The truth about losing belly fat naturally. And what's really behind it.
By Kelan Ern Updated: 03/11/25
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After being a fitness coach for 15+ years, one of the most sought-after questions is:
How to lose belly fat.
Whether it's losing a little pouch, fitting into skinny jeans or saying goodbye to a potbelly, people try countless things to get rid of it - including cutting out carbs.... sugar... fat... or doing hundreds possibly thousands of crunches every day.
In this ultimate guide, we're going deeper than a normal blog post to give you real strategies (backed by science) that have helped my private clients slim down and will help you move the needle (or measuring tape) .
Let's do it.
Two Types of Belly Fat
The human body has incredible "tells" that alert you as to what's going on internally.
When it comes to belly fat, one of these tells is the “feeling” of the stomach (yes, how it feels when you touch it). Understanding this difference is critical because one of these has been called "ticking time bomb" for the body.
There are two types of bellies:
Soft Belly
Hard Belly
Soft Belly
A “soft belly” is softer and what you would consider jiggly.
You can grab or pinch the fat (unlike a “hard belly”). That’s because the fat is stored near the surface of the skin called subcutaneous fat.
Even though it is undesirable and unwanted, a little bit of “soft belly” is not dangerous.
But usually people also have the next type of fat beneath the surface too…
Hard Belly
Imagine a potbelly or a beer belly.
Those are examples of “hard bellies.” You can’t grab or pinch the fat near the surface like a “soft belly.” A hard belly is rigid and almost feels hard to the touch. Why? Because of underlying visceral fat. Visceral fat builds up around your liver, pancreas, and other organs.
Eventually it fills up the abdominal cavity and then pushes the abdominal wall outward - creating the potbelly. So the hardness of the “hard belly” is really the abdominal wall, but that’s because the abdominal cavity has filled with fat.
Unlike a “soft belly”, a “hard belly” is way more deadly.
Why Visceral Fat Is a Ticking Time Bomb
Visceral fat is quite a menace for the body.
According to Jean-Pierre Despres Ph.D.:
“Having a hard belly is like having a ticking time bomb in your body. It increases your chances of heart disease and diabetes, and it’s worse than smoking or having high cholesterol.“
Here’s a short list of health problems connected to visceral fat:
Sleep Apnea
Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Insulin Resistance
Type 2 Diabetes
Stroke
Heart dysfunction (left ventricular problems)
Hyperglycemia (high levels of glucose in the blood)
Heart Attacks
Heart attack risk is increased especially for women. In the Journal of the American Heart Association researchers found after reviewing 500,000 people ages 40-69 that women who carried more abdominal fat were 10%-20% more likely to have a heart attack.
Why does visceral fat create heart problems?
One reason is because visceral fat is not dormant. It releases hormones and immune chemicals known as cytokines. This combination can hinder blood pressure, blood clotting, insulin sensitivity, and create excessive inflammation in the body.
Plus, more inflammation can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat as well!
Another reason visceral fat can be dangerous is because it accumulates near the portal vein, which transports blood to the liver. Visceral fat may dump free fatty acids into the portal vein which travel to the liver and alter HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.
But that’s not all…
Dementia Connection
Dr. Rachel Whitmer of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland California has looked at the connection between brain health and belly fat.
In her research, she found that over a 36-year span people with the largest waist circumference had the greatest likelihood of dementia.
In addition, a 2010 study published in the Annals of Neurology found that out of 733 subjects, those with more visceral fat had lower brain volume.
Hopefully you are seeing that there is more than one reason for tackling belly fat other than just physical appearance.
So now let’s zoom in on the 5 Big Suspects of Belly Fat.
5 Big Causes of Belly Fat
You can point your finger at many belly fat suspects.
Some won’t be surprising. Others may shift your thinking about what may be getting in your way. Whatever the case, go through the following not asking, have I heard these before?
But which one of these do I need to start acting on?
#1: Genetic Predisposition
Some research shows that genes may predispose some people to belly fat. A 2014 study published in Human Molecular Genetics found 5 genes in particular that may predict your waist-to-hip ratio. But remember this is not the only reason so even if you are predisposed, there are other factors that are in your control.
#2: Lack of Exercise
Not surprisingly, lack of movement is strongly connected to fat around the midsection. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that lack of exercise was connected with more belly fat. Also, researchers found that even small amounts of exercise decreased belly fat – even without modifying nutrition.
#3: Sweetened Drinks
These include pop, juices (yes even 100% fruit juices), and sweetened teas. Research from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and European Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found that subjects who consumed sweetened drinks (especially those high in fructose) gained significant belly fat.
#4: Refined Carbohydrates
Eating refined carbohydrates such as breakfast cereals, white bread, bagels, muffins, pasta, pizza, crackers are a major culprit for belly fat as well. In fact, a 2010 study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that subjects who consumed more refined grains increased their amount of belly fat.
#5: High Stress Levels
When you’re stressed out, your body releases the “stress hormone” cortisol. Cortisol then puts your body into “fat-storing” mode. And your stomach just so happens to have an abundance of cortisol receptors making it a prime location for fat storage. That’s why stressed-caused weight-gain tends to show up in the midsection.
A 2004 study published in Endocrinology found that higher cortisol tends to not only increase belly fat but also boosts appetite as well. The journal Obesity Research has even found that women with larger waists tend to release more cortisol when stressed which makes this all a vicious cycle.
So there are the main suspects.
Now let’s take aim at the three biggest ways to battle belly fat backed by science.
Three Healthy Ways to Lose Belly Fat
Target #1: Refined Carbs
Looking back on the clients I’ve helped over the years, a pattern has become clear.
Without question, the primary hurdle stopping them from losing weight, body fat, and dropping inches has been too many refined carbohydrates.
Whether it was bread, pasta, pizza or baked goods, they tend be a real hurdle, especially for losing belly fat.
So what specifically are refined carbs?
Refined carbohydrates fall under the following categories:
Refined Grains: The largest source is white flour.
Processed Sugar: High fructose corn syrup, sucrose, etc.
Refined carbs are in breakfast cereals, instant soups, packaged baked goods, sweets, snacks, pop, pastries, white bread and other processed foods.
Why are they harmful?
First, refined carbs have nearly all their vitamins, minerals, and fiber removed from them. This is why they are known as “empty” calories. Secondly, they are high glycemic foods. Meaning: they are digested extremely fast which spikes your blood sugar. This tends to increase your cravings and boosts your insulin levels, which makes you store more fat.
Plus, these foods are connected to the following:
Heart Disease Connection
Studies in Mediators Inflammation, The British Journal of Nutrition, and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found a connection between refined carbs, high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, which are the primary symptoms of type 2 diabetes. One 2013 study in The American Journal of Epidemiology found that Chinese adults who consumed the most refined carbs were 200-300% more likely to develop heart disease.
Cancer Connection
The University of Texas published a study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention which looked at 1,905 patients who were recently diagnosed with lung cancer. They then compared their nutritional habits with 2,413 healthy patients.
They found that patients who ate the most refined carbohydrates (such as breakfast cereals, potatoes, and bagels) increased their risk of lung cancer by 49%! And these were non-smokers! In the study, the smokers who consumed a high-refined carbohydrate diet increased their risk by 31%.
Belly Fat Connection
A 2013 study published in the journal Obesity found that when overweight subjects followed a low-carbohydrate diet, they lost 10% more visceral fat. Plus, they lost 4.4% more total fat.
Another 2004 study in Nutrition & Metabolism found that obese subjects who consumed higher fat and lower carbohydrates lost more visceral fat than subjects on a low-fat diet (even though the low-carb, high-fat group consumed 300 more calories each day!)
Additional studies from The Journal Nutrition Metabolism, Journal of Nutrition, and Metabolism have shown that not only does reducing carbs help fat loss, but belly fat loss.
What if your blood runs cold at the thought of giving up pasta, chips, and pizza?
Don’t worry, I used to be in the exact same boat.
I couldn’t imagine giving up bread or pizza. But the interesting thing is when I stopped eating these my cravings for them started disappearing. Plus, I discovered how to make the foods that I loved without the ingredients that were wreaking havoc on my body.
Without making this an entire weight-loss nutrition course, let’s focus just on alternatives to white (or wheat) flour. Because once you remove these, you remove a lot of problematic foods.
Are you ready?
11 Healthy Replacements for White Flour
Let me warn you about the following ingredients.
Some of these are harder to find. Some of these you may have never heard of. Some of these will be more expensive than others.
But at bare minimum coconut flour and almond flour are now available in most grocery stores.
11 healthy replacements for white flour:
Coconut Flour
Ground Flaxseed
Almond Flour
Tapioca Flour
Cassava flour
Green Banana Flour
Arrowroot Flour
Sesame Flour
Tiger Nut Flour
Grape Seed Flour
Chestnut Flour
You may not be familiar with some of these ingredients.
And that’s okay. When I first started cooking with these, I had roll up my sleeves and chart into new territory. But man was it worth it. This will push you to cook new recipes and expand your meal repertoire. I’ve personally made pancakes, brownies, pizza, muffins, and many others by using these
(And without any sugar either).
There’s no reason you have to use them all.
Pick the ones that work for you.
Oh, speaking of sugar, let’s talk about that.
Target #2: Added Sugar
Like I mentioned in the previous section, refined carbohydrates have been one of the single largest hurdles stopping people from losing weight and body fat.
And as a quick recap, there are two main types of refined carbs:
Refined grains
Added sugars
We'll focus on added sugars.
Added sugars are extremely addicting and release dopamine which activates the reward centers of the brain. When this happens, cravings skyrocket and so does overeating. And over time this devastates the body and the waistline.
Research in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, The Journal of Nutrition, and Physiology Behavior have all found that people who eat more added sugars have greater visceral (and belly) fat.
The problem is that added sugars are hiding in more foods than we know. They are in breads, pasta sauces, yogurt, salad dressings, and even ketchup. In fact, a 2012 study published in the Journal of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that manufactures add sugar to 74% of supermarket foods!
And these added sugars go under 61 different names on food labels including: high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, rice syrup, barley malt, brown sugar, and so on. Some of these names are very deceiving too.
For instance, some companies make added sugars seem “healthier” by giving them labels such as cane sugar, honey, or agave nectar. And sure, honey has more nutrients. But it’s still not great. It’s still spiking blood sugar and putting your body into fat-storing mode. So if you really want the best results…
Remove all of these and see for yourself the difference it makes.
And don’t worry I won’t leave you hanging, here are some healthy replacements:
6 Sugar Substitutes:
Xylitol
Erythritol (such as Swerve)
Monk Fruit
Yacon
Inulin
Stevia
Sugar alcohol is not a bad option either.
Just be aware some people have bloating and digestive troubles if they eat too much of it. Also, personally I don’t like the flavor of Stevia all that much but some people really enjoy it. I’ve baked with Swerve and it’s extremely sweet like sugar.
See which ones work best for you.
Why Sumo Wrestlers Have Little Visceral Fat
Several years ago, I was in Tokyo eating an authentic Sumo Wrestler meal called Chanko Nabe. It’s a hot pot filled with veggies, fish and other meats. And man is it delicious! Apparently, sumo wrestlers slam down one of these per day.
For us, it took three people just to take down one!
Turns out, sumo wrestlers consume roughly 7,000 calories per day. But even though they consume massive amount of calories each day, they tend to have very little visceral fat. Plus, they have low cholesterol levels and normal triglyceride counts.
How’s that possible?
Because even though a sumo wrestler may be large, they have “soft bellies” not “hard bellies” (visceral fat). And even though we may not desire the plumpness of a sumo wrestler, there’s something we can learn from them on how to protect ourselves from dangerous visceral fat.
So what’s their secret?
Scientists believe the reason is a hormone known as adiponectin.
Imagine cruising down the street with a fork in the road but a police officer is blocking the left turn and sending traffic to the right. That’s how adiponectin works. Adiponectin works by blocking fat and sugars in the blood from going into the abdominal cavity (and stored as visceral fat), instead it sends them underneath the skin (subcutaneous fat). And this little hormone is released during intense exercise.
(Note: You may not want fat stored either place, and when you combine the tools in the previous section, then it changes the game. Chances are, if sumo wrestlers didn’t consume 7,000 calories per day they wouldn’t have to worry about gaining “soft bellies” either.)
For sumo wrestlers, they start off with hours of training each morning, sometimes even 5 hours’ worth.
And these are not light workouts.
These are intense bouts where they are shoving and hitting each other, in some cases until they collapse to the ground. These intense workouts release adiponectin which protects them from gaining visceral fat.
So does this mean you have to become a sumo wrestler? Or start hitting the gym 5 hours per day?
Not at all.
Studies show that even light exercise has a powerful effect on visceral fat (and belly fat in general). In fact, I know a woman who started something so simple, yet it radically changed her body….
Target #3: Walk Off Your Belly Fat
Several years ago, I worked with a middle-aged woman who lost 20 pounds within 4 months.
For years she had been dying to get to 180 and she tried every diet under the sun and just couldn’t do it. She had tried all sorts of extreme workouts and still she could only get past a certain point. It wasn’t until she started doing this (with some nutritional changes) that she finally broke through her plateau.
So if you are at ground-zero with working out, it’s a perfect (and effective) way to start.
Walking.
I know it’s so basic. So simple. It can’t possibly be that effective for weight (and belly fat), could it?
You’d be surprised.
Here’s some research:
A 2014 study in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition and Biochemistry found that obese women who walked for 50-70 minutes (3x per week) for 12 weeks lost 1.1 inches around their waist and 1.5% of their total body fat.
Another 2002 study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders found that subjects who walked for 60 minutes (5x per week) for 12 weeks lost 1.5 more inches from their waist and 1.3% more fat, compared to subjects who just dieted.
A 2000 study published in Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine found that women ages 31-72 who took a 30-60 minute walk per day had lower waistlines and body fat.
A 2002 study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice had obese subjects do daily walking. They found that blood pressure and cholesterol improved and there was a significant drop in visceral fat.
And research is beginning to show, the more walking the better. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked specifically at the amount of walking and its effects on the body (and body fat).
Here’s what they found:
Less than 6,000 steps: BMI: 29 Body Fat: 44% Waist: 37-inches Hips: 42-inches
10,000 or more steps: BMI: 23 Body Fat: 26% Waist: 29-inches Hips: 39-inches
As you can see, the more walking the less BMI (body mass index), body fat, waistline, and hip circumference the subjects had. Here’s the distance on each of those (based on the average person’s stride):
2,000 steps: ~ 1 mile per day. 6,000 steps: ~ 3 miles per day. 10,000 steps: ~5 miles per day.
So depending on your walking speed this could take roughly 60-120 minutes. Now some people may be intimidated by those numbers. So here’s how to:
Gradually boost the distance you walk each day.
Boost your enjoyment for walking each day.
14 Easy Ways to Walk More
Here are 14 easy ways to get more walking in:
When you drive to work or the grocery store, park further away.
Have a walking meeting with a coworker.
Have a walking date.
Talk with friends over a walk.
Find new paths or routes in your area.
Track your steps using a fitness tracker.
Walk the dog (maybe even twice per day).
Walk during your lunch break.
Walk to the store.
Walk around the mall.
Call friends or family members during your walks.
Listen to music.
Listen to podcasts.
Listen to audio-programs.
Plus, when you start walking more…
You'll get at least 7 more health-boosting benefits:
#1: Influences Weight-Gaining Genes
Harvard researchers looked at 12,000 people to find roughly 32 obesity-promoting genes. But they have found that even with those genes, the effects of them were slashed in half in subjects who walked at least an hour a day.
#2: Soothes Joint Pain
Walking helps protect the knees and hips by strengthening the muscles around them and lubricating the joints. Besides soothing arthritis, several studies have suggested that just walking 5-6 miles per week may even prevent arthritis.
#3: Boosts Energy Levels
A 2017 study published in Physiology and Behavior found that stair walking was better at energizing subjects than small doses of caffeine.
#4: Heart Protection
A study in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that walking a minimum of 30 minutes per day (5x per week) cut the risk of heart disease by 19%.
#5: Breast Cancer Prevention
A study done by the American Cancer Society found that women who walked at least 7 hours per week had 14% less chance of breast cancer compared to those who walked 3 or less.
#6: Boosts Your Immunity
A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine looked at 1,000 people during flu season. They found that subjects who walked for 30-45 minutes per day (at moderate pace) had 43% less sick days and contracted fewer upper respiratory tract infections as well. Plus, if they did get sick their symptoms weren’t as severe.
#7: Boosts Positive Emotions
Researchers at Stanford University found walking for 90 minutes in nature “decreased activity in the brain associated with a key factor in depression”. Another 2015 study, found walking in nature decreased anxiety… reduced rumination (replaying events or situations over… and over)… and increased happiness and other positive emotions.
Is Running Better?
Yes and no.
Running absolutely burns more calories than walking because of its higher intensity but it’s also a bit more problematic for most people. And the reason is because of overuse injuries.
According to Harvard Health, walkers have a 1-5% chance of injury, while runners have a whopping 20-70% chance.
These include shin splints, IT band issues, stress fractures, knee problems and others.
Why the difference?
Walkers always have one foot in contact with the ground at all times. But runners are airborne in a portion of every stride. So when they land, they absorb much more force.
How much?
Well, during a one mile run, the average runner will absorb 100 tons of force!
If you are overweight then the stress on the joints is even greater. It’s estimated that every pound of extra weight puts on an extra 4 pounds of stress to the knees. So if you are 10 pounds overweight that’s 40 extra pounds of pressure on your knees. If you are 50 pounds overweight, that’s 200 extra pounds of pressure.
And 100 pounds would be 400 extra pounds of pressure.
Additional tools:
Strength training and HIIT training are great tools for keeping joint stress low and for burning fat as well. They require a bit more instruction and guidance that goes beyond the scope of this report. But those are great options as well with the proper coaching.
My advice: If you don’t have proper guidance and you are just starting off, walking is a good place to start. Work your way up to 10,000 steps (5 miles) or more each day. Once you have that mastered, you can progress to running but progress very gradually. That’s been the best way I’ve found to avoid injuries.
Here’s an example:
(Assuming you want to run 1-2x per week)
Week 1: 0.25 miles Week 2: 0.5 miles Week 3: 0.75 miles Week 4: 1 mile Week 5: 1.25 miles Week 6: 1.5 miles
Or you could progress it even slower:
Week 1: 0.25 miles Week 2: 0.25 miles Week 3: 0.5 miles Week 4: 0.5 miles Week 5: 0.75 miles Week 6: 0.75 miles
Depending on your cardiovascular conditioning, this may be a piece of cake. But from a joint standpoint this will keep your risk of overuse injury way less.
How a 360 Pound Man Lost Half His Body Weight
In an interview with Men’s Health Magazine, Brandon Larson explained that he was a ‘husky’ boy growing up.
He wasn’t obese, but definitely bigger than other kids. And at first he used humor to hide his pain and discomfort. But he slowly lost his confidence and started to withdraw.
In high school he was over 300 pounds and wearing size 42 jeans. Then in college he hit 360 pounds.
And then he just quit stepping on the scale.
In his 20s he met someone who loved him for who he was. Shortly after, they got married and then found out they had a kid on the way. That’s when everything changed for Brandon:
“When my wife was pregnant, that pushed me to really think about what I was doing to myself and what I wanted. And I chose to not put myself in an early grave.”
So he joined a local gym and started walking on the treadmill. He picked the furthest treadmill in the back of the gym so people wouldn’t notice him. He was embarrassed but he showed up. At first, the only results he saw was walking a little further… then even further… then being able to walk without having to stop and catch his breath.
“It really sinks in how bad of a position you are in, but it also shows that you are making amazing progress and are really changing and saving your life.”
But he started picking up momentum, incorporating body weight training, jogging, and then cleaning up his nutrition – he was able to bring his weight down to 180. Meaning: he dropped 50% of his body weight!
His advice for those wanting his level of weight-loss success:
Just start. You will have time to figure everything out, but starting needs to happen right away. -Brandon Larson
Now it’s your turn. Just start.
Kelan Ern
P.S.For more ways to transform your health and fitness, check out a free issue ofMind-Body Breakthroughs. Each month features one of the fittest people on the planet and their tips, strategies and mindsets for helping you breakthrough to the next level.
