The best exercises to lose belly fat: what actually works (and why)

If losing belly fat were just about “burning more calories,” most people wouldn’t struggle with it for so long. You’d jog a bit more, eat a bit less, and your waistline would follow.

But belly fat doesn’t behave that simply.

Where abdominal fat shrinks isn’t just how many calories you burn during a workout. It’s how your body decides where to send energy after you eat, where it stores fuel, and which tissues get priority. And that decision is heavily influenced by muscle.¹

This guide explains the exercises that genuinely help reduce belly fat, not by targeting the stomach directly, but by changing how your body partitions energy between fat and muscle over time.

Why “spot reduction” fails, and what really changes belly fat

Your body is always using energy, even when you’re resting. In fact, about 50–70% of the calories you burn each day are used just to keep you alive for things like breathing, circulation, and keeping your organs working, and much of that energy comes from fat.¹

Abdominal fat is particularly active here. That means that before meals, fat cells around the abdomen release fatty acids into the bloodstream at around three times the rate seen in areas like the forearm. In other words, belly fat is already “leaking” energy all day long.²

But fat loss isn’t just about release. It’s about where that energy ends up next. Both muscle and fat tissue are capable of soaking up circulating fuel after meals. The tissue that demands more energy wins. When muscle demand is low, more of that fuel is redirected back into fat stores, mainly in the belly.¹

This is why exercise works. Not because it magically incinerates belly fat, but because it shifts fuel away from fat cells and toward muscle.

Muscle is the real driver of abdominal fat loss

Studies in both humans and animals show that larger, more active muscle tissue is associated with lower fat mass, even when calorie intake doesn’t dramatically change.^1,3

When muscle size or activity increases:¹

• More circulating fat, glucose, and amino acids are drawn into muscle

• Less fuel is stored back into abdominal fat cells

• Fat cells enter a negative balance over time

This is sometimes described as hydrocarbon redistribution. Put simply, muscle acts like a powerful energy sink.¹

Sedentary behaviour is entirely the opposite. When activity drops:¹

• Fat tissue becomes more efficient at pulling in fuel

• Muscle becomes less competitive

• Abdominal fat storage increases, even without overeating

This explains why exercise changes body composition even when 24-hour fat “burning” doesn’t increase dramatically.

Why fat-burning workouts are often misunderstood

You’ve probably heard that low-intensity cardio is best for “burning fat.” That idea comes from the fact that, during gentle exercise, a higher percentage of energy comes from fat.

But that doesn’t predict fat loss. Research using metabolic chambers shows that:^1,4

• Exercise does not significantly increase 24-hour fat oxidation when calories are matched

• Both aerobic and resistance training can reduce belly fat without increasing total fat burning across the day

• Higher-intensity exercise often leads to greater abdominal fat loss, despite relying more on carbohydrates during the workout

This is why the “fat-burning zone” concept falls apart in practice. What matters more is how much muscle you recruit, how much tissue you stress, and how strongly you increase post-exercise fuel demand.

The best exercises to lose belly fat 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

HIIT recruits a large amount of muscle in a short period of time and creates significant metabolic disruption.

Although it’s largely anaerobic, studies show HIIT can reduce abdominal fat by 40–50% in people with metabolic conditions. In some trials, it outperforms longer steady-state cardio even when total calorie burn is similar.⁵

Why it works:

• High muscle fibre recruitment

• Increased post-exercise fuel uptake by muscle

• Strong stimulus for tissue repair and rebuilding

Resistance training and compound lifts

Strength training is one of the most underrated tools for belly fat loss. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows:

• Increase muscle mass

• Increase muscle fuel demand after training

• Improve insulin sensitivity in trained muscles

In practical terms, this means more of what you eat is redirected into muscle rather than fat. Over time, abdominal fat cells lose ground. Importantly, resistance training reduces belly fat even when total fat oxidation doesn’t rise, reinforcing that redistribution, not burning, is the key mechanism.¹

Does jogging reduce belly fat?

Yes, especially visceral fat, but not because it “targets” the stomach. Moderate-intensity cardio increases total energy turnover and improves metabolic health. When combined with sufficient volume and consistency, it contributes to lower abdominal fat.

However, studies consistently show that moderate-to-high intensity exercise is more effective than low-intensity movement alone. Jogging works best when it’s part of a broader programme that includes muscle-loading exercise.¹

Timing matters more than most people realise

Exercise increases muscle insulin sensitivity, but this effect is temporary. When you eat shortly after training:¹

• Muscles preferentially pull in glucose and fatty acids

• Glycogen stores are replenished

• Less fuel is diverted into fat storage

Studies show that eating immediately before and after training leads to:⁶

• Greater fat loss

• Greater lean mass gains

Delaying meals for several hours after exercise blunts these benefits and can lead to more fat accumulation, not less. This doesn’t mean rigid meal timing is essential, but it explains why fuelling around workouts often improves body composition outcomes.

Stress, cortisol, and belly fat

Belly fat is particularly sensitive to hormonal signals.

Chronic stress raises cortisol, which:¹

• Encourages abdominal fat storage

• Reduces muscle insulin sensitivity

• Shifts fuel partitioning back toward fat tissue

Excessive high-volume training without recovery can worsen this effect. That’s why doing more exercise doesn’t always lead to better results.

What this means for your workout plan

The most effective belly-fat-reducing routines share a few traits:

• Recruit a lot of muscle

• Include resistance training

• Use moderate-to-high intensity work strategically

• Are consistent and sustainable

A simple structure might look like:

• 2–3 full-body strength sessions per week

• 1–2 HIIT or interval sessions

• Low-intensity movement on rest days

• Adequate fuelling and recovery

The numan take

Belly fat isn’t stubborn because you’re lazy or doing the wrong ab workout. It’s responding to how your body distributes energy between fat and muscle.

For some people, exercise and lifestyle changes are enough. For others, appetite regulation, insulin resistance, or hormonal factors make progress harder despite effort. That’s where structured support can help, combining training, nutrition, diagnostics, and clinically-proven treatments when appropriate.

References

1. Kuo C-H, Harris MB. Abdominal fat reducing outcome of exercise training: fat burning or hydrocarbon source redistribution? Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2016;94(7):695–8

2. brahim MM. Subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue: structural and functional differences. Obes Rev. 2010;11(1):11–8.

3. Palmer AK, Jensen MD. Metabolic changes in aging humans: current evidence and therapeutic strategies. J Clin Invest. 2022;132(16).

4. Knab AM, Shanely RA, Corbin KD, Jin F, Sha W, Nieman DC. A 45-minute vigorous exercise bout increases metabolic rate for 14 hours. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(9):1643–8.

5. Racil G, Chelly M-S, Coquart J, Padulo J, Teodor DF, Russo L. Long- and short-term high-intensity interval training on lipid profile and cardiovascular disorders in obese male adolescents. Children (Basel). 2023;10(7):1180.

6. Fellows. Research at Surrey suggests timing your exercise and meals can lead to weight loss. Surrey.ac.uk. [accessed 8 Jan 2026] Available from: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/features/research-surrey-suggests-timing-your-exercise-and-meals-can-lead-weight-loss