How Long Does it Take to Lose Belly Fat?

The average person, right now, should be able to figure out how long it takes to lose belly fat without any trouble. However, for many of us, that's simply not going to happen. Why? Because we tend to expect results from our efforts too quickly.

What that really means is, that the more time you spend exercising and eating right, the longer you'll see yourself losing weight in other areas of your body as well. This is why it takes so long to get a flat stomach. You can do all the ab exercises in the world-all the crunches and sit-ups and leg raises and every other thing you could possibly do-and still have a flat stomach once you've lost the excess body fat. Because your metabolism hasn't yet burned all that excess calorie fat, there's no way that your body will go off of its fat-burning fat burning furnace just like that. Keep that up for long enough, and soon, you'll begin to see that belly of yours getting smaller.

So how long does it take to burn off that belly fat? Well, let's figure it out like this: the average individual needs about three thousand calories per day to maintain his or her basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the rate at which his body burns fat throughout the day. That's the minimum amount of calories that you need to stay in a fat-burning state to achieve your health goals. But if you're trying to lose a lot of weight, then you need to work much harder than that. And when you work hard, you need to make sure that you're taking in the right kinds of foods, which can be tricky if you're trying to follow a particular diet or regimen.

Belly fat accumulation can occur for a number of reasons, which we'll address one by one. Subcutaneous fat (the kind of fat that you can see with your bare eyes) tends to be stored close to the skin, where it's difficult for dieters' bodies to get to. The subcutaneous fats are then turned into cellulite, which can be a real pain for most women.

Metabolic factors also play an important role. People who have diabetes or high blood pressure will find that they need much more calories and effort than others to reach their health goals. Those people will also usually have a greater percentage of body fat around their midsection; hence, a greater need to burn more calories to lose belly fat around their midsection.

If all else fails, there are ways to burn more calories and lose belly fat. A good diet and exercise program are necessary, as well as a consistent caloric deficit. In other words, your diet must match your calorie intake and burn more calories than you take in. Calorie deficits can occur on a weekly basis or every other week for some people. Your physician can help you determine the ideal number of calories you should be consuming per day. This figure should be adjusted for your height and weight.

For people who are trying to drop pounds, exercises are an important component. Rowing, running, swimming, cycling, and other aerobic exercises are great for burning calories and losing weight. Resistance training (e.g. bench press, squats, dead lifts) is also good for strengthening and building up your muscles. And while this may not make you skinny, losing weight does improve your flat stomach.

How long does it take to lose belly fat depends on many factors. However, one factor that greatly affects the time it takes is your overall health. If you smoke, are overweight, or have high blood pressure, losing weight may take longer than if these issues don't exist. Also, if you are not eating a balanced diet full of nutrients you will be unable to maintain the calorie deficit needed for effective fat loss. So, in addition to an effective workout routine, a healthy lifestyle is critical to long term success in reducing belly fat.