How to Lose Belly Fat in a Week

Co-authored by Laura Flinn

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References Approved

Belly fat, or visceral fat, is fat stored in and around your abdominal organs. It can increase your risks of cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, dementia, heart disease, and diabetes.^{[1]
X
Research source} You cannot lose large quantities of weight or excess body fat within one week - especially visceral or belly fat. To get healthier and lose the dangerous belly fat, you'll need to change your diet, exercise routine, and lifestyle over a longer period of time. However, during a week you can start to make some great, health-promoting changes to your lifestyle.

Things You Should Know

Boost your weight loss progress by eating healthy food groups like lean proteins, fresh produce, healthy fats, and whole grains.
Cut back on foods that are high in sugar and fat to reduce your belly fat overall.
Create a weekly workout plan to help you burn more fat and boost your metabolism. Aim for 5 days of cardio, 2-3 days of interval workouts, and 1-3 days of strength training.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Adding Helpful Foods to Reduce Belly Fat

1
Indulge in the right types of fat. Studies have shown that eating the right types of fat, like monounsaturated fats, can help reduce belly or visceral fat by up to 20% over low-fat diets.^{[2]
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Research source}
- Monounsaturated fats are a type of fatty acid that has been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease, improved management of diabetes, and improved function of your blood vessels.^{[3]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Although monounsaturated fats are considered healthy, they are still very calorie-dense. Do not add these, in addition, to an unhealthy diet or in addition to unhealthy sources of fat. These should replace those unhealthy sources of fat like trans or saturated fats.
- Monounsaturated fats are found in a variety of foods including olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, nut butter, avocado, and canola oil.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laura Flinn
  NASM Certified Personal Trainer
  Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
- Ideas to try include: replacing butter or lard with olive oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil.
2
Eat lean protein. Lean sources of protein will help you stay satisfied longer throughout the day and help fuel your weight loss.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- Make sure that you eat a source of lean protein at each meal. Measure out a 3-4 oz (21-28 grams) serving to stay within your calorie limit.^{[6]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}
- Replace all fatty proteins like high-fat cheese, red meat, and sausage with leaner cuts of protein like chicken, turkey, fish, beans/lentils, eggs, low-fat dairy, and nuts.
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3
Add in fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal. Make sure at least half of your plate is filled with produce. These low-calorie foods are high in nutrients and can help you lose weight and reduce belly fat.^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- The best way to lose belly fat is through calorie reduction. When you make half your plate a fruit or vegetable, the low-calorie nature of these foods helps lower the overall calorie content of your meals.
- Measure out 1 cup of vegetables, 2 cups of leafy greens, or 1/2 cup of fruit. Include 1-2 servings at each meal.^{[8]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}^{[9]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}
4
Choose whole-grain foods. When you're trying to reduce belly fat and get rid of dangerous visceral fat, you'll need to choose 100% whole grain foods when you're eating bread, rice or pasta.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- 100% whole grains are significantly higher in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals compared to more refined grains. They are a much more nutritious choice.
- Refined grains are those that are overly processed and their vital nutrients are removed. Items like white bread, white rice, plain pasta, or crackers should be limited.
- Include a serving or two of 100% whole grains daily. Measure out 1 oz or 1/2 cup (125 ml or 25-30 grams) of items like quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole wheat bread or millet.^{[11]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
  U.S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research
  Go to source}
5
Drink adequate amounts of water. Help keep your body feeling more satisfied and hydrated by drinking adequate amounts of water and other clear fluids each day.
- It's typically recommended drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily. However, even amounts up to 13 glasses per day have been recommended.^{[12]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Water is essential for hydrating your body. It plays a vital role in regulating your body temperature and blood pressure.^{[13]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- In addition, adequate hydration helps manage your appetite. Plus, drinking a glass of water immediately prior to a meal can help you reduce your overall intake and support your weight loss.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Eliminating Problem Foods to Reduce Belly Fat

1
Cut out sugar and refined white flour. Studies have shown that one of the biggest culprits of visceral fat is sugary beverages, sweets, and foods made from refined white flour.^{[14]
X
Research source} Limit or cut out these foods to help reduce belly fat.
- Sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks in addition to candy, desserts or pastries can increase visceral fat. In addition, foods made with white flour or are highly processed carbohydrates are also responsible for packing on fat. Look out for crackers, white bread, plain pasta, and white rice.^{[15]
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  Research source}
- If you crave sugary sweets, try replacing your typical snack or treat with more nutritious food. For example, try low-fat Greek yogurt or fruit.
2
Cut out alcoholic drinks. Many studies have shown that increased alcohol consumption is linked to increased amounts of visceral fat.^{[16]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source} Limit or cut out alcoholic beverages to help reduce belly fat.
- In addition, many alcoholic beverages are mixed with sugary, sweetened beverages. The combination of sugar and alcohol together increases your risk for visceral fat.
- In general, women shouldn't drink more than 1 glass of alcohol daily and men should limit their alcohol to 2 glasses daily.^{[17]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
3
Limit high-fat foods. In addition to choosing sources of healthy fats to include in your diet, you should also try to limit or avoid certain types of fat that can increase belly fat and the chronic conditions associated with it.^{[18]
X
Expert Source

Laura Flinn
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.}
- Avoid all trans-fats. These fats are man-made and can cause hardening of the arteries, increased LDL (the bad cholesterol) and decreased HDL (the good cholesterol). Avoid all products that contain partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils. These are found in fried foods, processed foods and processed meats.^{[19]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Heart Association
  Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education
  Go to source}
- Eat only moderate amounts of saturated fats. There has been a lot of back and forth research over whether or not saturated fats are unhealthy. Since fats, in general, are higher in calories are you're trying to reduce weight and body fat, limit these types of fats. They are found in animal products like butter, full-fat cheese, red meat, and lard.^{[20]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  American Heart Association
  Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education
  Go to source}
- Make sure to limit fatty cuts of meat, fast foods, fried foods, processed meats as these types of foods are the highest sources of unhealthy fats.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Increasing Exercise and Activity

1
Do interval workouts 2-3 days this week. Higher intensity interval workouts have become more popular. They are known to torch calories, but specifically burn higher amounts of body fat compared with traditional cardio.^{[21]
X
Trustworthy Source
PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
Go to source}
- A study conducted by the University of Virginia found that people who had 3 out of 5 cardio sessions per week with intervals burned more belly fat, although they technically burned the same calories during the workout itself. ^{[22]
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  Research source}
- Most gym machines come with interval programs. You can do interval programs on treadmills, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines.
- You can create your own high-intensity interval program by alternating between short bursts of very high-intensity exercises with longer bouts of more moderate-intensity exercises. For example, you can try alternating between 1-minute sprints and 5 minutes of jogging.
2
Commit at least 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week. In addition to interval training, studies have shown that it's equally important to do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercises each week to help reduce belly fat.^{[23]
X
Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source}
- To specifically decrease visceral or belly fat, some health professionals even recommended doing up to 60 minutes daily of aerobic activities to have a more significant effect on visceral fat.^{[24]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  Go to source}
- Try walking, biking, swimming, hiking, running, working out on an elliptical or rowing machine.
- Aim to do these activities at a moderate pace. This is usually described as when it is possible, but difficult, to keep up a conversation as you perform the activity.
3
Increase your daily activity levels. Lifestyle activities are a great way to add more exercise to your day. Being more active throughout the day has been shown to have similar benefits to 150 minutes of planned cardio each week.
- Choose times when you are sedentary, such as watching TV, break time at the office or commuting and insert activity into the mix. Think of times when you can move more or take more steps.
- For example, do sit-ups, pushups, and planks during commercial breaks. Stretch while you are stuck in traffic and walk around the office during break time.
- You can also consider buying a pedometer or downloading a step counter app on your smartphone. These will help track how active you are during the day and a good way to see how much you've increased your activity level.
4
Do strength training exercises 1-3 times this week. Weightlifting builds lean muscle mass which can help increase your body's metabolism and ability to burn calories at rest.^{[25]
X
Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
Go to source}
- In addition, resistance training helps increase bone density and reduces your risk for diseases like osteoporosis.^{[26]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source}
- Include bodyweight exercises, such as pushups, planks, squats or lunges. These are great toning exercises but also increase your heart rate.
- Learn to use free weights or weight machines.^{[27]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Laura Flinn
  NASM Certified Personal Trainer
  Expert Interview. 18 November 2019.} Start with popular exercises like chest presses, rows, pec flys, overhead presses, front and side arm raises, lunges and squats or the leg press machine, calf raises, and biceps/triceps last. Tricep exercises include the tricep overhead press, tricep pulldowns on a cable pull, and tricep kickbacks.
- You may want to consider investing in a session with a personal trainer if you have never used weights before. They will be able to show you how to lift weights and provide you with an appropriate weight lifting program.

How Can I Shrink My Stomach Without Exercising?

Dietary Changes and Exercises to Help Lose Belly Fat

Foods to Avoid to Lose Belly Fat

Diet Plan to Lose Belly Fat in a Week

Exercise Plan to Lose Belly Fat in a Week

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I get a flat stomach in 2 days?

Laura Flinn
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Laura Flinn is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer, USA Olympic Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach and Certified Fitness Nutritionist, with an additional qualification as a TRX Suspension Trainer. Laura runs her own personal training program based in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in topics such as weight loss, muscle growth, cardiovascular training, and strength training.

Laura Flinn

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

You cannot realistically shed the weight required for a flat stomach in 2 days. There's just no healthy way to do it. The best way to get a flat stomach is to stick with a healthy diet and get regular exercise. If you want to tone your stomach to make it appear flatter, you can use core exercises, like crunches.
Question

What is the best thing to drink to lose belly fat?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Water is the best thing to drink if you are trying to lose fat. It has no calories. Drink 6-12 glasses of water each day.
Question

What do I eat on mornings to reduce belly fats?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

Some great breakfast foods include any one or two of the following: oatmeal 125ml or half a cup, eggs (2), 1 slice of wholegrain bread with a thin spread of nut butter 15 ml or 1 tbsp), low-fat cottage cheese (125 ml or half a cup) with fruit, plus any serving of fruit and a glass of reduced fat milk, soy milk or almond milk, tea or coffee without sugar. Some wholegrain breakfast cereals with milk would also be fine but read the label. You want to see higher protein than fat or sugar.