Episode 17: Exercises to Reduce Belly Fat
There’s no one exercise that will eliminate belly fat. Let’s look at the things that actually work to help you burn fat.
Hey there! I’m personal trainer and health coach Jayd Harrison, and in this episode of The Coaching Corner podcast, I’ll share with you the most effective ways to burn body fat, particularly belly fat.
Despite what many social media fitness influencers say, doing exercises for your abs, obliques, and other core muscles does nothing for burning fat in the belly. It does, however, help you to get a strong core—which is important for doing the kinds of exercises that can help you burn more fat (squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc).
Burning body fat is all about being in a calorie deficit, where you consume less energy through food than your body spends every day.
No matter what kinds of exercises you do, if you don’t manage what you eat, you won’t see results in your fat loss.
Beyond getting into a calorie deficit, some things can help your body burn more visceral fat in the belly, like limiting your sugar intake, eating more protein, and consuming plenty of fiber.
It’s also super important to exercise smart to burn fat, meaning your weekly training routine includes both cardio and strength training. Cardio will help your body to burn more calories and strength training will help to reduce muscle loss while you’re in a calorie deficit (which will help keep your metabolism fast).
Don’t fall for the myth that doing a bunch of crunches and planks will reduce your belly fat. Follow the tips in this episode, and you’ll see some measurable progress!
Links
References:
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Pollock NK, Bundy V, Kanto W, Davis CL, Bernard PJ, Zhu H, Gutin B, Dong Y. Greater fructose consumption is associated with cardiometabolic risk markers and visceral adiposity in adolescents. J Nutr. 2012 Feb;142(2):251-7. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.150219. Epub 2011 Dec 21. Erratum in: J Nutr. 2013 Jan;143(1):123. PMID: 22190023; PMCID: PMC3260058. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22190023
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Leidy HJ, Tang M, Armstrong CL, Martin CB, Campbell WW. The effects of consuming frequent, higher protein meals on appetite and satiety during weight loss in overweight/obese men. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Apr;19(4):818-24. doi: 10.1038/oby.2010.203. Epub 2010 Sep 16. PMID: 20847729; PMCID: PMC4564867. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4564867/
Howarth NC, Saltzman E, Roberts SB. Dietary fiber and weight regulation. Nutr Rev. 2001 May;59(5):129-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2001.tb07001.x. PMID: 11396693. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11396693/
Hairston KG, Vitolins MZ, Norris JM, Anderson AM, Hanley AJ, Wagenknecht LE. Lifestyle factors and 5-year abdominal fat accumulation in a minority cohort: the IRAS Family Study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2012 Feb;20(2):421-7. doi: 10.1038/oby.2011.171. Epub 2011 Jun 16. PMID: 21681224; PMCID: PMC3856431. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856431/
ABOUT JAYD HARRISON
Jayd Harrison (Jaydigains) is a personal trainer and content creator. She helps people to build muscle, burn fat, and clean up their diets with her online coaching programs and social media content. Check out some of Jayd’s coaching videos on Youtube, or join Jayd live on Twitch and follow on social media:
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