How to lose belly fat..

Resistance training will be one of your best strategies if you’re trying to lose fat. But it’s only a small piece of the puzzle. Read on to find out more.

Hi guys. Have you ever wondered about this? If you have then don’t worry, you’re not alone.

This is a common question that’s asked by thousands of people every day around the world. It’s also a popular click bait title used online to get clicks because it’s a bit contravertial. It’s contravercial because the implication of the question is that it may be somehow possible to spot reduce fat. Other than liposuction (which I don’t recommend), there is no scientific evidence to suggest that you can spot reduce fat from any part of your body by exercising that part. You can build up strength and lean muscle which can help your apprearance and definition but anyone who suggests otherwise is just trying to sell you something or they don’t know what they’re talking about.

Your genes and hormones will control where your body holds fat and there is little you can do to change that. All you can really do is reduce overall fat and once your body stores of fat are exhaused from the easy places, say your arms and legs, then your body will seek out fat stored in more stubborn areas like the lower back and lower abs etc. Only by lowering your total body fat percentage can you eventually start to wittle away the belly fat, but it’s highly unlikely your body will choose to shed fat from there first due to evolutionary survival reasons. So reducing your total body fat should be your focus rather than on trying to lose fat anywhere specifically.

There are hundreds of different approaches out there to achieve this. Everyone has an opinion about it and I don’t think that there is a single approach that is optimal for everyone. Again, anyone who suggests that you have to follow a specific approach either has something to gain by you doing their approach or they’ve genuinely had great result themselves and they think it’ll therefore be perfect for everyone - which isn’t the case.

I recently responded to a question about this in a Facebook group and thought I’d share it with you as I think it may be helpful as a basic, high-level summary of what will help if you’re looking to “reduce belly fat”.

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Hi ………,

As a PT I know that there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach with this stuff. There are so many factors that require some tailoring and trial to see what works best for you. I agree with the principal of being in a negative energy balance or calorie deficit. You can't out-think that one. It just is. Like gravity. Eat more than you burn and you'll gain. Eat less than you burn and you'll lose. I recommend using a calorie calculator like tdee.net and an app to track your daily consumption like myfitnesspal. This will take the guess work out of it and give you total transparency and control. It will teach you how much energy is in which kinds of foods and help you make better choices.

Most people have no idea how many calories are in the foods they eat and so they're eating too much to stay in a deficit. You can still gain weight eating "healthy" food if you have too much. After a couple of weeks you'll learn heaps and might feel you no longer need to keep using the app or you might find the accountability crucial to your success and continue using it. It's not for everyone but it makes you more aware of what you're eating and how much you're eating and helps you make better choices. Here are some other key prinicples:

• Exercise helps. I can help you there if you like but just try to have a balance of resistance training and cardio in your week.

• Don't go too aggressive in your enthusiasm. Slow, steady and sustainable habits will always beat aggressive, unsustainable strategies that lead to roller-coastering.

• Don't waste your money on stupid gadgets or supplements that promise the world. They're just a waste of money with the exception of protein powder, fish oil, vitamin D and a couple of others depending on circumstances.

• Find food and activities you enjoy. Don't over think it. 5 mins of something is better than nothing. Build up your efforts and fat loss habits over time as your body adapts.

• Get support where you need it.

• Listen to your body.

• Focus on whole foods. Water. Sleep. Make protein the centre of all your meals and snacks.

Hope that helps.

Best of luck.

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So what do you guys think? Any thoughts on this you’d like to share? If you have any questions about your specific situation, please get in touch with me at josh@feelinspiredtraining.com.