Weight loss: How long does it take to burn belly fat? | The Times of India (2023)

For most people looking to lose weight, lugging belly fat remains to be a top complaint.

It can also feel like the type of body fat which takes the longest time, and in fact, may be the hardest to go. Hence, often referred to as ‘stubborn' belly fat.

While having some fat is healthy (and needed for vital functioning), the one type of fat which accumulates around our belly is visceral fat, which builds up between muscle linings, organs and abdominal activity, and is quite dangerous.

Too much visceral fat or the one which is present on your belly is linked to a lot of health problems, including high blood pressure, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes etc.

Truth be told, there are a lot of products, supplements, detox drinks and even wraps hyped to burn away belly fat. You could perform a number of core-targeting moves, planks or crunches but yet, spot-reduction fat loss, such as belly fat could be a near-impossible feat. Simply put, it cannot 'magically' go away.

In other words, one needs to focus on appropriate nutritional and fitness factors to lose weight and banish belly fat easy.

If you are someone looking around to find the answers for yourself, here's what you need to know.

Scientifically, you can start to see results and lose belly fat for yourself in something as little as 2 weeks time. That being said, even if the timeline might be short, cutting around inches off your waistline could require a lot of hard work and following the right balance of diet and workout.

For that to happen in the right manner, there are a lot of key specifics which need to be fixed first. We give you a lowdown for the same.

When it comes to the numbers, the calorie requirements tend to differ for men and women, depending on their age as well. On average, to target belly fat, ensure that you eat somewhere around 1200 calories a day, and manage to create a 500-calorie deficit which will help you burn fat the right way.

Experts also say that fat loss and inch loss also greatly depend on a person's capability- increased activity and more calorie reduction will definitely help you see results a little bit faster.

A calorie deficit is crucial to targeting belly fat and losing weight in an optimum manner. But how exactly do you achieve that?

If you are a beginner or just want to target belly flab now, it’s important that you work your way towards achieving a calorie deficit- by following a good diet and exercising frequently, and more. The more you work out, the more calories you stand to burn.

Coming to the food options, there is no single belly-busting food that can help you. However, what’s needed is that you become smarter with the choices you make.

A good way to start off would be by making some simple meal swaps or cutting out your regular snacks.

Liquid calories could be a big contributor too. Ditch out sugary drinks, alcohol and heavy smoothies for simpler, low-calorie drinks.

When it comes to the food groups, minimize your consumption of refined carbs. Refined ones, in particular, have been linked to more rampant visceral fat levels. Replace them with good carbs, pack in some protein when you do so. A lot many studies have repeatedly found that adding protein to a weight loss diet helps people lose more fat and create lean muscle mass.

Simply said, any exercise is better than zero exercises for your body.

That being said, some exercises and workout regimes have been found to be more effective when it comes to losing belly fat than others.

Researchers over the years have shown that instead of solely relying on cardio for faster fat loss, forms like resistance training, aerobics, weight lifting, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) could be doubly more effective in helping you sweat off the fat, build abs and get the desired shape you want.

If you are on a mission to ditch belly fat, tracking your progress is important. However, it may not always be the best way to measure improvements.

Simply relying on a scale may not be the most effective measure. Losing belly fat is much more than just losing weight. It can also become discouraging to constantly refer to scale results when your emphasis is on spot reduction.

Instead, what works better is to make use of a good waist tape measure. Aim to get weekly readings. To get the most accurate and right readings, ensure that you keep the tape wrapped around your waist at the same place, or around the belly button. The tape should feel snug, and not tight enough to pinch your skin.

Most of all, instead of opting for fad foods and diet to bust belly fat, remember to do so in a healthy, sustainable manner. There's never a one-size-fits-all approach that works. Focus on making choices that benefit your body, which make you feel good (do not deprive you) and most importantly, is patient and consistent with your progress.