Is your new year’s resolution is to lose belly fat and get fit? Although there’s no magic bullet, there are ways to burn belly fat (or ‘lose weight’ as we used to call it) that are tried, trusted and true. That doesn’t make them easy or quick, and this is not about telling you how to get a six pack – although we have plenty of articles on that topic. No, this is just about having a healthy lifestyle and feeling comfortable with the girth of your stomach.

To that end we’ve got here for you proven advice and key tips to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you’ll stay trim for good. We’ve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear you’ll need to get started although, of course, the most important ‘gear’ is the bit between your ears.

What’s the best way to lose belly fat?

There’s no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won’t last: it’s as simple as that. In this article we lay out five principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you’re a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas. 

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, whether you’ve got time to hit the gym every day or a shift worker looking to manage your schedule. Don’t try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don’t fixate on ‘belly fat’. It’s important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are five strategies to help you start losing weight. 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

1. Eat well

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a “calorie deficit”.

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there’s a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure you’re eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you’re burning off. Certain foods are “empty calories” while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer. 

But before that, you’ll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you’ll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below. 

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well…

• Best recipe box: meal kits for keto, paleo, weight loss, healthy eating and great fresh flavours

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2. Eat less

Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. Hugh Jackman’s method of choice to get lean for Wolverine, it means significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week. 

However, for serious trainees, there’s the 16:8 diet (Hugh Jackman’s strategy). With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you’re feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period. Most trainees choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day.  

Why do it? During the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the body’s fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you’re used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you’re exercising. You’re going to get seriously cranky.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

3. Try weight training – it’s not as hard as you think

There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training. Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you’re doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area’s dominated by serious lifters, but you don’t have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There’s plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls. 

We’re not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you’ve done that, grab one of the on the market. They’re not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements. Once you’re comfortable in your own home, you can move on to more advanced equipment at the gym.

All of this aside, don’t neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

(Image credit: PowerDot)

4. Try electric muscle stimulation – no, really!

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don’t roll your eyes just yet. While you can’t just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.   

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It’s not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use. Check out our choice below: the PowerDot 2.0, a smart muscle stimulating solution you can control from your phone. 

(Image credit: American Tourister)

Alternatively there is always , a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about £20. Needless to say we don’t recommend these. 

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

5. Mix high-intensity and low-intensity workouts

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat it’s also important to switch up the pace of your workout. 

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking. It’s a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don’t hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you’re not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises. 

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can’t beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

• Find out more about heart rate zone training

The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You’ll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you’ll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead. 

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you’ll need to get fit in 2020. To start with, you’ll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on: