3 Ultra-Effective Ways To Speed Up Belly Fat Loss

If you have excess fat in the belly area, you know how frustrating it can be to deal with. It can hang over your jeans, preventing you from wearing anything the least bit form-fitting. Cutting calories can help, but we spoke to an expert. What you need is an effective exercise routine that will speed up belly fat loss and get you to the gym. Put on some workout clothes, because we have just the plan for you.

Although the struggle can be real when it comes to how your clothes look and fit with unwanted belly fat, this type of fat—known as visceral fat—is an extremely serious health risk. In fact, it can be the cause of serious health issues, including stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. To give you an indication of just how serious the problem is in the U.S., belly fat is a health issue for over half the people in the country, as per the National Institutes of Health (via AARP). Now that we really have your attention, let's get started.

We spoke with a personal trainer from Fyt, Victoria Brady. Fyt happens to be the nation's largest personal training service that makes fitness under the expert guidance of an in-person or virtual, certified fitness professional convenient and accessible for everyone. Brady put together the following three exercises that are ultra-effective if your goal is to speed up belly fat loss at the gym. And next up, be sure to check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.

Utilize cardio equipment

closeup woman walking on treadmill incline to speed up belly fat loss at gym — Shutterstock

Brady explains, "Cardio-based equipment in the gym can be used for more than just steady-state training. Depending on how they are utilized, these machines are also great tools to aid in speeding up fat loss, specifically in the belly area."

The three ways cardio equipment is most effective for losing belly fat are:

Incline Walking on Treadmill: For incline walking, Brady explains the ultimate preset program is the "hills" modality. There are several variations in this preset, including interval, and it's a replication of going up and down a hill. Brady recommends you start at level 3, and go up one level per week (start with level 3, then level 4, then level 5, and upward).

Sprint Intervals on Treadmill: According to Brady, sprinting on the treadmill has been proven to be more effective at burning fat and building more speed when compared to doing a steady-state jogging/run. Here's a solid sprint interval workout:

Run for 30 seconds
Rest for 30 seconds (either walk or step off the treadmill altogether)
Run for 40 seconds
Rest for 40 seconds
Repeat for a total of 15 to 20 minutes

Stair Climber, Elliptical, or Rowing Machine: Brady tells us, "The best preset programs on these cardio machines for burning belly fat are the 'Fat Burner' or 'Interval' modalities. Complete one of these preset programs starting at level 3 (or higher) for at least 20 minutes."

Perform High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

man doing sled push at gym to speed up belly fat loss — Shutterstock

This kind of training not only pushes you hard during each and every workout, but you'll still burn calories after you wrap up your sweat session. Brady recommends that you do a HIIT workout two to three times each week. When combined with consuming a well-balanced, healthy diet, the fat-burn will totally increase.

Here's an example of a cardio HIIT workout you can do to speed up belly fat loss at the gym:

Do each movement for a time of 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Do 4 rounds of the interval, and rest for 1 minute between each round. Brady tells us, "[The] best high-intensity exercises for burning belly fat in the gym (or at home) include: sled push, battle rope, [and] star jumps."

Do strength training for the core

man doing core exercise with dumbbells to speed up belly fat loss — Shutterstock

Even though your typical ab exercise such as situps can "boost definition," Brady warns, "It does not burn the belly fat that is covering the abdominal muscles. But, when you add strength training using a dumbbell or kettlebell, for example, you burn more calories, helping you to reach your goal of getting rid of stubborn belly fat faster. I always recommend practicing the exercises without weights first and gradually adding weights once you feel comfortable with the form." A workout that utilizes both core movements and strength training is a truly excellent method to speed up belly fat loss.