How to Get Rid of Belly Fat?

Belly fat is often seen as merely an aesthetic issue, but in reality, it is the body’s way of signaling that something is not working optimally. In this article, I will explain how belly fat develops, why it tends to persist, and what science actually shows to be effective.

Belly fat is not just a matter of diet or exercise. Abdominal fat often reflects deeper factors related to energy balance and hormonal regulation.

How does belly fat develop?

Adipose tissue is not just a passive energy storage that causes a “puffy” appearance. It is an active organ and a part of the endocrine system. It produces hormones, influences immune function, protects organs, and contributes to temperature regulation. For this reason, fat tissue is not an enemy but one of the systems the body uses to maintain balance.

When the energy we consume exceeds the energy we expend, the body stores this surplus. Muscles and the liver can store only limited amounts of energy, and these stores are designed for short-term, functional use—not long-term energy storage. Therefore, excess energy is directed to subcutaneous fat tissue, which is the safest storage site for the body.

If the energy surplus is short-lived, this mechanism works without problems. However, when a calorie surplus persists over time, fat cells in subcutaneous tissue begin to enlarge. If their storage capacity is exceeded, the body attempts to create new fat cells. These processes are part of the body’s protective strategy—but this strategy also has limits.

Once the safe storage capacity of subcutaneous fat tissue is exceeded, fat begins to accumulate in metabolically risky areas such as the abdominal organs, liver, and muscles. As a result, increased fat both under the skin and inside the abdomen leads to a more prominent belly appearance and creates the groundwork for metabolic problems such as insulin resistance.

Why should belly fat be taken seriously?

The term “metabolic problems” may not sound alarming at first. However, a large-scale study examining the relationship between central fatness and all-cause mortality using the largest dataset to date reports the following key findings:

• Central fat accumulation is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, independent of total body fat.

• Every 10 cm increase in waist circumference is associated with an 11% higher risk of death, and every 0.1 increase in the waist-to-hip ratio is associated with a 20% higher risk.

• In contrast, larger hip and thigh circumferences are associated with a lower risk of mortality (1).

  
  

I am not sharing these findings to provoke fear. I am sharing them to say that even if you have made peace with your belly, it may still be wise to say goodbye to it.

What does the research say?

Spot Reduction:According to a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, activating muscles in a specific region does not lead to a meaningful reduction of fat tissue in that same area. Fat loss occurs through systemic energy balance, not localized muscle activity. Therefore, if the goal is fat loss, aerobic and/or resistance-based exercises involving large muscle groups and increasing total energy expenditure should be prioritized over isolated local exercises (2).

Intermittent Fasting:An umbrella review covering twenty-three meta-analyses shows that intermittent fasting results in a small but statistically significant reduction in waist circumference in overweight individuals. However, this effect appears to be explained primarily by the energy deficit created, rather than by the fasting pattern itself (3).

Exercise and Diet:A recent meta-analysis indicates that combining diet and exercise leads to greater weight loss compared with exercise alone. Reductions in visceral fat, particularly in long-term interventions, seem to occur largely through this overall weight loss (4).

Fitness Gurusu’s Perspective

I know this part is not exciting, but there is no way around it: without a calorie deficit, fat loss does not occur. Belly fat leaves the way it arrived—through movement and energy balance. Calories burned must exceed calories consumed. This process requires time and patience.

If you prefer dieting alone, keep your daily calorie intake at a sustainable level and avoid going below your basal metabolic needs. Very low-calorie diets may seem effective in the short term, but they often lead to muscle loss and nutrient deficiencies in the long run, increasing the likelihood of rapid weight regain.

If you prefer exercise alone, please be realistic. I do not love this either, but spot reduction is not possible, and losing weight through exercise alone is very difficult. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking or running, which engage large muscle groups, are effective for creating a calorie deficit—but burning off a dessert eaten in one minute can easily require an hour of running.

The most effective and sustainable approach is to combine balanced nutrition with regular exercise. This makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, improves overall health, and reduces the likelihood of regaining lost weight.

Finally, the processes that lead to belly fat can contribute to insulin resistance in some individuals. Insulin resistance, in turn, makes belly fat more stubborn - creating a vicious cycle. In cases of suspicion, consulting a healthcare professional is advisable. However, regardless of insulin resistance status, combining diet and exercise remains essential. Exercise, in particular, is one of the most powerful tools for improving insulin sensitivity.

Key takeaways:

• Losing weight through exercise alone is very difficult; combining diet and exercise is the most rational approach.

• Weight loss is possible with diet alone, but consistently dropping below basal metabolic needs creates long-term problems.

• Spot reduction is a myth; hundreds of crunches will not eliminate belly fat.

• Strengthen all trunk muscles in a balanced way—improved posture and trunk stability can reduce the appearance of belly fat.

Being generally lean while carrying fat primarily in the abdominal area—often referred to as “skinny fat”—is a complex topic. To keep this article focused, I intentionally left it out. I would like to discuss it in detail in a separate article.

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1. Jayedi A. Central fatness and risk of all-cause mortality: systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMJ. 2020.

2. Ramirez-Campillo R. A proposed model to test the hypothesis of exercise-induced localized fat reduction (spot reduction): a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2021.

3. Sun M-L. Intermittent fasting and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials. Advances in Nutrition. 2024.

4. Kazeminasab F. Combined exercise training and dietary interventions versus independent effect of exercise on ectopic fat in individuals with overweight and obesity: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2023.