5 ways to lose Belly Fat
It’s common to pick up a few unwanted pounds as you age.[i] As a man, you’re more likely to add this weight around your middle.[ii] Too much belly fat (also called visceral fat) can pose serious health risks.[iii]
What is belly fat?
There are different types of belly fat.[iv] When you pinch an inch (or more) at your waistline, what you feel is subcutaneous fat.[v] This type of fat lies just beneath your skin.[vi] It helps cushion and protect muscles, bones, blood vessels, and nerves.[vii] Subcutaneous fat is more noticeable at your belly, hips, thighs, and butt.[viii]
Having too much subcutaneous fat is often a sign that you have too much visceral fat.[ix] This type of body fat lies deeper in your belly behind your abdominal muscles.[x] It plays an important role, surrounding and helping protect abdominal organs.[xi] When most people talk about belly fat, they’re referring to visceral fat.[xii]
How belly fat affects men’s health
Compared to women, men are more prone to excess visceral fat, which gives an apple-shape appearance.[xiii] That’s because men have larger fat-rich particles called chylomicrons that take up more dietary fat from foods.[xiv] Men also make more of these chylomicrons.[xv]
You need some belly fat for cushioning and protection.[xvi] But an excess of belly fat increases your risk of chronic health problems, including:[xvii]
· Colorectal cancer
· Dementia
· Fatty liver
· High blood pressure and heart disease
· High blood glucose (sugar), prediabetes, and Type 2 diabetes
· Stroke
Do you have too much belly fat?
While a scale shows how much you weigh, it can’t tell you how much of that weight is visceral fat. There are a few easy ways to see how much belly fat you have:
· Measure your waist:[xviii] Remove your shirt and place a tape measure around your stomach, above your hipbones. Pull it snugly, but don’t let it push into the skin. Exhale and don’t suck in your stomach. Check the number on the tape measure. A waist measurement of more than 40 inches (102 centimeters) reflects an unhealthy amount of belly fat in men.
· Calculate your waist-to-height-ratio:[xix] After you measure your waist using the above steps, divide that number by your height. A healthy ratio is 0.5 or lower.
5 ways to lose belly fat
When you lose weight, you lose belly fat. Belly fat responds better to weight-loss methods than fat on the hips and thighs.[xx] Still, losing weight isn’t easy. These steps can help:
1. Move more
Exercise can help reduce your waist size even if you don’t drop pounds.[xxi] That’s because you gain muscle while losing fat.[xxii] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.[xxiii] You can fit this in by exercising 30 minutes a day for 5 days. [xxiv] Walking counts, or you can try one of these 10 ways to move more throughout the day.
If you’re getting back into exercise, talk to your health care provider before you start. Your provider may want to perform a physical exam to check for any issues that may affect exercise type and intensity.[xxv]
2. Build and maintain muscle
Muscle helps burn calories.[xxvi] But you gradually lose muscle as you age.[xxvii] Muscle loss affects how quickly your body burns calories.[xxviii] The CDC recommends strength training at least twice a week to build and maintain muscle.[xxix] Evidence shows that strength training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help get rid of belly fat.[xxx]
HIIT workouts combine high-intensity aerobic exercises that raise your heart rate and burn calories with lower-intensity strength training to build muscle.[xxxi] You can do a HIIT workout in 30 minutes or less.[xxxii]
3. Improve your diet
As you get older, your body needs fewer calories to maintain body functions.[xxxiii] Consuming more calories than your body needs or burns off can lead to weight gain.[xxxiv] Men in their 50s need about 200 fewer daily calories than men in their 30s.[xxxv] That’s why it’s important to pay attention to the foods you eat and portion sizes.
My Plate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture can help with portion control. MyPlate also helps ensure you get the nutrients you need every day.
These dietary changes can help you lose belly fat and improve health:[xxxvi]
· Choose lean proteins and low-fat dairy products.
· Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, which include foods that are processed or have a lot of sugar.
· Focus on getting more healthy fats, such as those found in fish, nuts, and avocados.
· Get more plant-based, high-fiber foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
4. Cut back on alcohol
You’ve probably heard a lot of jokes about men and beer bellies. It’s not necessarily the beer that’s to blame. It’s the extra calories you get from drinking too much of any alcohol.[xxxvii] A can of beer has about 150 calories.[xxxviii] Downing several cans can quickly add up, causing you to consume more calories than your body needs. The CDC recommends men limit alcohol to no more than 2 drinks per day.[xxxix]
Other ways alcohol may increase belly fat: [xl]
· Affects your body’s ability to burn fat
· Makes you feel hungry
· Impairs judgment, making you more likely to reach for and overeat high-calorie foods
5. Get more sleep
When you’re sleep deprived, your body makes more hormones that stimulate appetite.[xli] One study found that people who don’t get the recommended 7 hours of nightly sleep consume an extra 300 calories and 17% more fat each day.[xlii] As a result, study participants saw an 11% increase in visceral fat.[xliii]
These tips can help improve slumber :[xliv]
· Stick to a sleep schedule.
· Make your bedroom a cool, dark, electronics-free sanctuary.
· Find good ways to manage stress and unwind before bed.
In summary: Losing belly fat can improve your health
Belly fat doesn’t come on overnight. It will take time and effort to lose it. To help you make the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes, consider setting SMART goals. With this method, you create specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound health goals that improve your chances of success. You can also speak with your health care provider for advice on how to safely get started. Your provider may recommend working with a registered dietitian or a fitness coach.
Now that you know more about how belly fat affects your health, you may be curious about next steps. The Sincerely Health nutrition tools in the app can help.
You can start by downloading the app. You’ll save $10 on groceries* for creating an account. Next, create a personalized Sincerely Health nutrition profile to receive 1,000 points*.
Your nutrition profile allows you to:
● Set specific nutrition goals.
● Earn 10 points for items you purchase for a maximum 100 points per order (that’s 10 items at 10 points each).*
FAQs about belly fat and men’s health
What are the types of belly fat?
Subcutaneous fat lies just beneath your skin.[xlv] It helps cushion and protect muscles, bones, blood vessels, and nerves.[xlvi] Visceral fat is deeper in your belly.[xlvii] It surrounds and protects abdominal organs.[xlviii] Visceral fat is often referred to as belly fat.[xlix]
What are the health risks of belly fat?
Too much belly fat increases your risk of chronic health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.[l]
How can you lose belly fat?
A nutritious diet and physical activity that includes aerobics and strength training can help you lose belly fat.[li] It’s also important to cut back on alcohol and get enough sleep.[lii]
Sign up for Sincerely Health and create a nutrition profile to help you improve your well-being today!
Sources
[i] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[ii] Frontiers in Physiology. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Last reviewed December 5, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6906176/
[iii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[iv] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[v] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[vi] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[vii] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[viii] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[ix] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[x] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xi] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xii] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xiii] Frontiers in Physiology. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Last reviewed December 5, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6906176/
[xiv] Frontiers in Physiology. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Last reviewed December 5, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6906176/
[xv] Frontiers in Physiology. Why Do Men Accumulate Abdominal Visceral Fat? Last reviewed December 5, 2019. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6906176/
[xvi] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xvii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685; Harvard Health Publishing. Taking Aim at Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat; American Heart Association. Too Much Belly Fat, Even for People With a Healthy BMI, Raises Heart Risks. Last reviewed April 22, 2021. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/04/22/too-much-belly-fat-even-for-people-with-a-healthy-bmi-raises-heart-risks
[xviii] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat; Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xix] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xx] Harvard Health Publishing. Taking Aim at Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
[xxi] Harvard Health Publishing. Taking Aim at Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
[xxii] Harvard Health Publishing. Taking Aim at Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat
[xxiii] American Heart Association. What Exercise Is Right for Me? Last reviewed January 31, 2024. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/go-red-get-fit/what-exercise-is-right-for-me; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview. Last reviewed December 20, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html
[xxiv] American Heart Association. What Exercise Is Right for Me? Last reviewed January 31, 2024. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/go-red-get-fit/what-exercise-is-right-for-me; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview. Last reviewed December 20, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html
[xxv] Penn Medicine. Do You Need a Heart Check-Up Before Starting an Exercise Program? Last reviewed June 20, 2022. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/heart-and-vascular-blog/2017/february/do-you-need-a-heart-check-up-before-starting-an-exercise-program
[xxvi] Cleveland Clinic. 14 Ways to Lose Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 19, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tips-for-losing-belly-fat
[xxvii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxviii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxix] American Heart Association. What Exercise Is Right for Me? Last reviewed January 31, 2024. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/go-red-get-fit/what-exercise-is-right-for-me; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview. Last reviewed December 20, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html
[xxx] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxi] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). Last reviewed November 2021. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/high-intensity-interval-training/; Cleveland Clinic. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): It’s for Everyone. Last reviewed June 1, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/think-you-cant-do-high-intensity-interval-training-think-again
[xxxii] Cleveland Clinic. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): It’s for Everyone. Last reviewed June 1, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/think-you-cant-do-high-intensity-interval-training-think-again; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). Last reviewed November 2021. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/high-intensity-interval-training/
[xxxiii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxiv] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxv] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxvi] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxvii] Cleveland Clinic. Does Beer Really Cause a Beer Belly? Last reviewed January 2, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/qa-the-truth-about-that-beer-belly; Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxviii] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xxxix] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol Use and Your Health. Last reviewed January 14, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/index.html
[xl] Cleveland Clinic. Does Beer Really Cause a Beer Belly? Last reviewed January 2, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/qa-the-truth-about-that-beer-belly; Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685
[xli] Cleveland Clinic. 14 Ways to Lose Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 19, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tips-for-losing-belly-fat
[xlii] Mayo Clinic. Lack of Sleep Increases Unhealthy Abdominal Fat. Last reviewed March 28, 2022. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lack-of-sleep-increases-unhealthy-abdominal-fat/; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About Sleep. Last reviewed May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about/index.html
[xliii] Mayo Clinic. Lack of Sleep Increases Unhealthy Abdominal Fat. Last reviewed March 28, 2022. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lack-of-sleep-increases-unhealthy-abdominal-fat/
[xliv] National Sleep Foundation. How to Make a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom. Last reviewed November 10, 2020. https://www.thensf.org/how-to-make-a-sleep-friendly-bedroom/
[xlv] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[xlvi] Cleveland Clinic. Subcutaneous Fat. Last reviewed August 7, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23968-subcutaneous-fat
[xlvii] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xlviii] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[xlix] Cleveland Clinic. Visceral Fat. Last reviewed September 12, 2022. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24147-visceral-fat
[l] Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685; Harvard Health Publishing. Taking Aim at Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 26, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat; American Heart Association. Too Much Belly Fat, Even for People With a Healthy BMI, Raises Heart Risks. Last reviewed April 22, 2021. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/04/22/too-much-belly-fat-even-for-people-with-a-healthy-bmi-raises-heart-risks
[li] Cleveland Clinic. 14 Ways to Lose Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 19, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tips-for-losing-belly-fat
[lii] Cleveland Clinic. 14 Ways to Lose Belly Fat. Last reviewed March 19, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/tips-for-losing-belly-fat; Cleveland Clinic. Does Beer Really Cause a Beer Belly? Last reviewed January 2, 2024. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/qa-the-truth-about-that-beer-belly; Mayo Clinic. Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters. Last reviewed June 27, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/mens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045685;
