THERE’S no shortage of advice on losing weight these days.
From fat jabs to miracle supplements, crash diets and social media gurus, there’s always someone or something promising to banish belly fat – and fast.
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But anyone who has tried – and let’s face it, who hasn’t? – knows tummy fat is stubborn, even with the strictest regimes.
It’s perfectly healthy to have some fat, which can fluctuate daily or monthly.
Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor, tells Sun Health: “For men, tummy weight fluctuations are often tied to dietary choices, hydration levels, and transient bloating caused by gas or water retention.
“Overeating salty foods or carbohydrates, for example, can cause water retention.
“For women, hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle significantly affect tummy weight.”
There’s more nuance to waistline changes than you might realise – and science offers the best approach to tackle it.
Experts tell Lucy Gornall what’s been proven to work…
DON’T STARVE
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Reducing calories helps you lose weight – that’s a fact.
But starving yourself can have the opposite effect.
Liam Grimley, PT and founder of 432 Fitness Platform, says: “People workout less and when they do, the workouts are of lesser quality.
“People’s NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) scores go way down when they restrict calories.”
NEAT refers to everyday exercise woven into life, like walking, cleaning or moving.
Science shows prolonged inactivity increases the likelihood of being overweight and accumulating belly fat, according to a 2018 British study published in Obesity.
Liam adds: “Finally, when [calorie] restriction is lifted, people tend to compensate by overeating, and the hungry body is very ready to hoover that stuff up!”
If you’re hungry or too tired to exercise, your diet may be too restrictive or unbalanced.
Liam recommends cutting just 200 calories per day from your maintenance calories – the number needed to maintain your current weight.
Use a website such as www.calculator.net and a calorie-tracking app like MyFitnessPal.
Dr Suzanne reminds us that calories aren’t the sole factor influencing weight.
“Hormonal imbalances, such as high cortisol or insulin resistance, can influence how the body stores fat, as can poor sleep, stress, and inflammation,” she says.
EAT SMART
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Highly processed foods, often high in sugar and fat, are linked to belly fat.
Dr Suzanne says: “Trans fats can promote inflammation and abdominal fat gain; sugary beverages and snacks lead to spikes in blood sugar and insulin, encouraging fat storage.”
Think biscuits, crisps, cakes, pastries, pre-made sauces, meals, and condiments.
Called high-GI foods, they cause blood sugar spikes, leading the pancreas to release insulin to manage glucose uptake into cells.
Dr Suzanne explains: “Frequent spikes can lead to insulin resistance, where cells become less responsive to insulin.”
Insulin resistance promotes fat storage.
IS IT FAT OR BLOATING?
FAT builds up gradually over months or years, while bloating tends to come on quickly and lasts only hours or days.
The NHS advises seeing a GP if bloating persists for three weeks or more, or occurs regularly (more than 12 times a month).
Common causes include food choices, coeliac disease, constipation, medications, or digestive issues.
However, bloating that doesn’t resolve could indicate something more serious, such as ovarian cancer.
DE-STRESS
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WITH your head deep in avocados and sit-ups, you may have not considered that stress could be the cause of your belly fat.
“Chronic stress triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which can promote fat storage, particularly around the midsection,” says Dr Suzanne.
“Cortisol also encourages cravings for high-calorie, high-sugar foods.
“Over time, heightened cortisol levels creates a cycle where fat accumulates.”
Liam adds that stress can negatively impact gut health and hunger hormone signalling.
“You may experience sugar cravings from your out-of-balance microbiome [gut bacteria],” he says.
Finding ways to relax is key, but stress won’t disappear overnight.
Establish routines or habits to decompress after a busy day.
Could you spend 10 minutes on breathwork or meditation instead of scrolling on your phone?
Apps such as Headspace, Breathwrk and Calm can help.
CUT THE CARDIO
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What’s the best exercise to shed tummy fat?
Dr Suzanne says: “The best workout combines moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise with resistance training.
“Cardiovascular exercises like brisk walking, jogging, or cycling increase overall calorie burn, which helps reduce body fat.”
She adds that resistance training, such as weightlifting, preserves lean muscle mass. Maintaining muscle is vital, as it burns more calories than fat and keeps metabolism fired up.
New to resistance training? Start with home workouts using light dumbbells (2-3kg) or resistance bands, which are inexpensive and easy to find online.
Follow YouTube tutorials or try gym classes focusing on strength, power or resistance.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is often touted as the best fat-loss workout.
Dr Suzanne says: “It can be effective in small doses, but excessive intense exercise like HIIT can lead to chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels, promoting fat storage in the abdominal region as a survival mechanism.”
PRIORITISE SLEEP
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Sleep plays a major role in belly fat, influencing hormones and metabolism, according to Dr Suzanne.
“Insufficient sleep, particularly less than six to seven hours per night, increases cortisol levels and disrupts hunger-regulating hormones,” she says.
“Ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, increases with sleep deprivation, while leptin, which signals fullness, decreases.
“This hormonal imbalance often leads to overeating and cravings for high-sugar or high-fat foods.”
Poor sleep also impairs insulin sensitivity, increasing the risk of fat build-up around the tummy.
To improve sleep quality, establish a relaxing evening routine.
Stop scrolling through social media in bed, avoid caffeine and sugary foods late in the evening, and write a to-do list for the next day to ease stress that might keep you awake.
The 5 best exercises to lose weight
By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist
EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you?
As a PT and fitness journalist, I’ve tried everything.
I’ve taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates.
Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas!
The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit.
My top five forms of exercise, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, are:
- Walking
- Running
- Pilates
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Strength training
