The best method of reducing belly fat is regular, moderate-intensity exercise. To lose belly fat quickly, combine aerobic exercise with strength training and a healthy diet. Excess belly fat is associated with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you notice an increase in belly size, it may be due in part to heredity, hormones or aging. Talk to your doctor about how to reduce your belly fat if you are a woman with a waist that measures more than 35 inches, or a man with a waist that measures more than 40 inches.
Step 1
Exercise at a moderate intensity for 30 to 60 minutes at least five days a week; longer exercise sessions may lead to a more rapid belly fat reduction. During moderate-intensity exercise, you should break a sweat but be able to carry on a conversation. Try walking, jogging, swimming, cycling or step aerobics.
Step 2
Incorporate strength training into your routine. Perform eight to 10 strength-training exercises with eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week. Choose a weight or resistance that makes the last repetition of each set a challenge.
Step 3
Eat a healthy diet. Cut down on your intake of saturated fats, found in foods from animals. Replace them with polyunsaturated fats, present in safflower, sesame, soy, corn and sunflower-seed oils, nuts and seeds. Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains, and fewer simple carbohydrates, such as biscuits and white rice. Choose lean proteins, such as skinless chicken, over red meat, such as hamburgers.
Step 4
Reduce the amount of calories you consume each day. Cut your intake by 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb. a week. Combine diet with exercise and you can lose weight, including belly fat, even more quickly. Don't attempt to lose more than 2 lbs. per week.
Step 5
Cut back on your alcohol intake. Drinking alcohol may be associated with increased belly fat. If you do drink, consider switching to wine, which may not have this effect.
Tips and Warnings
- Firm up your abdominal muscles with toning exercises. Try abdominal hollowing. Get on your hands and knees, and allow your belly to hang down while you inhale deeply. Release your breath, and then gently pull your bellybutton inward and upward toward your spine until you notice a slight tightening around your waist. Count to 10, then rest for 10 seconds. Aim for 10 repetitions. Skip sit-ups, which aren't very effective at toning abdominal muscles and won't help you lose belly fat.
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