The best exercises for belly fat loss are regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running, cycling or swimming, combined with strength training. Aerobic exercise has the strongest evidence for reducing visceral fat (the deep fat around your organs), and strength training protects muscle while you lose fat. Crunches and sit-ups strengthen your core but don't burn the fat on top. To see how many calories your walks burn, use the walking calorie calculator; for your daily calories, use the TDEE calculator.
Why crunches alone don't work
You can't choose where your body takes fat from. In a 2011 randomised trial, adults who did abdominal exercises five days a week for six weeks lost no more belly fat than a group who did no exercise. Their core got stronger, but the fat on top stayed. Fat comes off the whole body, belly included, when you burn more than you eat.
1. Aerobic exercise
A 2012 meta-analysis found aerobic exercise reduced visceral fat, while resistance training alone did not have a significant effect. A 2016 review found exercise reduced visceral fat even when people lost little weight, which means your waist can shrink before the scale moves.
- Brisk walking: the easiest to do every day.
- Cycling or rowing: joint-friendly and easy to make harder.
- Running or jogging: the most calories per minute, if your joints allow.
- Swimming: good if you are heavier or have joint pain.
2. Strength training
Lifting weights doesn't burn much belly fat directly, but it keeps or builds muscle while you lose weight, so more of what you lose is fat. Aim for 2–3 sessions a week of compound exercises: squats, deadlifts or hip hinges, presses, rows and lunges.
3. Intervals (HIIT)
Short bursts of hard effort with rest in between, such as 30 seconds fast and 90 seconds easy on a bike, take less time than steady exercise. They can reduce belly fat too, but they are harder to recover from. One or two sessions a week is plenty for most people.
4. Core exercises (for strength, not fat loss)
Planks, dead bugs, bird dogs and carries make your core stronger and support your back. Do them for those benefits, not to burn belly fat.
A sample week
| Day | Session |
|---|---|
| Monday | Strength (full body), 45 min |
| Tuesday | Brisk walk, 45–60 min |
| Wednesday | Intervals on a bike, 20 min, plus core |
| Thursday | Strength (full body), 45 min |
| Friday | Brisk walk, 45–60 min |
| Saturday | Longer walk, cycle or swim, 60+ min |
| Sunday | Rest or an easy walk |
Exercise works best with a modest calorie deficit. Exercise without changing your diet usually brings slower weight loss than people expect. The best way to burn belly fat covers diet, sleep and stress too.
See how many calories your walks and steps burn.
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Sources
- Vispute SS, Smith JD, LeCheminant JD, Hurley KS. The effect of abdominal exercise on abdominal fat. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(9):2559–2564. PubMed 21804427
- Ismail I, Keating SE, Baker MK, Johnson NA. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of aerobic vs. resistance exercise training on visceral fat. Obes Rev. 2012;13(1):68–91. PMC3568069
- Verheggen RJ, Maessen MF, Green DJ, Hermus AR, Hopman MT, Thijssen DH. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of exercise training versus hypocaloric diet: distinct effects on body weight and visceral adipose tissue. Obes Rev. 2016;17(8):664–690. LJMU Research Online
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci. 2024;13(1):6–12. pacompendium.com