How to Lose Belly Fat Fast!
Losing weight is easy…
Eat as little as possible and do lots and lots of cardio for a month or two, you will lose weight fast…
But weight loss does not equal fat loss and your results will be disappointing, even if you do manage to suffer through that.
The biggest change you may notice is but a drop in the number on the scale. And your metabolism too 🙁
Yes, you may not look as big sized as before but you will look more skinny fat. And surely that’s not the goal.
As it happens, the all too common “starvation diet” and “jog everyday” method of losing weight not only burns fat but your muscles too.
This gives you the skinny fat look and reduces your metabolism.
And this is why most people tend to gain back the weight they lost and perhaps even put on more.
Which is also why your goal should not be “losing weight” but to lose fat and gain muscle!
And in this article, you’ll learn how to lose that belly fat fast and get toned.
Since you’re reading this article, surely you have been around Google and seen a lot of such belly fat tips.
It does sadden us to say this, but there are quite a lot of misguided, biased, and/or downright bullshit tips out there.
But at KD Trainer, we are all about evidence and science-based training and nutrition!
So, here’s a quick myth-buster for you!
- You CANNOT directly “target” belly fat!
- Fat loss happens throughout the entire body. So no amount of crunches, sit-ups, planks or whatever ab exercise can ever directly burn just belly fat.
- There are no specific diets, foods, or supplements that are especially beneficial or harmful for fat loss.
- Fruits, veggies, healthy fats don’t help get rid of belly fat. Neither does rice or a high carb diet induce accumulation of belly fat. And NO, fat burners don’t work if you don’t put in the work yourself.
- Eating late at night doesn’t turn food into fat for no reason.
- Calories are the same regardless of what time you consume them. At the end of the day, fat gain and fat loss boils down to energy balance(calorie intake) from a day to day basis.
Those are the 3 biggest fat loss misconceptions here in Malaysia. As personal trainers in Penang, we have heard these myths countless times!
Fortunately, losing belly fat is much simpler than what many unscrupulous individuals would have you believe.
In reality there are only 2 things you need to know to lose belly fat!
- Reduce overall body fat percentage
That’s all there is to getting rid of belly fat.
Drop your body fat percentage to below 15% (men) or 20%(women) and most of your belly fat will be gone. And every bit of body fat reduction from here will give you more visible abs.
- You can use certain nutritional and exercise strategies to help you burn fat faster.
From the first point, losing belly fat is no different from losing body fat, and to do that you need to be in a calorie deficit, a.k.a, eating less calories than what your body burns.
In this article, we will guide you through these strategies.
By way of example, here are some results of our personal training clients:
Kewell runs a very successful business and disproves excuses like “I don’t have time”
Anna was a student who has transformed her life completely and we are so proud to be part of her journey!
Dr Hafiz is a medical doctor who practices what he preaches
Now let’s talk about how they achieved it and how you can too!
The 5 Proven Ways To Lose Fat Faster!
1. A Moderately Aggressive Calorie Deficit
When dieting for fat loss, it is better to employ a strategy to lose fat quickly rather than slowly.
Given that hunger will surely be present when you’re in a calorie deficit (to a greater or lesser degree depending on how big the deficit is, but hunger can be mediated with some nutritional strategies).
Hence, why not just diet a little harder so that fat loss happens faster.
Eat enough protein, lift weights and keep cardio to a minimum, you can safely and easily maintain 20% to 25% calorie deficit to maximize fat loss while minimizing muscle loss. (1)
We have experienced these results on hundreds of our clients and with our own bodies too.
So, don’t be afraid of a moderately aggressive calorie deficit. Check this out if you don’t know how to start.
2. Lift Heavy A** Weights
By lifting weights, not only do you burn lots of calories, you will build muscles. Thus, preventing your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight. (2)
Secondly, it raises your basal metabolic rate for several days after heavy resistance training a.k.a lifting heavy weights. Research shows that this type of training can result in a few hundred more calories burned than workouts performed with lighter weights. (3)
Besides, most people find heavy weight training to be more challenging but also more enjoyable than high repetition, cardio-like, “feel the burn” workouts.
A good guideline for this would be at least 3 times per week of 60 to 90 minutes of intense weight training.
3. Eat More Protein And Fiber
When it comes to improving body composition, also known as “getting toned”, protein is definitely the single most important nutrient.
Almost every single study done on dieting and macronutrient ratio has shown protein to directly correlate with better body composition. (4,5)
Here are the reasons why:
- Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. High protein diet also suppresses appetite (making you less likely to overeat throughout the day).
- Protein has the highest thermic effect of food, meaning it takes a lot of energy to be digested.
- Recover faster from your workouts and build more muscles, which leads to a higher basal metabolism.
This is backed by multiple research and studies showing when protein and calorie intake are equated, all diets are similarly effective for weight loss. (6)
In essence, a high protein diet beats a low protein diet in every possible way when it comes to losing fat, fast!
Adequate fiber intake is also equally important for maintaining a calorie restricted diet.
Essentially, fiber slows down the passage of food in your digestive tract and fills up your tummy with it’s low calorie, high volume content.
In other words, you will stay full for a longer time and this helps you eat less of other foods.
4. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT is a type of exercise routine where you alternate between bouts of all out, max-effort intensity exercise and low-intensity recovery.
HIIT has been shown to be more time-effective for burning calories than Low-Intensity Steady State(LISS) cardio exercises like jogging and cycling.
A study done on HIIT shows that 3 to 4 rounds of 30 second max-effort sprints with 4 minute rest periods burning more calories than 60 minutes of incline treadmill walk.(7)
That is indeed very economical, given that 16 to 25 minute HIIT training resulted in more fat loss than 60 minutes of slow, boring cardio.
5. Have A Workout Partner/ Community
We’ve all seen or experienced it: Finding the motivation to wake up for 6 a.m. run with a friend; finishing the last round of exercise when you see those around you pushing through; sharing recipes for healthy food, and the list goes on.
One study found that 95 percent of those who started a weight-loss program with friends completed the program, compared to a 76 percent completion rate for those who did the program alone. The friend group was also 42 percent more likely to maintain their weight loss. (8)
It is no secret that you get more motivated to workout with a partner or a group than by yourself.
Community brings out the best in people. If you are going to run 100m, you will likely run faster if you’re racing someone.
So, get yourself a workout/fitness buddy or buddies.
Looking for a community fitness program? Check this out!
The Bottom Line
Many people think that losing belly fast is near impossible.
And they end up resorting to all kinds of weird diets, supplements, routines and “flat belly tricks”.
Of which the outcome is well known – it didn’t work, not in the long term anyway.
It doesn’t have to end up this way. Not for anyone. Ever.
If you take the simple actions stated above, you too can get that powerful, toned flat belly that you’ve always wanted.
References
- Huovinen HT, Hulmi JJ, Isolehto J, et al. Body composition and power performance improved after weight reduction in male athletes without hampering hormonal balance. J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(1):29-36. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000619
- Hunter GR, Fisher G, Neumeier WH, Carter SJ, Plaisance EP. Exercise Training and Energy Expenditure following Weight Loss. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47(9):1950-1957. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000622
- Farinatti PT, Castinheiras Neto AG. The effect of between-set rest intervals on the oxygen uptake during and after resistance exercise sessions performed with large- and small-muscle mass. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(11):3181-3190. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e318212e415
- Halton TL, Hu FB. The effects of high protein diets on thermogenesis, satiety and weight loss: a critical review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004;23(5):373-385. doi:10.1080/07315724.2004.10719381
- Evans EM, Mojtahedi MC, Thorpe MP, Valentine RJ, Kris-Etherton PM, Layman DK. Effects of protein intake and gender on body composition changes: a randomized clinical weight loss trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2012;9(1):55. Published 2012 Jun 12. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-9-55
- Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(9):859-873. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0804748
- Macpherson RE, Hazell TJ, Olver TD, Paterson DH, Lemon PW. Run sprint interval training improves aerobic performance but not maximal cardiac output. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(1):115-122. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181e5eacd
- Wing RR, Jeffery RW. Benefits of recruiting participants with friends and increasing social support for weight loss and maintenance. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1999;67(1):132-138. doi:10.1037//0022-006x.67.1.132
