How to lose lower belly fat: what the science recommends

Introduction

It's a situation many people know when trying to improve their body composition: the body changes gradually, yet a small accumulation of fat below the navel seems to persist.

Should you do more crunches? Cut carbs? Add cardio sessions? Or is there a particular method to target this area?

The answer is less spectacular than some promises found online. The body does not let you choose exactly where it draws on its fat stores. However, certain habits can support a gradual reduction in fat mass, including around the abdomen, while helping preserve muscle mass.

To understand what really works, we first need to distinguish the different types of abdominal fat, examine what research shows about spot reduction, and identify the most relevant strategies.

Why is the lower belly sometimes hard to slim down?

Body fat is not distributed the same way in everyone. Its distribution depends notably on genetics, sex, age and hormonal characteristics.

That's why two people of similar weight and height can have very different silhouettes.

The abdominal region can also retain some of its subcutaneous fat while other areas change faster. This distribution varies between individuals and follows no universal order.

Two main types of abdominal fat should also be distinguished.

Subcutaneous fat: it sits directly under the skin. It's the fat you can pinch between your fingers, especially around the navel and in the lower abdomen.

Visceral fat: it lies deeper, around certain organs in the abdominal cavity. Unlike subcutaneous fat, it cannot be pinched directly.

These two tissues have different metabolic characteristics. Excess visceral fat is notably associated with greater cardiometabolic risk.

The visible fat in the lower belly is generally subcutaneous. Its reduction depends on overall changes in fat mass, even though the speed at which it disappears varies from person to person.

Can you lose fat only from the lower belly?

This is one of the most common questions about ab exercises.

Crunches, leg raises, planks and other core exercises strengthen the abdominal muscles. But that does not automatically mean the fat sitting just above those muscles will decrease.

This is called "spot reduction": the idea that training one body region would make you lose more fat specifically there.

The scientific findings are nuanced.

In a randomised study published in 2011, 24 sedentary adults were split between an abdominal exercise group and a control group. After six weeks, those who trained their abs had improved muscular endurance, but no significant reduction in abdominal fat was observed (Vispute et al., 2011).

Another study, published in 2023, found a different result. Sixteen overweight men were split into two groups: one combined treadmill running with abdominal endurance exercises, the other only ran. After ten weeks, researchers observed an additional reduction in trunk fat in the combined group (Brobakken et al., 2023).

This result is interesting, but caution is needed. The study involved only 16 men with a very specific protocol. It does not show that a few sets of crunches are enough to eliminate lower belly fat, nor that the same effect would occur in everyone.

In practice, ab exercises remain useful for developing core strength, stability and control. They can complement a training programme but should not be seen as a guaranteed method of spot fat loss.

1. Create a reasonable energy deficit

To reduce fat mass, energy expenditure generally needs to exceed intake over a sufficiently long period.

This is the principle of the energy deficit. To estimate yours, you can use the [ORYX calorie deficit calculator](/outils/deficit-calorique).

That doesn't mean eating as little as possible or completely cutting out certain foods. Excessive restriction can increase fatigue, impair recovery and make habits harder to sustain long term.

A gradual approach is generally easier to maintain. A few habits can help: adjust portions to your energy needs; favour minimally processed, filling foods; eat fruit and vegetables regularly; include protein sources at meals; limit high-calorie drinks when consumed often; avoid dietary restrictions that are hard to maintain.

There is no single mandatory eating pattern for fat loss.

In the DIETFITS study, published in *JAMA* in 2018, 609 overweight adults followed either a healthy low-fat diet or a healthy low-carbohydrate diet for twelve months. Average weight loss was 5.3 kg and 6 kg respectively, with no statistically significant difference between groups (Gardner et al., 2018).

This doesn't mean all diets are nutritionally equal. It mainly shows that you don't need to systematically eliminate carbs or fats to lose weight.

The goal is to find a balanced diet, adapted to your needs and flexible enough to maintain over time. This is also the approach detailed in "How to lose fat without a strict diet".

2. Eat enough protein

During a fat loss phase, preserving muscle mass is an important goal, especially if you strength train.

Protein contributes to the maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. It also contributes to satiety, which can make managing your diet easier.

Sources include eggs; chicken and other lean meats; fish; dairy products; lentils, chickpeas and beans; tofu and other plant proteins.

A varied diet can provide the protein you need without necessarily relying on supplements.

The right amount depends on body weight, physical activity and your goal. The [ORYX protein calculator](/outils/proteines) gives a personalised estimate.

A 2018 meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues studied the effect of protein intake combined with resistance training in healthy adults. Results indicate that additional benefits on lean mass tend to plateau around 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day in that specific context.

This figure is not a universal recommendation for everyone trying to lose weight. Needs can vary between individuals, particularly during an energy deficit.

The key is not to neglect protein when aiming to reduce fat while preserving muscle. To go further: "How much protein do you really need?".

3. Combine strength training and cardio

Strength training and cardio can both improve body composition, but their roles are complementary.

Strength training: resistance training helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss. It also helps maintain or build strength.

There's no need to pile on ab exercises. A balanced programme working the main muscle groups is generally more relevant. See also "How to lose fat without losing muscle".

Cardiovascular activity: brisk walking, cycling, running and swimming increase energy expenditure and improve cardiovascular fitness.

The World Health Organization recommends that adults do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or an equivalent amount of vigorous activity. It also recommends muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week (WHO, 2020).

These guidelines concern general health and are not a specific prescription for losing lower belly fat.

A 2023 meta-analysis by Recchia and colleagues examined 40 randomised trials including 2,190 participants with overweight or obesity.

Results showed that both exercise and caloric restriction reduced visceral fat compared with control groups. Researchers also observed a relationship between exercise energy expenditure and the reduction of this fat.

Note, however, that this study looked at visceral fat, not specifically at subcutaneous lower belly fat.

Another meta-analysis, published in 2025 by Igarashi and colleagues, studied visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat separately in adults with overweight or obesity.

It included 12 studies and 591 participants. Researchers observed an average reduction in both types of abdominal fat, estimated at 7.1% for visceral fat and 9.1% for subcutaneous fat.

The analyses also suggested an association between exercise intensity and the observed changes.

These results show that physical activity can help reduce subcutaneous abdominal fat. They do not, however, demonstrate that you can choose the lower belly specifically as the area of fat loss.

4. Don't neglect sleep and recovery

Fat loss doesn't depend only on diet and training.

Sleep plays a role in appetite regulation and physical recovery.

A 2017 meta-analysis by Al Khatib and colleagues pooled results from several studies on partial sleep restriction. In the 11 studies with usable data, totalling 172 participants, partial sleep deprivation was associated with an average increase in energy intake of about 385 kcal per day.

These results suggest that insufficient sleep can make managing food intake harder, even though the included studies were short.

Another trial, published in 2010 by Nedeltcheva and colleagues, studied ten overweight adults on caloric restriction during two different sleep periods.

Participants had either 8.5 or 5.5 hours in bed. The shorter sleep period was associated with a smaller proportion of weight lost as fat and a greater loss of lean mass.

The study was small and short, so its results should be interpreted with caution.

For most adults, regularly sleeping at least seven hours per night is a benchmark recommended by sleep organisations. Learn more: "How many hours of sleep do you need?".

Recovery should therefore not be seen as wasted time, but as a component of a sustainable approach.

5. Understand why your belly doesn't always look flat

A rounder abdominal appearance doesn't necessarily mean there's more fat.

Several factors can influence how your belly looks: digestive contents; bloating; posture and pelvic position; the natural distribution of subcutaneous fat; individual body shape.

It's therefore important not to interpret every change in waist circumference as a direct change in fat mass.

For example, your belly may look larger after a meal or at the end of the day without any fat gain.

If bloating is frequent, painful or accompanied by other digestive symptoms, it may be worth talking to a healthcare professional.

Mistakes to avoid when trying to lose lower belly fat

Some methods promise quick results but rely on poorly understood mechanisms.

Doing hundreds of crunches every day: ab exercises strengthen the core muscles, but repeating them does not guarantee a reduction in abdominal fat.

Cutting carbs completely: carbohydrates don't automatically cause fat gain. Their effect depends on overall energy intake and dietary context. Read: "Do carbs make you fat?".

Piling on cardio without recovering: constantly increasing training volume can cause excessive fatigue and make consistency harder.

Using fat burners: no supplement replaces an appropriate diet and consistent habits. Promises of targeted belly fat loss should be treated with caution. See "Do fat burners work?".

Expecting results within days: body composition changes gradually. Rapid weight changes may reflect water, glycogen and digestive contents rather than true fat loss. The [ORYX progress tracker](/outils/progression) helps you follow trends over several weeks.

Conclusion

Losing lower belly fat isn't about piling on ab exercises or following a drastic diet.

It's above all about understanding how fat loss works and building consistent habits.

An appropriate diet, a reasonable energy deficit, enough protein, regular physical activity and quality sleep are the main levers.

Abdominal fat doesn't necessarily disappear at the same pace as fat elsewhere. Some people notice changes around the belly fairly quickly, while others see slower progress.

Patience and consistency therefore matter more than searching for a quick fix.

The goal isn't just a flatter belly, but better body composition without sacrificing your health or your muscle mass.