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Can You Get Rid of Stomach Fat?

May 26, 2011 | By Sadie Bell
Can You Get Rid of Stomach Fat?
Photo Credit Siri Stafford/Lifesize/Getty Images

Stomach fat is troublesome, to be certain. Fat around your midsection may be hard to get rid of and requires diligence to burn off. Even so, it is completely possible to get rid of your stomach fat in a timely manner. You just have to be willing to make significant lifestyle changes and maintain those changes once the weight does come off.

Stomach Fat Causes

Stomach fat is caused by a variety of factors, including genetics. If one of your immediate relatives has belly fat, it's likely that you do or will as well. As you get older, your metabolism slows down, making it more difficult to get rid of your excess weight. That means what used to work in keeping off the fat might not work anymore. Hormones may also cause increased stomach fat, especially for women during and after menopause.

Calorie Tracking

Tracking your calories is one way to get rid of stomach fat. How many calories you consume can make it easier or more difficult to lose weight. By tracking how many calories you eat every day, you can make a more focused effort at eliminating unhealthy sources of calories -- such as soda, alcohol and refined flour -- and supplementing with healthier choices such as fruits and vegetables. Calculate how many calories you need to stay at the same weight and how many you need to start losing weight.

Cardiovascular Fitness

Another aspect to getting rid of stomach fat is the effort you put into exercise. Cardiovascular or aerobic activity is required to burn enough calories to experience weight loss. You can't lose stomach fat without burning fat from all of your body. So, participate in moderate aerobic activities at least five days a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time to burn enough calories to lose weight. Commonly recommended activities include power walking, jogging, running, swimming, aerobics classes, dancing and kickboxing.

Weight Training

Weight training won't burn fat from your stomach specifically, but the act of building muscle boosts your metabolism. This translates into increased calorie-burning power even when at rest. Lift weights or perform resistance-training exercises to see an increase in weight loss. Example exercises include biceps curls, deadlifts, triceps dips, squats, lunges, situps, pushups and dumbbell flies.

References

Article reviewed by Leah Ann Crussell Last updated on: May 26, 2011

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