Apovian cautions that your body wants to hang onto fat in some areas; it’s genetically engineered to do that. You can lose weight if you reduce your calorie intake, but the weight may come off where your body wants it to come off—not necessarily where you want it to come off. But even so, eating healthy and exercising can help your body be at its best, she says. And watch out for things that can sabotage your best efforts. Think: foods with trans fats, juices and sodas that are full of sugar, and yes, maybe even your favorite cocktails.“Alcohol is pretty much what we call empty calories,” says Dr. Griebeler. When it comes to exercise, a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training should be your goal. Vary your workout up, by choosing activities like running, biking, swimming, or walking, with some weight- or resistance-training sessions interspersed. Dr. Arthurs has a few suggestions to help you out, as you embark upon this part of the journey.
Enlist a personal trainer. Sometimes, having a professional give you direction can really help you get started—and keep up the momentum.Recruit a small group of other people who are also interested in doing the same kind of exercise or working toward a similar goal. “It’s much easier to do this with your team,” she says.Don’t give up. “Changes take time,” she says.
Target the lower belly during workouts
Working on your core muscles can help improve your appearance and make your lower abdomen stronger.“Exercise will be very helpful because it will build muscle in that area, and as you lose weight, you will be more toned,” says Dr. Apovian. A few specific exercises to try:
Abdominal crunches. Crunches aren’t much fun, although that may depend on who you ask, but they do the job to strengthen those lower abdominal muscles. You could try variations on the traditional crunch, like the jackknife crunch. Just watch out for your form and keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. As the American Council on Exercise (ACE) points out, using the proper form can also help you avoid putting excess stress on your lower back.Pilates 100. This exercise entails lying on your back, then raising your head and shoulders off the mat. Then raise your legs in a diagonal off the mat. Next, reach your arms out straight, keeping them on either side of your hips, and rapidly pump them up and down, like you’re trying to pat or push something down next to you.Flutter kick. Work your lower abs into shape with this move. Lie on your back. Then lift one leg slightly off the mat, then the other. Repeat several times in a row without stopping. For a more advanced version, you can wear light weights around your ankles.Plank. There are also lots of different variations of the plank, but you might want to start out with a traditional front plank. Start from a prone position on a mat. Gently, lift your torso and hips off the floor so that you’re propped on your forearms and your feet. Watch out for form mistakes, like letting your back sag and your knees bend, according to ACE.Hold this stiff position for a few beats, then gently lower yourself back down onto your belly. Eventually, you can work your way up to holding the position for a longer period of time.
In case you need more motivation, consider this: this kind of strength training has other benefits, according to Dr. Griebeler.“As we get older, we start losing muscle,” he explains. “So, it’s important to build and maintain muscle.” In fact, research suggests that your muscle mass declines around 3–8% per decade after you turn 30–and the rate of decline will speed up around age 60. That makes you more vulnerable to falls and injuries. You might also consider giving high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, a try. These full-body workouts improve your cardiovascular endurance, but they also can help you build strength. So, you’re getting a lot of benefits from one workout. You’re effectively stressing your body to make it stronger, says Dr. Griebeler. Next up, here are 13 reasons why you aren’t losing weight—plus, expert-backed tips on what to do about it.
Sources
Caroline Apovian, MD, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s HospitalDr. Michele Arthurs, MD, a family medicine doctor at Kaiser Permanente in Camp Springs, Maryland, and part of Kaiser Permanente’s Lifestyle Medicine Program, which helps members to lose weight.Marcio Griebeler, MD, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Obesity and Medical Weight Loss Center.American Council on Exercise. Crunch.American Council on Exercise. Front plank.MasterClass. Flutter Kick Guide: How to Do Flutter Kicks With Perfect Form.Mayo Clinic. Belly fat in women: Taking — and keeping — it offPower Pilates. How to do the 100 in Pilates?Volpi E, et al. Muscle tissue changes with aging. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care.
