How To Lose Stomach Fat In Women: Tips To Help You Get Healthier 2024

Obesity is a complex health condition affecting people across the globe. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of multiple medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Accumulating excess abdominal fat is associated with greater health risks.^[1]

Maintaining a healthy weight or achieving weight loss can be challenging but is important for optimal health. Two mainstays of a healthy lifestyle are eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise.

Consuming nutrient-dense food and doing exercise regularly promote a healthy lifestyle. Cardio exercise is important for heart health as well as aiding weight loss.

A multifaceted approach is necessary to lose weight. Women who gain weight in their midsection may wish to lose belly fat. Let us discuss lifestyle changes related to losing weight and learn how to lose stomach fat in women.

How To Lose Stomach Fat In Women

Weight loss occurs over the entire body. Unfortunately, you cannot spot reduce fat during weight loss. Nevertheless, there are habits you can change in your life that will support your weight loss journey.

Daily decisions impact health for better or worse. Choosing what to eat or whether to go to yoga class affects your body. Try to make healthy choices for sustainable weight loss.

Losing overall body fat will help reduce belly fat. Excess belly fat that surrounds the organs internally is called visceral fat. Visceral fat is associated with an increased risk for cardiometabolic disease.^[2]

Pre-menopausal women tend to have more subcutaneous fat, whereas post-menopausal women^[3] tend toward more visceral fat. Since having too much belly fat affects your disease risk factors, we can surmise there are health benefits to losing belly fat.

Schedule And Perform Regular Physical Activity

Many people know that regular exercise is healthy; however, finding time to do it is challenging. If you schedule exercise like you would an important appointment, you may be more likely to stick to your schedule. Building healthy habits requires deliberate action.

A systematic review^[4] showed that aerobic exercise or a combination of aerobic and resistance training significantly affected visceral fat loss. High-intensity interval training demonstrated favorable outcomes in body composition. Another study showed reduced body fat percentage^[5] and fat mass, with improved fat-free mass when engaging in a HIIT program.

According to research,^[6] resistance training combined with a low-calorie diet significantly reduces fat mass. Resistance training alone was also found through a systematic review and meta-analysis to significantly affect subcutaneous and visceral fat loss.^[7] 

Cardio workouts burn calories, and strength training increases lean muscle mass. Both are essential to a successful weight loss plan and to lose belly fat.
How much cardio should you do to lose weight? Aim for 20-30 minutes daily to reach the recommended 150 minutes per week.^[8] Jogging and HIIT are two of the best cardio workouts to include in your exercise routine.

Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods

A balanced diet is a key factor in a healthy lifestyle. When losing belly fat is a goal, you must be aware of your calorie intake. While there is no magic diet, consuming essential nutrients and maintaining a calorie deficit are important tools for weight loss.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are types of dietary fat and essential nutrients for optimal health. Evidence suggests a monounsaturated fatty acid-rich diet supports fat-burning^[9] compared to saturated fats, resulting in weight reduction, especially abdominal fat. Therefore, consuming healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, and certain nuts can aid in reducing belly fat. 

Polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish are protective against metabolic disorders.^[10] Recent studies indicate that PUFAs from plant-derived sources, such as algae and kelp, maybe more accessible. A higher ratio of Omega-3 PUFAs than Omega-6 is recommended for health benefits such as reduced inflammation associated with chronic disease.

Whole grains include whole-grain cold breakfast cereal, oatmeal, and brown rice. Consumption of higher fiber-containing whole grains versus refined grains is associated with reduced visceral abdominal fat and waist circumference.^[11]

Increasing your intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and beans is a healthy move because they contain essential nutrients. These nutrients include fiber, protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.

Eating a whole-food, plant-based diet also supports weight loss. Research indicates a whole-food, plant-based diet is effective for weight loss.^[12] It also offers health benefits like decreased risk of heart disease.

Avoid Processed Foods And Sugary Drinks

Ultra-processed foods and beverages are linked to obesity^[13] and its associated health risks. Eating more ultra-processed foods was associated with greater age-related visceral and overall fat increases.

Industrial trans fatty acids^[14] are in many packaged foods like crackers, cookies, and frozen pizzas. Trans fats are associated with insulin resistance, negatively affecting blood glucose levels. They may also alter the body’s ability to metabolize omega-3 fatty acids, increasing the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease.

Processed packaged foods and drinks contribute to higher calorie intake than whole foods and natural beverages like water. If you want to know how to lose women’s belly fat quickly, limit the consumption of these products.

Manage Sleep And Stress

Getting enough sleep is essential to good health, and prolonged sleep disturbance can negatively affect your weight. Did you know you can lose weight while sleeping? Experts recommend for adults seven or more hours of sleep^[15] regularly to support good health.

Research^[16] shows prolonged sleep deprivation is associated with consuming more calories. When the sleep-wake cycle disrupts the circadian rhythm, hunger hormones are affected, leading to poor appetite control. Thus, poor sleep health harms weight management and may lead to excess weight.

Prolonged elevated stress affects metabolic health.^[17] Increased stress releases more cortisol, the stress hormone, into the blood. This causes the body’s normal stress response to shut down, increasing blood glucose levels and subsequent insulin resistance.

If this process of poor regulation happens repeatedly, it causes increased abdominal fat and weight gain. For these reasons, managing sleep and stress can support weight loss efforts.

Additional Weight Loss Tips To Try

Managing a healthy lifestyle or committing to a weight loss plan can be a complex endeavor utilizing many different tools. Consider these other helpful tips when you want to learn how to lose stomach fat for women. 

• Drink enough water. Adequate water intake ensures you are properly hydrated and aids weight loss.^[18] Try infusing your water with fruit, veggies, or spices to add flavor and boost metabolism using these detox water ideas. 
• Try nutritional supplements. Products that support weight loss efforts, such as fat-burning supplements, may help reduce appetite and increase metabolism. Read reviews, and consult a health professional to determine which supplements are best for you.
• Count calories. Keeping track of calories or using a calorie calculator can be helpful to know how many calories you should aim for to lose weight.
• Meal planning^[19] and preparation helps ensure you are consuming essential nutrients instead of fast food. It can also help manage caloric intake.
• Smoothies are a super way to incorporate more fruit, veggies, and other nutrients into your day. Smoothies for weight loss are satisfying and portable drinks ideal for busy folks.

Why Is Belly Fat Bad For You?

Having increased belly fat is more complex and serious than feeling uncomfortable and self-conscious about weight gain. Research shows that too much visceral fat increases the risk of chronic diseases.^[3] 

Visceral fat is more metabolically active^[20] compared to subcutaneous fat.  Evidence indicates it causes insulin resistance and increased inflammation. Those factors increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.

Fat distribution is more of a health-determining factor than total body fat. Men tend to store fat in the belly, whereas women’s fat storage occurs more in the hips and thighs until post-menopause. After menopause, women tend to accumulate more belly fat, which can influence their metabolic health.

Therefore, taking action to reduce visceral fat is a healthy move. Take advice from the steps above and begin your fat loss journey. Monitor your waist circumference with a tape measure to establish a baseline and watch your progress.

How Long Does It Take To Lose Belly Fat?

Managing a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, avoiding processed foods, and several other factors are required for weight loss. When you lose body weight, it occurs over the whole body, including the belly. Unfortunately, you cannot spot-reduce fat loss in specific areas.

With consistent effort, you may see some initial weight changes within a few weeks. For effective weight loss and maintenance, long-term planning is ideal. Aim to lose one to two pounds per week^[21] for approximately six months, then reassess the progress. 

Conclusion

Women wanting to lose stomach fat must commit to lifestyle changes. Losing belly fat is challenging, and following a weight loss plan with consistent effort is the key. Fat loss requires a multifaceted approach and is a long-term process.

Quick weight loss is not realistic and often involves regaining weight. Carrying excess abdominal fat poses health risks and causes chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Thus there are health advantages that encourage your efforts toward a flat stomach. 

Discussing sustainable weight loss with a healthcare provider is recommended. They can support you and ensure you are receiving the most up-to-date treatments and knowledgeable advice.