Every New Year, millions of people resolve to lose weight and improve their health. Unfortunately, even if you shed a few pounds of fat by eating better and going to the gym, you don’t get to decide where that fat comes from. Belly fat is usually the most stubborn fat and often the last to go.

But don’t lose hope — I’ll teach you how to lose belly fat without starving yourself!

Even if you don’t have a lot of weight to lose, you may have more fat than you’d like. No matter what kind of shape you’re in, excess fat isn’t good for your health. When it comes to body fat, belly fat is the most stubborn and the most dangerous. Read on to learn why you should be concerned about belly fat and what you can do to safely get rid of it.

You’ll also learn:

• What is belly fat?
• Why is losing belly fat important?
• The definitive guide on how to lose belly fat (for good)
• How to burn fat from other areas of your body

Let’s get started!

What’s Belly Fat, Really?

When you look at yourself in the mirror, your gaze probably pauses on the areas that aren’t so trim. Maybe you have extra fat in your thighs and buttocks or maybe you’re carrying a little extra weight around your hips.

These surface flaws are easy to see and easy to obsess over, but they aren’t what you should be most concerned by. It’s the fat that lies deep within your abdomen that’s seriously dangerous to your health, not the kind of fat you can pinch between your fingers.

If you want to learn how to lose belly fat, you need to start with the basics. There are different types of fat and each type has a unique impact on your health.

The Types of Fat

For years, the war on dietary (consumable) fat led millions of people to starve themselves on low-fat, restricted-calorie diets just for the sake of shedding a few pounds. Now we’re far better informed. There are several types of dietary fat, some of which are actually good for your body. The same is true for body fat — not all fat is created equal!

Most people use the word “fat” in a very general sense, but there are actually different types of fat cells in your body and they can be stored as various forms of fat. Fat cells are white, brown, or beige and they can be stored as essential, subcutaneous, intramuscular, or visceral fat.

Each type of fat plays a unique role in your body. Some fats cushion your organs to protect them from damage and others promote healthy metabolism and regulate hormone levels.

Here’s what you need to know about the three types of fat cells:^[1]

• White fat are large, white cells stored under your skin and around your organs, particularly in your belly, arms, thighs, and buttocks. These fat cells are the body’s way of storing excess energy so it can be used later.
• Brown fat, also known as “baby fat,” brown fat is primarily found in infants and young children, though adults retain some of it around their necks and shoulders. This type of fat burns fatty acids to help keep your body warm.
• Beige fat is still being researched, but it’s similar to brown fat in that it helps burn fat instead of storing it. Scientists believe that certain hormones released during periods of stress, cold, or exercise can help convert white fat into beige fat.
• Essential fat is found in your brain, nerves, and bone marrow, as well as the membranes protecting your organs. It plays a role in hormone regulation as well as temperature regulation.
• Subcutaneous fat is the type stored under your skin. It’s a combination of white, brown, and beige fat cells that make up the majority of the fat in your body. It’s found in the skin you can pinch on your belly, arms, thighs, and buttocks. A certain amount of subcutaneous fat is considered healthy, but excess fat can affect your hormone levels.
• Intramuscular fat is located inside your skeletal muscle fibers and can be used as backup energy stores during exercise. If you think of a cut of beef, intramuscular fat is what gives fattier cuts their marbling. High levels of intramuscular fat in humans have been associated with metabolic conditions like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.^[2]
• Visceral fat, or deep fat, is stored in the abdomen and wraps around essential organs like your liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines, and even your heart. High levels of visceral fat can increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes, artery disease, and stroke, as well as some types of cancer. This is the type of fat commonly known as “belly fat.”^[3]

What Are the Culprits Behind Belly Fat?

On average, 90 percent of your body fat is subcutaneous. The remaining 10 percent is visceral fat, hidden away behind the firm abdominal wall. Though it only makes up a small percentage of your total body fat, it plays a key role in determining your risk for serious health problems. Understanding what causes this type of fat to develop is the key to learning how to lose belly fat.

Most people accumulate a little body fat as they age, especially if you’re a woman. Fat storage typically starts in the hips and thighs, though it shifts into the upper body as you approach middle age.

Even if you don’t gain a significant amount of weight, your waistline can start to expand as visceral fat starts pushing against your abdominal wall.^[4]

There are many reasons why we accumulate belly fat over time. Poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic stress are the primary culprits. As you get older, you may be less inclined to exercise and may develop secondary health problems which can make it even more difficult to maintain a healthy body weight.

As difficult as it can be to fight back against belly fat, it’s never too early (or too late) to start.

Why Is It So Hard to Lose Belly Fat?

When you were younger, losing weight was easy. All you had to do was switch to diet soda or spend an extra hour a week at the gym. After a certain age, weight loss seems to be an impossible task, especially if you’re trying to whittle your waistline.

Unfortunately, you can’t choose where your body sheds fat and belly fat is particularly challenging to lose. It’s far more difficult than simply shaking your fist at your tummy and ordering it to obey your will!

According to Dr. Luke James from Bupa UK, belly fat has a higher composition of cells that don’t readily respond to the fat-breakdown process known as lipolysis. He explains that all body fat cells are one of two types: alpha or beta. Alpha cells respond well to lipolysis and actually accelerate the process, whereas beta cells don’t. Different parts of your body have different concentrations of these cells. Your belly, hips, and thighs have more beta cells, making it harder to shed weight from these areas.^[5]

Why Is Belly Fat Dangerous?

Being overweight is one of the leading contributing factors for major diseases. Abdominal obesity (a.k.a. your belly fat) is particularly dangerous. High levels of intra-abdominal fat increases your risk for serious health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. Abdominal obesity is also known as central obesity or central adiposity.^[6]

If you currently struggle with abdominal obesity, the good news is you can reduce your risk of these diseases without having to shed hundreds of pounds. Some studies show that decreasing your body weight by just 5 to 10 percent can significantly reduce your risk for chronic diseases. In addition to improving your health, losing belly fat can improve your sleep, decrease your stress levels, and even improve your sex life.^[7]

We’ll talk more about how to lose belly fat later, but for now let’s dig deeper into the benefits of losing belly fat. After all, why would you want to take on a physically (and sometimes emotionally!) challenging task if you didn’t know what the rewards were, right?

I won’t lie to you. Losing belly fat is extremely difficult — even when you know the amazing benefits you’ll reap. Luckily, there are plenty of helpful tools at your disposal to aid you on your fat loss journey. One such tool is the Trim-14 weight loss supplement. With Trim-14 as your weight loss partner, you can reduce your anxiety about losing weight and quickly get on the path to a better life!

The 20 Benefits of Losing Belly Fat

Gaining a few pounds over the years may not seem like a big deal, but if you find yourself steadily gaining weight over time it could be drastically affecting your health.

Obesity is a problem of epidemic proportions. According to the World Health Organization, worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. As of 2016, nearly 2 billion adults were overweight and 650 million of those were obese. Obesity isn’t just a problem in adults, either: It affects more than 340 million children as well.^[8]

Though obesity is a serious health risk, it’s highly preventable. Losing as little as five percent of your body weight could drastically reduce your risk for potentially life-threatening diseases.

Already overweight or obese? Please, don’t lose hope. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and there’s no benefit to be gained from feeling guilty or beating yourself up. Obesity is preventable, but it’s also an extremely easy trap to fall into.

The good news is, weight gain and obesity can be temporary conditions if you want them to be. (And I suspect you do.) It all starts with having a positive attitude towards bettering your health. The fact that you’re still reading this is a wonderful indicator that you care about your wellbeing, and you’re eager to make positive changes.

Frustrations and setbacks can be heartbreaking, but they don’t have to dictate your success. If you’ve tried and failed to lose your belly fat in the past — to the point that you’re wondering why it’s even worth the bother — please keep reading.

Knowledge is power and, with the right information, I’m confident in your ability to succeed! However, before I share the details on how to lose belly fat, let’s talk about some of the benefits you’ll gain when you do:

1. Metabolic Syndrome Is Reversed

Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that, in combination, increase your risk for type 2 diabetes as well as heart disease and stroke. These conditions include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high waist circumference, and high cholesterol.

According to the National Cholesterol Education Panel, you must meet at least three of these clinical requirements to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome:^[9]

• Blood pressure 130/85 or higher
• Fasting blood sugar 110 or higher
• Triglyceride levels 150 or higher
• HDL levels below 40 in men, or 50 in women
• Waist size greater than 40 inches for men, or 35 inches for women

Metabolic syndrome can be caused by a number of factors but the underlying issue is insulin resistance. A diet high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and calories combined with lack of exercise can increase your risk for metabolic syndrome and contribute to insulin resistance.

Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar levels. When you eat, insulin helps your body’s cells absorb glucose from your bloodstream to use as energy.

People who are overweight or obese often develop a resistance to insulin, which prevents blood sugar from being delivered into their cells. This causes an accumulation of blood sugar in their bloodstream, leading to diabetes and other chronic health problems.^[10]

Though severe metabolic syndrome may require a multifaceted treatment plan to address individual risk factors, losing weight and shedding belly fat is a key component. According to the Mayo Clinic, losing 7 to 10 percent of your body weight can reduce insulin resistance in addition to lowering your blood pressure. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight will help you manage, or correct, the other risk factors for metabolic syndrome as well.^[11]

2. Healthier Heart, Circulation, and Blood Pressure

Being overweight puts a great deal of strain on your heart. The heavier you are, the more pressure it takes to move blood throughout your body. This causes your heart to work harder than it should have to.

All of this leads to high blood pressure, which affects your overall circulation and heart health. People with abdominal fat are at a greater risk for developing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors.^[12]

If you have a significant amount of belly fat, your risk for heart disease could be higher than average. According to a 2018 study published in the Journal of The American Heart Association, women with a high waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio had a 10 to 20 percent increased risk of heart attack than women who were simply overweight.^[13]

Regardless of gender, the link between central adiposity and heart health is pretty clear. Dr. Barbara Kahn, the George Richards Minot Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, says that weight gain around the midsection represents an increase in visceral fat, often measured by waist-to-hip ratios. An unfavorable ratio is highly associated with increased cardiovascular risk, more so than a high BMI.^[14]

Visceral fat is more likely to cause your arteries to thicken or stiffen, as it interacts poorly with your kidneys and adrenal glands (which are responsible for regulating blood pressure).

According to E. Dean Nukta, MD, medical director of interventional cardiology at Fairview Hospital, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight (particularly from belly fat) can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by improving these and other cardiovascular risk factors.^[15]

3. Improved Blood Sugar Control

According to Harvard Medical School, belly fat is more dangerous than other types of fat in the body and may be closely linked to blood sugar control.

Their theory is that the fat closest to your organs releases metabolic products into the parts of your body that supply blood to your liver. In the process, those fat cells end up dumping fatty acids into your liver, pancreas, and other organs — organs that aren’t designed to store fat.

Over time, this leads to organ dysfunction which interferes with the regulation of insulin, blood sugar, and cholesterol. This increases your risk for chronic diseases like diabetes.^[16]

Though high blood sugar is a symptom commonly associated with diabetes, it can still cause health problems without having diabetes. Frequent or chronic high blood sugar can damage your blood vessels, nerves, and organs. Over time, that damage can contribute to a number of serious health problems.

Left uncontrolled, high blood sugar often progresses to diabetes and can lead to a dangerous complication called ketoacidosis.^[17]

Shedding belly fat can relieve some of the additional strain on your organs and help restore your body’s ability to control blood sugar, thereby reducing those risks.

4. Reduced Diabetes Risk

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which blood sugar levels are above normal levels. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body produces little-to-no insulin. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent of cases and is characterized by insulin resistance or poor insulin utilization.

One of the primary differences between the two is that type 2 diabetes can often be resolved with healthy diet and lifestyle changes such as weight loss.^[18]

More than 87 percent of diabetic adults are overweight or obese. And research suggests that being overweight or obese results in cellular changes that make their bodies more resistant to insulin.

Losing weight may prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, losing weight can help you control your blood sugar to prevent or delay associated health problems. Plus, improving your overall health by losing weight may also let you reduce your diabetes medication.^[19]

5. Healthier Liver

Your liver is responsible for filtering wastes and toxins out of your blood so they can be excreted from your body via your urine. It also plays a role in healthy digestion by producing bile which helps break down fat and absorb essential vitamins and minerals.

It also has a hand in regulating blood sugar and insulin levels as well as blood pressure.^[20]

When you’re overweight or obese, all of your organs are forced to work overtime. When your liver becomes stressed, it can lead to the accumulation of fat — especially around your belly. That excess fat just adds to your health problems. In this sense, belly fat and your liver have a two-way relationship.

One of the major liver problems associated with high levels of belly fat is fatty liver disease. Though excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver problems, non-alcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) is often linked to obesity and excess belly fat. NAFLD interferes with your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels which can contribute to other health issues.^[21]

Weight loss (particularly belly fat loss) is one of the best ways to reverse fatty liver disease.

Several studies show weight loss promotes the loss of liver fat, regardless of the method used. In one particular study, reducing calorie intake by 500 calories per day resulted in an eight percent loss of body weight on average and significant decrease in fatty liver scores.^[22]

6. Better Sleep Quality

Occasional sleep problems are generally nothing to worry about — they can be linked to anything from anxiety to excess caffeine intake. However, if you’re having trouble sleeping most nights or you’re developing chronic issues like sleep apnea, insomnia, or daytime fatigue, your belly fat may have something to do with it.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine suggest that losing weight, particularly belly fat, may help you sleep better. The researchers recruited 77 overweight volunteers who had either prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, many of whom reported sleep problems. Divided into two groups, the volunteers went on a weight loss diet, one group with supervised exercise training. Both lost weight and improved sleep quality, but reduced belly fat was the primary predictor of improved sleep in both groups.^[23]

A good night’s sleep is important for all aspects of your health, so if losing belly fat helps you sleep better, you can consider it a win-win situation.

7. Lower Cancer Risk

Cancer occurs when cells in your body start to grow abnormally or at a rapid rate. The cancerous cells in one area can spread to other parts of your body and can cause a great deal of destruction. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States.

Though the exact cause of cancer is unknown, certain risk factors have been identified — obesity is one of them.

Gaining weight as an adult, especially belly fat, increases your risk for several types of cancer. This is true even if the weight gain doesn’t result in you being overweight or obese. The exact mechanism is unknown, but it’s thought to be linked to the fact that fat cells release hormones which may inhibit cell growth, leading to cancer.^[24]

Not only can weight gain increase your risk for cancer, but the diet and lifestyle habits that lead to weight gain can become risk factors of their own. Losing weight and shedding belly fat may not be a miracle protection against cancer, but it could certainly lower your risk.

8. Lower Risk of Arthritis

In simple terms, arthritis is a form of joint inflammation. It’s a term used to describe over 200 different conditions that affect the joints, as well as the tissues, surrounding and supporting the joints.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, though most forms of arthritis involve pain, stiffness, aching, and swelling in one or more joints.

More than 54 million adults suffer from arthritis, according to the CDC, but it’s most common in individuals ages 65 and older. Aside from age, other risk factors for arthritis include sex (most types are more common in women), genetics, joint injuries, infection, and excess fat or obesity.^[25]

Excess weight is notably linked to osteoarthritis in the knees, though it can affect other joints as well. High levels of body fat, especially belly fat, has been linked to increased inflammation in the body which can trigger or exacerbate arthritis.^[26]

Losing weight and shedding belly fat can reduce the strain on your joints, helping reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Losing five percent of your bodyweight will significantly decrease stress on your knees, hips, and lower back, and may reduce inflammation in your body as well.

For every pound you lose, you remove four pounds of pressure from your knees.^[27] That small reduction can make a massive improvement in your ability to get around pain-free!

9. Improved Mood and Mental Health

Have you ever heard the term “stress belly?” It isn’t a medical diagnosis, but it refers to the relationship between stress hormones and belly fat.

When you feel stressed or anxious, your body starts to produce hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which slow non-essential body functions as part of your body’s “fight or flight” response. High levels of stress hormones have been linked to abdominal obesity, according to a 2018 review study.^[28]

Not only can chronic stress and other mental health issues lead you to accumulate belly fat, but the opposite may be true as well. Researchers from Iowa State University (ISU) analyzed data from 4,431 men and women with an average age of 64.5 who had no cognitive impairments. The researchers determined that there’s a link between variations in abdominal fat and lean muscle mass with changes in fluid intelligence over a six-year period.^[29]

But what about other mental health issues? A 2009 study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research tested the relationship between different measures of obesity and common mental disorders like anxiety and depression. According to the results, abdominal fat distribution is a key mediator in the relationship between obesity and depression. These results suggest that abdominal obesity contributes to metabolic disturbances which may affect certain aspects of mental health.^[30]

Losing belly fat may not be an immediate solution to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. However, having lower levels of belly fat may reduce your risk of developing common mental conditions or help with their management.

10. Less Joint Pain and Fewer Injuries

We’ve already covered the benefits of losing belly fat for arthritis, but shedding fat and can reduce joint pain in other parts of your body as well.

It may significantly reduce your risk for injuries. Not only does visceral fat result in more strain on the joints in your knees, hips, and back, but it can also increase chronic inflammation, which contributes to joint pain.

You’re probably wondering how belly fat, located in your abdomen, impacts the joints in parts of your body other than your legs. The truth is, that fat doesn’t just sit there — it’s biologically active. It increases the amount of inflammatory agents pumping through your body! When that happens, it changes the way your body responds to insulin, affecting your blood sugar levels, and possibly changing your blood pressure and circulation. All of these things have the potential to eventually affect your joints.

There’s also evidence to suggest that excess weight and belly fat may be linked to an increased rate of joint degeneration and injury. Losing belly fat and lowering your BMI may not only reduce your joint pains, but could reduce the risk that you’ll need knee replacement surgery. It could also reduce your risk for other joint-related injuries.^[31]

As you can see, there are a ton of advantages to a slimmer waistline. You’ll feel so much better and be healthier for years and years to come. And the Trim-14 weight loss supplement is here to keep you going strong with losing belly fat. No more feeling embarrassed about your belly fat; it’s time to take your health back!

11. Decreased Risk of Respiratory Illness

Every time you breathe, your lungs are working to bring fresh oxygen into your body while expelling carbon dioxide and other gases. The heavier you are, the more work it takes for your lungs to do your job, especially if most of your excess fat is located in your abdomen.

Abdominal obesity has been linked to numerous health problems including metabolic syndrome which may be linked to impaired lung function.

French researchers recruited 120,000 people for a study that measured their waistlines as well as their lung functions. Those diagnosed with metabolic syndrome were 1.4 times more likely to have impaired lung function. Not only that, people with excess belly fat were twice as likely, even if their body weight was considered normal.^[32]

Though this research is telling, scientists are still trying to decipher the exact nature of the link between belly fat and impaired lung function. One theory is that belly fat may restrict your diaphragm, compromising your lungs’ ability to expand. Or, alternatively, that excess fat increases inflammation which can harm your lungs.

Aside from improving your overall lung function, losing belly fat may reduce your risk for, or slow the development of, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive disease which has no cure. It’s typically related to smoking and is usually diagnosed in people 50 or 60 years of age.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is important for people with COPD because it reduces strain on their lungs. Plus, regular exercise — an important component to maintain your weight — helps strengthen your respiratory muscles.^[33]

12. Lower Risk of Preeclampsia (for Pregnant Women)

Obesity is never healthy, but it can be particularly dangerous during pregnancy. Having excess belly fat during pregnancy can increase your risk for various complications, including miscarriage, gestational diabetes, cardiac dysfunction, sleep apnea, and preeclampsia.

It can also pose certain health risks to your baby, such as birth defects, metabolic syndrome, and childhood obesity.^[34]

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure. It also may involve signs of damage to various organs including your liver and kidneys. It typically develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, often in women whose blood pressure has been normal up to that point.

Left untreated, preeclampsia can become very dangerous for both the mother and the baby. Treatment may require early delivery of the baby.

The exact cause of preeclampsia is often multifaceted, though it’s thought to begin in the placenta. Preeclampsia prevents the blood vessels in the placenta from developing properly which restricts blood flow.

Obesity increases your risk for preeclampsia and may make it more dangerous due to the increased strain on your body’s other systems. Losing belly fat prior to becoming pregnant may reduce your risk for preeclampsia.^[35]

13. Improved Cholesterol

Carrying around excess belly fat puts you at risk for high cholesterol, but that isn’t the only problem. Obesity is linked to specific changes in your cholesterol panel, which can increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Your cholesterol panel is a test that breaks down the different types of cholesterol and other fats in your blood. Total cholesterol measures all of the cholesterol particles in your blood. Your cholesterol panel also measures your high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good cholesterol), your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol), and your triglycerides.^[36]

Obesity tends to raise your LDL and triglyceride levels while lowering your HDL. In fact, your body weight and body fat percentage is directly linked to your cardiovascular risk factors, which include high cholesterol. As your weight increases, so does your cholesterol.

Being overweight or obese, particularly with high levels of belly fat, changes the way your body handles cholesterol. It increases the amount of LDL cholesterol your liver produces and decreases its clearance from your blood.

As a result, cholesterol is more likely to build up in your arteries which contributes to other risk factors for heart attack and stroke.

Excess body fat has also been shown to increase inflammation in the body, which may further decrease your body’s response to changes in your diet (such as reducing fat intake to lose weight). It can also contribute to insulin resistance, which changes the enzymes your body needs to handle cholesterol properly.

Fortunately, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can improve your LDL and triglyceride levels while also improving other cardiac risk factors. The more weight you lose, the more your body will start responding normally to changes in your dietary fat intake. This will help you maintain normal cholesterol levels.^[37]

14. Lower Stroke Risk

A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of your brain stops, causing cells in that part of your brain to die. Ischemic stroke, the most common type, occurs when a blood clot blocks one of the arteries carrying blood to your brain, whereas a hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in your brain bursts.

Being overweight or obese is known to increase blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke.^[38]

Excess belly fat and high body weight puts a great deal of strain on your heart and can lead to hypertension. Over time, high blood pressure damages your veins and arteries, making them more prone to bursting or clogging.

Weakened arteries in your brain are especially dangerous and greatly increase your stroke risk. Excess body fat also increases your risk for high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and heart disease, conditions which have been linked to strokes.^[39]

Shedding belly fat and losing weight helps you keep your blood pressure under control while minimizing your other risk factors for having a stroke.

15. Reduced Chance of Dementia

Dementia is not a specific disease, but instead a collective term used to describe numerous symptoms of cognitive decline. It’s a symptom of several brain disorders and underlying diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s.

According to new research, excess belly fat is a better indicator of your risk for developing dementia than your body mass index (BMI).^[40]

Symptoms of dementia include recent memory loss, difficulty completing familiar tasks, disorientation, and problems with communicating. People with dementia also tend to misplace things, have trouble with abstract thinking, and may develop changes in mood or personality.

These symptoms are related to brain cell death and neurodegenerative disease, though it’s unclear whether dementia causes the brain cell death or the other way around.^[41]

Though the underlying cause of dementia is still fuzzy, a recent cognitive decline study shows a possible link between belly fat and brain health.^[42]

A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition analyzed the connection between obesity and cognitive ability in adults aged 60 and older. According to statistics, 10 percent of individuals over 65 struggle with obesity and 5.7 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s to date. The results of the study suggest that belly fat is a stronger indicator of dementia risk than overall body weight (measured as body mass index).^[43]

Obesity, particularly central obesity, is closely linked to inflammation. Chronic low-grade inflammation is a driver for metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome can lead to decreased insulin sensitivity and hypertension, as well as other issues that can affect the function of major organs like your brain.^[44]

Several meta-analyses show a strong link between obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias. In fact, obesity doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and obesity in middle age predicts a greater risk for dementia later in life.^[45] This being the case, losing weight and shedding belly fat may reduce your risk for developing dementia down the line.

16. Heartburn Rate Goes Down

Heartburn, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occurs when stomach acid flows up into your esophagus. This causes symptoms that include pain or burning in your chest, as well as a bitter or acidic taste in your mouth. Occasional heartburn is typically linked to diet, but obesity can increase your risk for heartburn becoming a chronic issue.^[46]

Obesity and excess belly fat is one of the primary risk factors for chronic heartburn, and research shows just how weight loss can improve GERD symptoms. According to a 2012 study published in Obesity, obese individuals who engage in a structured weight loss program experienced complete resolution of their GERD symptoms.^[47] The relationship between weight loss and symptom resolution was dependent on the amount of weight lost — more weight loss resulted in greater improvement of symptoms.^[48]

The mechanism through which excess belly fat increases heartburn risk is not quite understood, but it may have to do with extra fat putting pressure on the stomach, forcing fluid back up into the esophagus.

Excess weight can also impair your body’s ability to empty your stomach quickly. Losing some of that excess fat may reduce your heartburn issues.^[49]

17. Stabilized Testosterone Levels

Testosterone is a hormone produced in every human body; however, it’s the primary sex hormone for males. Secreted in the testicles, this hormone is responsible for male appearance and sexual development. It also plays a key role in sex drive as well as muscule and bone mass.

Science shows a two-way link between belly fat and low testosterone levels. Some studies suggest that low testosterone levels can lead to the accumulation of belly fat, while others claim that excess belly fat causes low testosterone.

Though the answer to this “chicken and the egg” scenario is unclear, the fact that there’s a link between the two is undeniable.^[50]

According to a 2008 study, a man’s waist size is the strongest predictor of low testosterone levels. Testosterone helps men build muscle mass and low levels of this essential hormone can lead to the loss of that mass.^[51]

As you lose muscle mass, you’re more prone to storing fat in its place. Adequate testosterone levels can offset the loss of muscle mass.^[52]

Losing weight and shedding belly fat will help you improve your body composition and may also stabilize your testosterone levels.

18. ED Goes Away and Better Sexual Health

Speaking of testosterone, not only does it have an impact on male muscle mass, but it also plays a role in sexual health and performance. Low testosterone levels can contribute to low libido (sex drive), erectile dysfunction, and low semen volume.

Since belly fat is linked to low testosterone, it seems evident that it could contribute to these sexual health issues as well.

Though numerous factors are connected to erectile dysfunction and other sexual health issues, one of the factors most scrutinized is weight. Being overweight or obese is closely linked to a higher rate of erectile dysfunction in men of all ages.

In one Italian study of overweight and obese men, those who lost weight over a two-year period reported complete restoration of their erectile function.^[53]

Obesity is a problem for erectile function in general, but specifically belly fat seems to be a leading cause of the issue. When men gain weight, it’s almost always accumulated in the belly area and it isn’t limited to subcutaneous fat — it also becomes visceral fat.

Belly fat affects a man’s erectile function by decreasing the amount of blood flowing to his penis. In order to achieve and sustain an erection, blood must fill the penis, and that requires healthy circulation.

Excess belly fat can damage the endothelium — the layer of cells lining the interior of your blood vessels — which may prevent your blood vessels from dilating enough to create an erection. Shedding belly fat may help restore optimal blood flow to your penis.^[54]

19. Improved Digestion

We’ve already touched on some of the complications of belly fat and obesity that are related to the digestive system, such as heartburn and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Unfortunately,the list doesn’t end there. Obesity is a risk factor for a variety of gastrointestinal complications.

Excess belly fat can greatly increase your risk for the following:^[55]

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Barrett’s esophagus
• Esophageal adenocarcinoma
• Gastric cancer
• Colonic diverticular disease
• Colon polyps
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Acute pancreatitis
• Gallstones
• Pancreatic cancer

Each of these diseases has its own set of symptoms and risk factors, but the fact that obesity is a shared risk factor for all of them tells you something.

Losing belly fat and achieving a healthy body weight may help you improve your digestion and reduce your risk for gastrointestinal diseases.

20. Fewer Chances of Miscarriages and Birth Defects

We’ve already covered the risk of preeclampsia in association with obesity and excess belly fat, but what about other pregnancy complications? Being overweight and carrying excess body fat increases the risk for health problems in both mother and baby during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, being obese can increase your risk for miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth, as well as neural tube defects. Women who are obese during pregnancy also have a higher risk of needing a C-section, which results in a longer recovery time.

These issues are often linked to common side effects of obesity like high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can also increase the risk for mother and child. For example, the baby could be prone to childhood obesity.^[56]’^[57]

Losing weight during pregnancy can be dangerous, so if you plan to become pregnant, you should think about how to lose belly fat first. Reaching a normal body weight prior to pregnancy reduces your risk of developing weight-related complications.

If you get pregnant sooner than anticipated, losing excess belly fat after delivery can still help you reduce certain risks.^[58]

How to Lose Belly Fat

If you’re carrying extra weight around your middle, it may be more than just a cosmetic issue. Sure, you want to fit into your old jeans from college and maybe have the confidence to wear a bikini at the beach, but the real concern is your health.

By now, you’re probably dying to know how to lose belly fat. The solution isn’t a crash diet or bariatric surgery. The secret for how to lose weight fast is to address the individual triggers that cause your unique belly fat.

Potential triggers include slow metabolism, fluctuating blood sugar levels, chronic stress, and inflammation. Addressing these triggers will help you maximize the results of any dietary and lifestyle changes you make to lose weight.

If you’re ready to learn how to lose belly fat, we’ve got a collection of fool-proof weight loss tips you need to read. But first, you’ll need to determine exactly how much you need to lose.

How Much Belly Fat Do You Have?

Before you set out to lose belly fat, it’s useful to know approximately how much you have. Having an informed estimate will help you more accurately set fat loss goals and, more importantly, achieve them.

Stepping on the scale to check your weight will help you determine your body mass index (BMI), but that number isn’t necessarily a good indicator of body fat percentage. Measurements like your neck or waist circumference and your waist-to-hip ratio are a far better indicator of body fat percentage and belly fat.^[59]

One of the easiest ways to determine your body fat percentage is to take measurements at specific locations on your body and plug them into a body fat calculator. You’ll take circumference measurements of your waist, wrist, hips, and forearm, then combine those numbers with your gender, weight, and possibly your height.

After plugging in your numbers, you’ll be given an approximate measurement of your body fat percentage. From there, you can check your numbers to see whether you’re in the healthy range for your sex. Here are some numbers to help you make that determination:^[60]

Classification	Men (% body fat)	Women (% body fat)
Essential Fat	2 – 4%	10-12%
Athletic	6-13%	14-20%
Trim/Fit	14-17%	21-24%
Average	18-25%	25-31%
Obese	25% and higher	32% and higher

Using the results from your body fat calculator, you should have a clearer idea of how much body fat you currently have and how much is within the normal range for your gender.

Did your percentage reveal that you have a little (or a lot) of excess fat? Don’t worry! I’ll help you figure out how to lose your belly fat in a healthy, natural way.

Adding certain exercises to your routine and fat-burning foods to your diet can help you blast belly fat without having to starve yourself.

Let’s start by taking a look at the best exercises to lose weight — specifically, the best exercises to burn belly fat!

Best Exercises to Lose Weight

Let’s say you want to lose 10 pounds in two weeks. If you’re like most people, you’d probably start by taking a closer look at your diet to see whether you’re eating more calories than you burn on a daily basis.

That’s not a bad place to start! Cutting out those extra helpings and switching to healthier snacks will help you eliminate excess calorie intake.

But how do you maximize your daily calorie burn to lose weight? This is where most folks stumble when it comes to healthy, significant weight loss.

It all comes down to exercise. Not only can exercise help you burn more calories, it helps you change your body composition. The right kind of exercise will help you build muscle and shed fat.

So, what exercises burn the most belly fat?

Aerobic exercises like walking, running, and swimming are the best exercises to lose belly fat, according to the results of numerous studies. The trick to successful aerobic exercise is to increase your heart rate.

For faster results, try high-intensity interval training, which alternates between periods of high intensity (maximum effort) and periods of rest. Resistance training and weight lifting is also great for boosting your metabolism and building muscle to help burn belly fat.^[61]

Here’s a quick list of the best exercises to burn belly fat:

1. Walking Briskly

If you want to burn calories and shed belly fat but you’re fairly new to exercise, walking is the best place to start. Walking is a low-impact exercise that actually burns a decent number of calories if you stay at it for 45 to 60 minutes.

To increase the intensity and up your calorie burn, pick up the pace a little or start walking on an incline. As you increase your cardiovascular fitness and your muscles become more accustomed to exercise, you can consider moving up to jogging or using an elliptical trainer.

2. Running on an Incline

Walking burns a low-to-moderate number of calories, but running burns more. You can run for a shorter period of time and burn the same number of calories (or more) as you would be walking for a long period.

The thing to remember about running is that it can be difficult on your knees, so if you’re already experiencing joint pain, start with walking until you build up your stabilizing muscles.

If you’re in decent shape already and you’re looking for a way to increase your calorie and fat burn, try running on an incline.

3. Swimming

If you’re looking for another low-impact exercise to burn calories, consider swimming. The key is to focus on swimming as a form of aerobic exercise — I’m not talking about the kind of splashing around you do with the kids at the community pool.

While swimming is a lower resistance workout, and easier on your joints, to get the most from it, you’ll still need to get your heart rate up. Once again, your “fat burn” zone for aerobic exercise occurs when you can feel your heart pumping, but you’re still able to hold a conversation.

To clarify: You should be breathing hard in-between full sentences. If you’re speaking freely with zero issues, kick it up a notch. If you’re gasping mid-sentence, you’re overdoing it. The happy balance — the fat burning zone — is achieved when you’re pausing for breath whenever a “period” (full stop) would be in your paragraph (conversation).

Start with a warmup by walking around the shallow end for 10 to 15 minutes, then move on to swimming laps. You can control the intensity of the exercise by modifying your speed or by trying out different strokes.

Plan to swim for at least 30 minutes to gain the cardiovascular and calorie-burning benefits.

Contrary to popular belief, the temperature of the water you’re swimming in doesn’t make a massive difference to your fat loss. It’s all about the work you put in, and how long you stay in the “fat burning zone” with your heart rate.

However, if you already suffer from heart issues, have osteoporosis, are menopausal, or struggle with fibromyalgia, room temperature or warmed water is usually more comfortable to swim in than cold water and, therefore, more beneficial (because you’ll actually stay in it long enough to do the exercise required!).^[62]

The best, most effective, exercises are the exercises you stick with. With swimming, and any other exercise, take steps to ensure your overall comfort. You’re supposed to feel sore, even somewhat breathless, but never in outright pain! If your recovery time (the time it takes you to stop feeling sore post-workout) takes too long, or if your exercise routine causes you extreme pain, stop and seek medical advice.

4. Cycling

No access to a swimming pool? Try cycling instead. Whether you’re taking your bike out on the trail or using a stationary bike at the gym, cycling is a low-impact exercise that can burn a lot of calories and help you shed belly fat.

If you really want to lose belly fat, you’ll need to keep up a steady pace to burn the most calories. Start with a 10 to 15 minute warmup then increase the intensity, bringing your level of effort up until you just start to breathe a little heavier.

If you want to maximize fat burn, consider incorporating HIIT into your cycling workout, alternating between periods of maximum effort and low effort.

5. Yoga

You may not think of yoga as a particularly effective exercise for weight loss, but it can be if you do it right. Yoga helps boost flexibility, improves mental focus, and can even burn fat.

You’ll want to start off with simple exercises but, once you’re comfortable, you can increase the intensity with more difficult modifications. Focus on holding the poses for as long as you can while keeping your core engaged and your muscles tight — that’s how you burn fat.

When it comes to yoga for belly fat loss, the best poses are ones that work your major muscle groups.

For a fat loss yoga workout that targets all of your muscles, try the Surya Namaskar Cycle. It’s a combination of 12 yoga poses that flow together to create a full “cycle” — and a full-body workout!

6. Burpees

Despite the funny-sounding name, burpees are a highly effective exercise. Not only do they boost your heart rate to burn calories, they help blast belly fat as well.

Named by Royal H. Burpee in the 1930s, this exercise was used to test physical fitness for new recruits to the United States Army. A burpee is a four-step compound exercise that combines the principles of basic squats, planks, and push-ups.

The more you do, the more calories you burn, which means more fat lost! As you increase your fitness level, you can even make modifications to the exercise to increase the intensity and boost your fat burn.

The best news is that you can perform them just about anywhere and include them in at-home and HIIT workouts.

7. Mountain Climbers

Another bodyweight exercise, mountain climbers are a full-body exercise that help you burn calories and shed fat. Though this exercise has little to do with actually climbing a mountain, it works similar muscles, and it will boost your heart rate and burn calories.

To perform a mountain climber, you start in plank position with your hands below your shoulders, balancing your weight on your toes. From there, you alternate bringing one knee to your chest at a time, effectively “running” on the floor.

If you want to increase the intensity, there are a couple of modifications you can try once you get used to the motion.

8. Jumping Rope

When you think of jumping rope, you probably think back to your childhood when jumping rope was a game. As an adult, jumping rope can be just as fun as it was when you were a kid, but it has the added benefit of being an effective form of aerobic exercise.

Jumping rope is a little more high-impact than walking or swimming. However, if you maintain a steady pace, then it will get your heart pumping, helping you burn calories and shed fat.

9. Rowing Machine

If you want to burn calories and lose belly fat, your best bet is some kind of aerobic exercise. The problem with many aerobic exercises like running and jumping rope is that they can be hard on your knees.

If you’re looking for a low-impact exercise that will still give you a good workout, consider using a rowing machine. A rowing machine mimics the actions of rowing a boat, working your leg muscles and your upper body.

It’s safe for all ages and fitness levels because you can customize the intensity by upping the resistance and modifying your speed. Rowing is also great for cross-training if you’re also doing other forms of exercise!

10. Planking Exercises

As you start an exercise program to lose weight and shed belly fat, you should think about including some abdominal exercises in your plan. Ab exercises won’t help you spot-reduce fat from your bell., Nevertheless, as your overall body weight percentage drops, you’ll be able to see your abdominal muscles more.

Planking exercises are a great way to work your abs without isolating single muscle groups. These exercises work your main abdominal muscles, as well as your lower abs and your obliques (side abs).

Proper planking form also requires you to use your leg and back muscles to keep your core stabilized. Best of all, they don’t require any weights and you can easily modify them to increase or decrease the intensity.

11. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Though it might sound scary, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is actually a very simple concept. It involves alternating between periods of high effort and rest. It’s not a specific exercise, but rather an exercise concept you can incorporate into just about any workout plan. This includes running, cycling, weight lifting, and body weight exercises.

The key is to sustain the workout for 15 minutes or more to reap the maximum benefit, with time to warm up and cool down on either end. An example of HIIT might be sprinting or jogging at a fast pace for 60 seconds, followed by walking or jogging at a slow pace for 60 to 90 seconds, repeated several times.

12. Strength Training

When you think about burning calories and shedding fat, aerobic exercises are probably where you start. While running and cycling are both great ways to burn calories, the benefits don’t last much longer than the exercise itself.

Strength training may not burn as many calories during the exercise, but your body will burn more calories in the hours afterward. Plus, strength training will help you build more muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat.

In other words, the more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be. That’s great for fat burn!

What about abdominal exercises?

Many people think that exercising a certain part of the body results in targeted weight loss. I wish that were true!

Unfortunately, when you start to lose weight your body gets to decide where it comes from. It’s different for everyone. Some people tend to lose weight from their face and upper arms first, while leaving their trunk and abs area virtually the same. For others, weight loss comes from the legs and buttocks. For many people, the abdomen is the last place they lose weight.^[63]

Doing 100 crunches a day may not help you shed fat from your abdomen over other parts of the body, but it will help you strengthen your abdominal muscles. Once you reduce your overall body fat percentage — particularly belly fat — you may be able to see those muscles more clearly. A strong core also helps to keep your midsection tucked in.

If you want to lose belly fat, exercise is a must but there’s no one-size-fits-all exercise plan. If you’re looking for the best exercise to lose weight, there might be more than one option. Read on to learn about other exercises to burn belly fat.

Can You Lose Belly Fat With Weightlifting?

If you want to lose belly fat, exercise that gets your heart pumping gives the best bang for your buck but you can still burn calories and lose belly fat with strength training.

The key to losing belly fat with weightlifting is to maintain a fairly high level of intensity. This doesn’t mean pushing your body to the breaking point, it simply means using heavier weights and reducing your rest time between repetitions. You should be working hard throughout the entire workout.

Not only will weightlifting help you burn calories, but it will help you build muscle mass as well. Lean mass burns more calories than fat; so, building muscle can actually help you boost your metabolism and burn calories even when you aren’t exercising.^[64]

Can You Lose Belly Fat Without Cardio?

When it comes to weight loss tips, aerobic or cardiovascular exercise is almost always included. Aerobic exercise gets your heart beating faster which burns calories while you exercise but may also increase your metabolism for a few hours afterward.

But can you lose belly fat without doing all that cardio? It’s a fair question.

If you’re not used to doing cardio, the idea of going for a run or spending an hour on the treadmill might terrify you. The truth is that cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart and great for weight loss, but it isn’t your only option.

If you want to know how to lose belly fat without doing a ton of cardio, the secret is moderating your calorie intake. Cardio is a great way to increase your daily calorie burn, but you can also try reducing your calorie intake to create a daily deficit. Strength training is another type of exercise you can do to burn a few calories while boosting your metabolism.^[65]

Changing the types of food you eat can also impact your weight loss. Many people have success with the ketogenic diet when it comes to burning belly fat. The ketogenic diet is based on the principle of ketosis, a biological process through which your body starts burning fat for fuel instead of glucose.

You’ll need to change the entire composition of your diet to match the high-fat, low-carb requirements of the diet. Even so, it’s very effective and does not require a significant amount of cardiovascular exercise.^[66]

Which brings us to another question: Can you lose belly fat without any exercise at all?

Can You Lose Belly Fat Without Exercise?

The underlying key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume each day without going below your body’s minimum calorie requirement (your basal metabolic rate, or BMR).

If you take exercise out of your weight loss equation, you’ll need to create a calorie deficit using another method. One option is to eat less.

The simplest way to determine how many calories you can consume to lose weight is to plug your sex, age, weight, and height into a calorie calculator. You may also need to indicate your activity level to help approximate your daily calorie burn.

Your total daily calorie burn is the approximate number of calories you can eat each day to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to subtract from that number.

Healthy recommendations for safe weight loss suggest a deficit of 250 to 500 calories a day, or no more than a 20 percent deficit. Know that one pound of body fat is roughly equal to 3500 calories. So, if you’re wondering how to lose weight in a week, your goal is to create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories per week to lose one pound. Aim to lose no more than two pounds per week.

In addition to eating less, changing what and how you eat may also help you lose belly fat without exercise. For example, Increasing the protein and fiber content of your diet may help, and you can boost your results by drinking plenty of water and avoiding processed carbs and added sugars. Getting a good night’s sleep will help as well.^[67]

Will Walking or Running Help You Lose Belly Fat?

If you want to burn belly fat, you need to burn calories, and just about any form of aerobic exercise will help you do that.

Cardiovascular exercise is one of the best ways to lose belly fat, but you don’t necessarily need to push your body to the max. Running at a moderate pace or even briskly walking could help you shed those extra pounds, including your belly fat.

Whether you’re running or walking, the key is to keep your heart rate in the “fat-burning zone.” This is the zone where your heart rate is between 60 and 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. When you’re in this zone, 85 percent of the calories you burn come from fat. The remaining 15 percent come from carbohydrates and protein.^[68]

If you want to burn belly fat while walking, you’ll need to spend about 45 minutes in the fat-burning zone. The longer you walk, the more fat you’ll burn.

If you want to lose belly fat with running, you’ll need to maintain a steady, low-intensity pace for an extended period of time. You’ll know your heart rate is in the right zone if you’re breathing a little heavier but can still manage to talk.

What Foods Help Burn Belly Fat?

Making healthier eating choices is a great way to lose weight and burn belly fat. But what are the best foods for fat loss?

There’s no miracle food that will turn you into a calorie-burning machine, but certain foods help or hinder the fat loss process.

Remember, calories are the key to weight loss, so you’ll want to avoid foods that are too high in calories and focus on the things that will provide your body with the essential nutrients it needs to stay healthy. You don’t necessarily need to go on a restrictive low-calorie diet, but you do need to be more mindful of what you’re putting into your body.

When it comes to the best foods for weight loss, you want to focus on wholesome, natural foods like lean protein, whole grains, fresh veggies, and healthy fats. Processed carbohydrates, added sugars, sweetened beverages, and unhealthy fats will not only hinder your progress, but may also contribute to weight gain.

This being said, some foods are better than others when it comes to supporting weight loss and burning belly fat.^[69]

Here are the best healthy foods to eat to burn belly fat:

1. Lean poultry (like chicken and turkey breast)
2. Fresh fish and seafood
3. Lean cuts of meat
4. Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower)
5. Beans and legumes
6. Nuts and seeds
7. Fresh fruits and berries
8. Low-fat dairy
9. Leafy green vegetables
10. Fresh herbs
11. Whole grains (like oatmeal and brown rice)
12. Dark chocolate
13. Healthy fats and oils (like avocado and olive oil)

Now that you know what healthy foods to eat if you want to lose weight, you can imagine which foods you should avoid — the opposites of everything on that list. Here’s a quick reminder:

1. Processed carbohydrates (like white bread)
2. Cookies, cakes, and pastries
3. Foods high in added sugar
4. Sweetened beverages
5. Fast food and fried foods
6. High-fat dairy products (like ice cream)
7. Excessive amounts of alcohol
8. Most fruit juices (especially fruit juice cocktails)
9. Candy and high-calorie snacks

You don’t need to cut these foods out of your diet completely. Severe restriction is only going to make you more likely to binge on unhealthy foods.

The best rule of thumb to follow is the 80/20 rule. You try to make healthy choices 80 percent of the time but give yourself 20 percent wiggle room to enjoy a special treat — just don’t make it a habit!

If you’re looking for a more structured fat loss diet, consider the ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carb diet that changes the way your body burns calories. The typical Western diet is high in carbohydrates which provides the body with plenty of glucose as its primary source of energy. Because glucose is a fast-burning form of energy, your body uses it first before moving on to your stored fats.

The principle behind the ketogenic diet is that by severely reducing your carbohydrate intake, you can shift your body into a fat-burning state known as ketosis. Consuming high amounts of fat with moderate amounts of protein and few carbohydrates helps you maintain a state of ketosis.

In that state, your body uses fat as its primary source of energy, pulling from the fat stores all over your body including your belly. Check out this guide to the ketogenic diet to learn more.

Apple Cider Vinegar and Belly Fat Loss

You may already be somewhat familiar with apple cider vinegar. It has a long history of use in ayurvedic medicine, and it’s recently become a huge trend in health and fitness circles. But does it help with belly fat loss?

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting crushed apples to create an acidic solution. This type of vinegar is rich in ethanoic acid and acetic acid, as well as water and trace elements.

Acetic acid is a short-chain fatty acid that dissolves in the body into acetate and hydrogen. Several animal studies suggest that this process promotes weight loss. According to those animal studies, acetic acid helps lower blood sugar levels, decreases insulin levels, improves metabolism, and reduces fat storage. It also burns fat and suppresses appetite.

Though these results are promising, more study using human subjects is needed. In limited human studies, apple cider vinegar has been shown to increase fullness, reduce calorie intake, and burn fat in addition to improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar.^[70]’^[71]

When it comes to consuming apple cider vinegar, weight loss is not a guarantee. If you want to try it anyway, you can simply take one to two tablespoons mixed in water per day.

Lemon Water and Belly Fat Loss

It’s no secret that staying hydrated is good for your health and drinking plenty of water can support healthy weight loss. But what about lemon water? Is it a miracle cure for belly fat?

Lemon water is simply a combination of fresh lemon juice mixed with water, and it’s a common element in fad diets and detoxes. It has benefits, like being low in calories, but what does it actually do for your body?

Some studies show that drinking enough water can boost your metabolism by inducing thermogenesis, a metabolic process where calories are burned to produce heat. Drinking water can also help you feel full, reducing the amount of food you eat.

It may even improve weight loss by supporting your body’s overall health. The thing to take away here, however, is that these benefits are not specific to lemon water — they’re identical to the benefits gained from drinking regular water.^[72]

Lemon does contain some nutrients, including vitamin C and antioxidants, but these aren’t shown to have any significant impact on your weight. Even the alkalizing effects of lemon juice have no clear effect on weight loss.

In other words, drinking lemon water won’t hurt you, but it isn’t a miracle cure for belly fat loss. If you enjoy the taste, and it encourages you to stay hydrated, feel free to indulge.

Intermittent Fasting and Weight Loss

Reducing your calorie intake is one way to lose belly fat, but it’s not the only way. Simply changing when and how often you eat could be just as effective. I’m referring to intermittent fasting (IF).

Intermittent fasting isn’t as scary as it sounds. All it means is that you alternate between brief periods of fasting and periods of eating. Some people fast for an entire day one or two times a week, but the most popular IF pattern is fasting for 16 hours a day followed by an eight-hour feeding period.

Basically, you skip breakfast, then eat small meals and snacks for the next eight hours, then fast again until the next day.^[73]

By reducing the period during which you eat meals, intermittent fasting can result in an automatic reduction in calorie intake. It also alters your hormone levels to facilitate weight loss by boosting your metabolism.

Some studies show that it also results in a greater loss of fat (as opposed to muscle) than other methods of calorie restriction.

According to a systematic review of 40 studies, intermittent fasting was effective for weight loss and yielded an average loss of seven to 11 pounds over 10 weeks. There’s a great deal of variability among the studies, but the results are promising.^[74]

If you have trouble restricting the type of food you eat, changing the way you eat might be a better option.

Can Supplements Help You Burn Belly Fat?

Weight loss pills are a dime a dozen, but are they safe? And do they really work?

The truth is that there’s no miracle pill that can counteract an extremely unhealthy diet paired with high calorie intake and lack of exercise.

That isn’t to say that certain supplements don’t support or even improve weight loss. The key is to choose a supplement that increases weight loss naturally by boosting your metabolism and addressing other common triggers for weight gain like insulin resistance, chronic stress, and low heart rate.

Supplements should be just that — something you take to supplement your other efforts to shed body fat like exercise and a healthy diet. Just like a trusted fitness buddy, a well-formulated supplement will ease and support your journey; but they can’t take the journey for you.

Does Fish Oil Help With Fat Loss?

Whether you’ve tried them for weight loss or not, you’ve likely heard of fish oil supplements. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil supplements have serious benefits for your heart, brain, skin, and even your mental health. But what are the top fish oil benefits, and what do these supplements do for fat loss?

Omega-3 fatty acids are broken into two groups: essential omega-3s and long-chain omega-3s. The only essential omega-3 fatty acid for humans is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found in a wide variety of plant foods. Long-chain omega-3s like eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are found in fish oil and fatty fish like salmon.^[75]

In addition to supporting heart and brain health, omega-3s from fish oil may help reduce hunger and appetite in addition to boosting metabolism. Consuming fish oil may also increase your calorie burn during exercise, particularly from fat.

Again, fish oil is no miracle cure, but it could potentially boost your weight loss efforts to help you shed more belly fat.

One of the best supplements you can use for overall weight loss and belly fat loss is Trim-14. Our advanced weight management formula works by supporting your fat-burning hormones as you digest your meals. It targets all of your possible belly fat triggers by combining all of the ingredients you could want in a fat-loss supplement, including:

• Acetyl-l-carnitine: Also known as ALC, this molecule boosts your metabolism, helping your cells turn fat into energy.^[76] It can also help support healthy blood sugar levels!^[77]
• White kidney bean extract: These beans help lower the amount of alpha amylase enzymes in your system, which allows your body to flush out extra carbohydrates rather than converting them into fat.^[78]
• Chromium: Curb cravings and feel more satisfied after meals — chromium reduces your overall hunger pangs!^[79]
• Fucoxanthin: Found in brown seaweed, this compound ensures your metabolism is working efficiently, even while resting.^[80]
• Rhodiola rosea: This Siberian herb helps support your immune system, eases stress-related symptoms, and can give you an energy boost!^[81]
• Raspberry ketones: Extracted from ripe red raspberries, this flavor compound can supercharge your body’s ability to break down fat.^[82]’^[83]

How Do You Burn Fat While Sleeping?

Your body burns a certain number of calories each day whether you’re awake or asleep. The minimum number of calories your body needs to maintain essential processes is your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body burns at rest.

When you’re asleep, your body is still burning calories. In fact, your body is more active during sleep than you might imagine.

While you sleep, your body is hard at work repairing cells and tissues, restoring immune health, and consolidating memories. All of these processes require calories! A 150-pound person burns an estimated 440 calories during seven hours of sleep.^[84] But how does this process work exactly?

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the body that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Research suggests that melatonin contributes to the conversion of white fat into brown and beige fat, which, as you may remember, are the weight loss-promoting fats.

People with higher amounts of brown fat tend to be leaner and beige fat activates a protein that helps burn calories.

To reap the belly fat loss benefits of sleep, you should make an effort to improve your sleep habits. Set aside seven to eight hours a night for rest and try to wind your body down 30 minutes before bed.

Try following a relaxing nighttime routine and make your bedroom a haven for sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet.

Reducing Stress for More Fat Loss

We all feel stressed and overwhelmed at times, but did you know that chronic stress can make you gain weight? It isn’t just from all of the stress eating, either.

A new study has identified a chain reaction triggered by chronic stress that makes it more difficult to lose weight by slowing fat metabolism. Researchers at the University of Florida discovered that chronic stress triggers the production of betatrophin, a peptide hormone that inhibits the enzyme required for fat metabolism. In other words, reducing your stress level could improve your body’s ability to burn fat.^[85]

Reducing your stress levels will also help reduce production of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline that slow your metabolism.

Simple ways to reduce stress including setting aside 30 minutes a day to do a relaxing activity you enjoy, spending more time with family, trying yoga or meditation, and simplifying your life at work and at home.

How to Burn Lower Belly Fat

When you lose weight, some of it will come from your belly. That’s good news, right? But even after you lose weight and shrink your middle, you may find that you still have a bit of a pooch below your belly button. So, how do you burn lower belly fat specifically?

As you’ll remember, you can’t spot-reduce from certain areas of your body. The best way to lose belly fat is to reduce your total body fat percentage. Once you’ve done that, however, there are certain exercises that target the muscles in your lower belly to help you tuck in your tummy a little bit more.

Mountain climbers, lying leg raises, scissor kicks, and reverse crunches are all simple exercises you can do to target your lower abs.^[86]

Losing Belly Fat at Home

I’ve covered all of the different aspects of shedding belly fat — from changing your diet to the best exercises for belly fat. Every person is different in their weight loss goals and physical fitness level, so I can’t tell you exactly how to lose belly fat.

It’s up to you to decide which of the methods I’ve discussed is the best fit for you. However, most of the best exercises for burning belly fat can be done from the comfort of your home. (You can also keep a bottle of Trim-14 in your kitchen cabinet for when you need extra help!)

How to Get a Six-Pack (Finally)

All this talk about losing belly fat probably has you excited to get started! But there’s one more question to answer before we let you go: How do you get the six-pack abs of your dreams?

The first step to getting six-pack abs is to reduce your overall body fat percentage. Like I mentioned earlier, you can’t spot-reduce and target the fat in your abdomen. Even if you could, it might look a little strange to have a six-pack without losing weight on other parts of your body.

If you want six-pack abs, you’re going to have to lose the weight and then build your abdominal muscles. The lower-ab exercises I mentioned are part of that equation, but you should make an effort to work all of your abdominal muscles.

Crunches, bridges, and planking exercises work your core, and there are other exercises you can do to enhance the muscles in the lower part of your abdomen and your obliques.^[87]

You can start doing ab exercises at any time, but you may not see the results until you lose belly fat. To help determine your calorie goals to reach your ideal body weight percentage, check out this helpful chart:

Getting a six-pack isn’t easy, that’s for sure. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Equipped with a solid diet, a consistent exercise routine, and quality supplements like Trim-14, your abs will eventually show.

Trim-14 is precisely created to melt belly fat away as fast as naturally possible. Eat right, work out, supplement smartly, and get ready to show off that six-pack!

What About Other Body Parts?

Now that you’ve learned everything there is to know about how to lose belly fat, you may be wondering about your other body parts.

Remember: The best way to reduce body fat is to make healthy changes to your diet and to add exercise to your weekly regimen. These changes will help you lose weight and shed body fat.

If you include strength training in your routine, you’ll be building muscle at the same time which will help boost your metabolism and increase your fat burn.

To answer your question about losing fat from other body parts, here are some simple weight loss tips to get you started:

How to Lose Thigh Fat

In addition to adopting a healthy diet and exercise habits to reduce your overall body fat percentage, certain leg exercises may help you convert some of your leg fat into muscle.

Bodyweight exercises like air squats, lunges, and calf raises are a great place to start. Once you feel comfortable with these exercises, you can try modifications to increase the difficulty or add weight.

How to Lose Arm Fat

Reducing your body fat percentage will help slim down your arms, but you’ll also want to incorporate some arm exercises to tone and build muscle.

Push-ups and planking exercises are a perfect starting point. When you’re ready, start trying dumbbell exercises like curls, triceps extensions, and overhead presses.

How to Lose Face Fat

Many people lose weight from their face first, which is good news if that’s what you’re concerned about! Aside from losing weight overall, you can try doing facial exercises to tone the muscles under your skin which may help slim your facial appearance.

Try puffing your cheeks and pushing the air from side to side or smile wide while clenching your teeth. Do these and other exercises twice daily for eight weeks.

How to Lose Back Fat

Back fat is of particular concern to women because it can spill out over your bra straps or over the top of your pants. Weight loss is the best way to lose back fat, but you can also try exercises that strengthen the muscles in your shoulders, upper, middle, and lower back.

Exercises that target your oblique abdominal muscles will also help you slim the back side of your waist.

You know what also helps you burn fat from these problem areas? You guessed it: Trim-14. Trim-14 doesn’t discriminate when it comes to eradicating body fat. Whether it’s subcutaneous, intramuscular, or visceral, your fat is going to go bye-bye with this uber-potent supplement. Give Trim-14 a try and be done with constantly giving up on losing weight and being healthier.

What do the Experts Say About Belly Fat?

If you want to know how to lose belly fat, turn to the experts. My team and I consulted numerous health and fitness experts to compile this complete guide to losing belly fat, but I want to highlight some key points we’ve covered with expert advice.

Here’s what some of the experts say are the best ways to lose belly fat:^[88]

“In order to lose weight, it is recommended to aim for 200 to 300 minutes a week of cardio. Shoot for five days a week of 45 to 60 minutes of cardio to really burn body fat and lose weight.”

• Jim White, ACSM-certified personal trainer and owner of Jim White Fitness and Nutrition Studios

“Compound movements concentrating on larger muscle groups will burn the most calories… When you burn the fat off your midsection, you’ll have built nice muscle underneath that will start to show, which is what gives you that toned look in your midsection.”

• Rachel Gerson, NASM-certified personal trainer

“You’ve got to burn more calories than you eat. Create a calorie deficit, keep at it, and you will lose excess fat, wherever it is on your body.”

• Kimberly Bomer, MS, RD, LDN, director of nutrition at the Pritkin Longevity Center

“Reduce intake of ultra-processed foods that are produced using high-fructose-containing sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. These processed sugars are concentrated in fructose, which in high amounts has been shown to promote visceral fat accumulation in the liver, leading to weight gain, inflammation, and related diseases like metabolic syndrome.”

• Rachel Fine, MS, RD, CDN

“Stress releases a hormone called cortisol. The release of cortisol causes high blood sugar levels by promoting the breakdown of protein stores into glucose to be used as fuel. Over time, persistently high levels of cortisol seen in stress promote the storage of excess glucose as fat in the abdomen, causing belly fat.”

• Erica Patel, MD, internist at the University of Southern California

Bringing It All Together

At this point, you’re practically an expert on how to lose belly fat! Now that you know the basics about what belly fat is and what causes it to form, you’re better-equipped to fight back.

You’ve also learned that losing belly fat isn’t just about fitting into smaller jeans — it’s about improving your health in the short-term and preserving it for the long-term.

There’s no quick and easy solution to busting belly fat — you’re going to have to work at it. Making healthy improvements to your diet and scheduling in time for exercise are two key components in losing weight and reducing your overall body fat percentage. If you’re successful, you’ll lose belly fat too!

Though there aren’t any miracle cures to drop a dress size overnight, you do have one trick up your sleeve: Trim-14. This all-natural supplement is designed to combat 14 of the most common belly fat triggers to help you slim down and whittle your waist.

Whether you’re struggling to lose those last couple of pounds hanging around your middle or you’re just starting your fat loss journey, Trim-14 will help you achieve your goals.

References

^[1] The Truth About Fat. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-fat#1

^[2] Ahmed, Sara, et al. (2018) The Effects of Diet on the Proportion of Intramuscular Fat in Human Muscle: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 5(7). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5826234/

^[3] Doheny, Kathleen. (n.d.). The Truth About Fat. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-truth-about-fat#1

^[4] Taking Aim at Belly Fat (2010, August). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/taking-aim-at-belly-fat

^[5] Cohen, Paul and Spiegelman, Bruce M. (2016). Cell Biology of Fat Storage. Mol Biol Cell, 27(16): 2523-2527. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4985254/

^[6] Abdominal Obesity and Your Health. (2005, September). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/abdominal-obesity-and-your-health

^[7] What a 5% Weight Loss Could Do For Your Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-five-percent-weight-loss

^[8] Obesity and Overweight. (2018, February 16). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

^[9] Zelman, Kathleen M. (n.d.). Metabolic Syndrome: The Silent Epidemic. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/heart/metabolic-syndrome/features/metabolic-syndrome-the-silent-epidemic#1

^[10] Harrar, Sari. (n.d.). Insulin Resistance Causes and Symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-causes-symptoms

^[11] Metabolic Syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351921

^[12] Your Blood Pressure and Body Composition are Related. Here’s What You Need to Know. (2019, February 6). Retrieved from https://inbodyusa.com/blogs/inbodyblog/your-blood-pressure-and-body-composition-are-related-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

^[13] Waist Size Predicts Heart Attacks Better Than BMI, Especially in Women. (2018, February 28). Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/03/19/waist-size-predicts-heart-attacks-better-than-bmi-especially-in-women

^[14] Bilodeau, Kelly. (2018, July 26). Belly Fat Linked with Higher Heart Disease Risk. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/belly-fat-linked-with-higher-heart-disease-risk-2018072614354

^[15] What a 5% Weight Loss Can Do For Your Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-five-percent-weight-loss

^[16] How Belly Fat Increases Your Risk of Diabetes. (2018, November 14). Retrieved from https://www.health24.com/Medical/Diabetes/Diabetes-diet-and-obesity/how-belly-fat-increases-your-risk-of-diabetes-20180628

^[17] High Blood Sugar and Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/diabetes-hyperglycemia#1

^[18] What is Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.idf.org/aboutdiabetes/what-is-diabetes.html

^[19] Health Risks of Being Overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight

^[20] The Liver & Blood Sugar. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://dtc.ucsf.edu/types-of-diabetes/type1/understanding-type-1-diabetes/how-the-body-processes-sugar/the-liver-blood-sugar/

^[21] Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/diseases-of-the-liver/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/

^[22] Scaglioni, F. (2013). Short-Term Multidisciplinary Non-Pharmalogical Intervention is Effective in Reducing Liver Fat Content Assessed Non-Invasively in Patients with NAFLD. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol, 37(4): 353-8. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23273500

^[23] Godman, Heidi. (2012, November 14). Losing Weight and Belly Fat Improves Sleep. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/losing-weight-and-belly-fat-improves-sleep-201211145531

^[24] Health Risks of Being Overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight

^[25] Nichols, Hannah. (2017, November 14). What Are the Causes and Types of Arthritis? Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/7621.php

^[26] Health Risks of Being Overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight

^[27] Weight Loss Benefits for Arthritis. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/nutrition/weight-loss/weight-loss-benefits-for-arthritis

^[28] Van der Valk, Eline S., et al. (2018). Stress and Obesity: Are There More Susceptible Individuals? Current Obesity Reports, 7(2): 193-203. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs13679-018-0306-y

^[29] Paddock, Catharine. (2019, December 19). Belly Fat May Reduce Mental Agility from Midlife Onward. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327361.php#4

^[30] Rivenes AC, et al. (2009). The Relationship Between Abdominal Fat, Obesity, and Common Mental Disorders: Results from the HUNT Study. J Psychosom Res, 66(4): 268-75. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19302883

^[31] Can Fat Affect Your Joint Pain? (2015, August 26). Retrieved from https://www.regenerativeorthopedicinstitute.com/can-fat-affect-your-joint-pain/

^[32] Belly Fat Bad for Your Lungs? (2009, March 6). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20090306/belly-fat-bad-for-your-lungs

^[33] Worth, Tammy. (2009, April 1). Why Belly Fat is Bad for Your Lungs, and Why Exercise is Good. Retrieved from https://www.health.com/condition/copd/why-belly-fat-is-bad-for-your-lungs-and-why-exercise-is-good

^[34] Pregnancy and Obesity: Know the Risks. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-and-obesity/art-20044409

^[35] Preeclampsia. (Mayo Clinic). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745

^[36] Lipid Panel, (2019, August 29). Retrieved from https://labtestsonline.org/tests/lipid-panel

^[37] Lewis, Sarah. (n.d.). The Effects of Obesity on Cholesterol Levels. Retrieved from https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/cholesterol/the-effects-of-obesity-on-cholesterol-levels

^[38] Health Risks of Being Overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight

^[39] How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Stroke. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/health-threats-from-high-blood-pressure/how-high-blood-pressure-can-lead-to-stroke

^[40] Ntlholang, Ontefetse, et al. (2018). The Relationship Between Adiposity and Cognitive Function in a Large Community-Dwelling Population: Data from the Trinity Ulster Department of Agriculture (TUDA) Ageing Cohort Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 120(5): 517-527. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/relationship-between-adiposity-and-cognitive-function-in-a-large-communitydwelling-population-data-from-the-trinity-ulster-department-of-agriculture-tuda-ageing-cohort-study/92B48D9F2754CE425A88482506CAAED6

^[41] MacGill, Markus. (2017, December 1). Dementia: Symptoms, Stages, and Types.

^[42] Ntlholang, Ontefetse, et al. (2018). The Relationship Between Adiposity and Cognitive Function in a Large Community-Dwelling Population: Data from the Trinity Ulster Department of Agriculture (TUDA) Ageing Cohort Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 120(5): 517-527. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/relationship-between-adiposity-and-cognitive-function-in-a-large-communitydwelling-population-data-from-the-trinity-ulster-department-of-agriculture-tuda-ageing-cohort-study/92B48D9F2754CE425A88482506CAAED6

^[43] Ntlholang, Ontefetse, et al. (2018). The Relationship Between Adiposity and Cognitive Function in a Large Community-Dwelling Population: Data from the Trinity Ulster Department of Agriculture (TUDA) Ageing Cohort Study. British Journal of Nutrition, 120(5): 517-527. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/relationship-between-adiposity-and-cognitive-function-in-a-large-communitydwelling-population-data-from-the-trinity-ulster-department-of-agriculture-tuda-ageing-cohort-study/92B48D9F2754CE425A88482506CAAED6

^[44] Devere, Ronald. (2018, March). The Cognitive Consequences of Obesity. Retrieved from Anstey KJ, Cherbuin N, Budge M, Young J. BMI in midlife and late life as a risk for dementia: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Obesity Rev. 2011;12:e426-37.

^[45] Anstey KJ, Cherbuin N, Budge M, Young J. BMI in midlife and late life as a risk for dementia: a meta-analysis of prospective studies. Obesity Rev. 2011;12:e426-37. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21348917

^[46] Heartburn. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heartburn/symptoms-causes/syc-20373223

^[47] Kushner, Nancy. (2013). Obesity & Heartburn: What is the Link? (Retrieved from https://www.obesityaction.org/community/article-library/obesity-heartburn-what-is-the-link/

^[48] Kushner, Nancy. (2013). Obesity & Heartburn: What is the Link? (Retrieved from https://www.obesityaction.org/community/article-library/obesity-heartburn-what-is-the-link/

^[49] Zelman, Kathleen. (n.d.). Heartburn? Lose Weight for Relief. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/features/no-heartburn-diet#1

^[50] The Link Between Low Testosterone and Belly Fat. (2014, November 6). Retrieved from https://lowtcenter.com/news-article/the-link-between-low-testosterone-and-belly-fat/

^[51] Obesity: Unhealthy and Unmanly. (2011, March). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/obesity-unhealthy-and-unmanly

^[52] Obesity: Unhealthy and Unmanly. (2011, March). Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/obesity-unhealthy-and-unmanly

^[53] Weight and ED: How Being Overweight Can Affect Your Erection. Retrieved from https://www.forhims.com/blog/weight-and-ed-how-being-overweight-can-affect-your-erection

^[54] Samadi, David B. (2018, August 2). Why Men Need to Lose Their Belly Fat Now. Retrieved from https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/08/02/dr_david_b_samadi/1533209557_363098.html

^[55] Obesity and the GI Tract. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.gastroconsa.com/patient-education/obesity-and-the-gi-tract/

^[56] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2621047/

^[57] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mothers-pregnancy-weight/

^[58] Health Risks of Being Overweight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight

^[59] Flegal, Katherine M. (2009, Feb). Comparisons of Percentage Body Fat, Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, and Waist-Stature Ratio in Adults. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2647766/

^[60] Body Fat Calculator. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/bodyfat

^[61] The 12 Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat for Men and Women. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://fcer.org/exercises-to-lose-belly-fat/

^[62] https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/health_benefits_water_exercise.html

^[63] Metrus, Lindsey. (2018, January 11). This is Why You Lose (and Gain) Weight in Different Parts of Your Body First. Retrieved from https://www.byrdie.com/why-do-you-lose-and-gain-weight-in-different-areas

^[64] Metabolism and Weight Loss: How You Burn Calories. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/metabolism/art-20046508

^[65] Cutting and Losing Weight Without Cardio. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.maximuscle.com/sports/bodybuilding/Cutting-and-Losing-Weight-Without-Cardio/

^[66] Should You Try the Keto Diet? (2019, December 12). Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-try-the-keto-diet

^[67] Pooch Be Gone! How to Lose Belly Fat Without Exercise. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://betteroff.com/pooch-be-gone-how-to-lose-belly-fat-without-exercise/

^[68] Fletcher, Jenna. (2019, August 9). Fat Burning Heart Rate: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326002.php

^[69] Great Food Combos for Losing Weight. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-food-combos-weight-loss

^[70] Darzi, J. et al. (2014). Influence of the Tolerability of Vinegar as an Oral Source of Short-Chain Fatty Acids on Appetite Control and Food Intake. Int J Obes (Lond), 38(5): 675-81. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23979220

^[71] Ostman, E., et al. (2005). Vinegar Supplementation Lowers Glucose and Insulin Responses and Increases Satiety After a Bread Meal in Healthy Subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr, 59(9): 983-8. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16015276

^[72] Boschmann, M. (2003). Water-Induced Thermogenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 88(12): 6015-9. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14671205

^[73] Tello, Monique. (2019, December 12). Intermittent Fasting: Surprising Update. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156

^[74] Diet Review: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/intermittent-fasting/

^[75] The Facts on Omega-3 Fatty Acids. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet#1

^[76] American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “L-Carnitine treatment reduces severity of physical and mental fatigue and increases cognitive functions in centenarians: a randomized and controlled clinical trial.” M. Motta. 2007.

^[77] Hypertension. “Ameliorating hypertension and insulin resistance in subjects at increased cardiovascular risk: effects of acetyl-L-carnitine therapy.” Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research. 2009.

^[78] Georgetown University Medical Center. “White Kidney Bean Extract Influences Body Composition. International Journal of Medical Studies.

^[79] Louisiana State University. “Effects of Chromium Picolinate on Food Intake and Satiety.” Stephen Anton. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. 2008.

^[80] Abidov, M. “Effects of Fucoxanthin on Weight Management.” Journal of Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. 2010.

^[81] Journal of Phytomedicine. “A Randomized Trial of Two Different Doses of a SHR-5 Rhodiola Rosea Extract Versus Placebo and Control of Capacity For Mental Work.” Centre of Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspection of the R.F. Ministry of Health. 2003.

^[82] International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Effect of Raspberry Ketones and L-Carnitine on Oxidative Stress and Body Weight.” Al-Nahrain University. 2015.

^[83] “Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone.” Journal of Life Sciences. 2004.

^[84] Breus, Dr. Michael. (2019, April 2). How to Lose Weight While You Sleep. Retrieved from https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/04/02/how-to-lose-weight-while-you-sleep/

^[85] Bergland, Christopher. (2016, January 8). Why Does Chronic Stress Make Losing Weight More Difficult? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201601/why-does-chronic-stress-make-losing-weight-more-difficult

^[86] Santos, Sarah Kaye. (2017, September 1). The Best Exercises That Work your Lower Abs. Retrieved from https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/best-exercises-that-work-your-lower-abs.html/

^[87] Rivera, Hugo. (2020). The Best Ab Workout for a Six-Pack. Retrieved from https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-best-ab-workout-for-a-six-pack.html

^[88] Stiehl, Christina. (2019, March 16). 7 Experts Reveal How to Lose Belly Fat Once and For All. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-au/health/fitness/7-experts-reveal-how-to-lose-belly-fat-once-and-for-all/ar-BBUEiV4