How to Lose Belly Fat without Exercise
Doing a thousand sit-ups will not help you shed belly fat. You cannot control where your body burns fat.
The best way to lose belly fat without exercise is to reduce overall body fat and not target weight loss to a specific area.
The healthy way to get your body to burn more fat is to make your diet more nutritious and create a calorie deficit.
Reducing body fat and not focusing on weight loss will give you washboard abs.
Your diet should focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables while avoiding processed foods and sugary drinks.
You should also ensure you get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and reduce stress.
Since this article discusses how to lose belly fat without exercise, we will skip the exercise part, although it is important to note that physical activity benefits your overall health.
Foods to avoid if you want to burn belly fat
Refined carbs, deep-fried foods, sugary drinks and treats, foods high in salt, alcohol, and other liquid calorie traps are foods you should avoid when trying to lose belly fat without exercise.
Let’s discuss this.
Sugary beverages and treats
Although sugary treats and drinks are typically high in calories, they provide little nutritional value and will lead you to consume more calories than your body needs.
Also, sugary foods and beverages are known to cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, which lead to feelings of hunger and cravings. This cycle often results in overeating, which may lead to increased visceral fat and weight gain.
However, your quest to lose belly fat does not mean you should completely give up on treating yourself.
Once in a while, you can indulge in healthier versions of your favorite treats or one or two of these treats for weight loss.
Alcohol
A study conducted among 8,603 Korean men and women aged between 30 and 87 revealed that high alcohol intake increases belly fat.
After considering factors like age, smoking, physical activity, income, and marital status, researchers found that the men and women who consumed a lot of alcohol per day over one year were more likely to have a larger waist circumference [1].
One of the reasons why alcohol causes a buildup of abdominal fat is that when you drink alcohol, your body prioritizes breaking down alcohol over digesting food and burning fat.
As a result, your body burns alcohol instead of fat, leading to more fat storage, particularly around your midsection.
Another reason to stay away from alcohol when trying to get rid of belly fat is that alcohol can slow down the rate at which your body burns calories. A slow metabolism will make fat loss harder.
Alcohol is also an appetite stimulant and can increase your cravings for greasy and salty foods.
High sodium foods
Excessive salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, bloating, and obesity.
While salty food does not directly contribute to the accumulation of body fat, eating foods high in sodium consumption can lead to water retention [2].
When you consume excessive salt, your body retains more water to balance the sodium concentration.
The retained water will add to your body weight and make you feel you are not losing weight when you actually might be.
Always drink lots of water daily to flush out toxins and remain hydrated.
Related:
Unhealthy fats
You should avoid deep-fried foods, fast foods, cookies, margarine, vegetable shortening, chips, etc.
These foods contain trans fats, which may lead to inflammation, weight gain, and belly fat accumulation.
Instead, choose healthy fats such as avocado, tofu, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, nuts, and coconut oil.
What to eat to lose belly fat without exercise
Getting rid of belly fat should never involve starving yourself. Instead, you should eat the right foods because as you may already know, abs are made in the kitchen.
If you get your diet right, there’ll be no need to put yourself through those endless crunches.
Related: 32 Foods That Burn Belly Fat Fast {Backed by Science}
High protein foods
A high-protein diet is the best when it comes to shifting body fat. Protein is incredibly filling, helps rev up metabolism, and supports muscle growth.
A protein-rich diet should include turkey, tuna, chicken breast, Greek yogurt, salmon, eggs, beans, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds.
Spices
Although spices such as black pepper, cayenne pepper, and turmeric are not magical solutions to burning belly fat, they are known for their metabolism-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which gives it its spicy kick. Capsaicin has thermogenic properties, meaning that it can speed up your metabolism and burn more calories [3].
Adding these spices to your meals can do wonders for your belly fat battle.
Fiber-rich foods
Eating fiber-rich foods has so many health benefits. Foods high in fiber usually take up considerable space in the tummy and may work to your advantage, as you will feel full for longer [4].
Unlike refined foods, high-fiber foods tend to be lower in calories, which may allow you to enjoy larger portions while keeping calories low.
Fiber also slows down the body’s absorption of sugar, which helps prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to weight gain.
Foods rich in fiber include carrots, quinoa, sweet potatoes, whole grains, beans and legumes, oats, apples, broccoli, and bananas [5].
Drinks that burn belly fat
Green tea
Green tea is more than just a soothing cuppa to pair with your favorite book. It is loaded with caffeine and catechin called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which have thermogenic effects.
Caffeine initiates the burning of stored fat, while EGCG helps break down the fat stored in our body by eliminating an enzyme that normally slows down this process. When this happens, our bodies get better at using fat as energy [6].
Green tea also works wonders when it comes to controlling your hunger pangs. EGCG is known to increase the secretion of cholecystokinin, a hormone that gives you that “full” feeling.
Water
Drinking water plays a significant role in getting rid of belly fat.
Water is a zero-calorie drink that you can use to replace calorie-rich beverages such as sodas, smoothies, iced teas, and hot chocolate.
Also, drinking water before meals can help control appetite by making you feel full, reducing the chances of overeating.
If you believe in detoxing, water is the best detox drink. It is water that helps the body flush out toxins, not detox juices or teas.
Related: How to Lose 20 Pounds in 2 Weeks on Cayenne Pepper
Turmeric and black pepper drink
On the other hand, a combination of black pepper and curcumin (a compound found in turmeric) can help increase metabolism, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce inflammation [7].
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
Method
Mix turmeric, black pepper, lemon juice, honey, and water in a glass.
Stir well and serve.
Turmeric and black pepper drink
The combination of black pepper and curcumin (a compound
found in turmeric) can help increase metabolism, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and help you lose belly fat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
In a glass add turmeric, black pepper, lemon juice,
honey, and water.
Stir well and drink immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 29Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 14mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 0g
Ab diet plan
Your abs meal plan should consist of plenty of vegetables, a good portion of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lots of water.
Good protein includes skinless chicken breasts, eggs, chickpeas, turkey, fish, beans, and lean meat. Good carbs for weight loss include quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, couscous, leafy greens, and oatmeal.
Avocadoes, nuts and nut kinds of butter, olives and olive oil, butter, pumpkin seeds, and fish oil are some of the best fats for weight loss that you should stock up.
Related:7-Day Weight Loss Meal Plan
Healthy snack options:
- Healthy sweet snacks for weight loss
- Low-calorie snacks for weight loss
- High protein snacks for weight loss
References
[1] Ryu, M., Kimm, H., Jo, J., Lee, S. J., & Jee, S. H. (2010). Association between Alcohol Intake and Abdominal Obesity among the Korean Population. Epidemiology and health, 32, e2010007. https://doi.org/10.4178/epih/e2010007
[2] Rakova, N., Kitada, K., Lerchl, K., Dahlmann, A., Birukov, A., Daub, S., Kopp, C., Pedchenko, T., Zhang, Y., Beck, L., Johannes, B., Marton, A., Müller, D. N., Rauh, M., Luft, F. C., & Titze, J. (2017). Increased salt consumption induces body water conservation and decreases fluid intake. The Journal of clinical investigation, 127(5), 1932–1943. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI88530
[3] Varghese, Sharon & Kubatka, Peter & Rodrigo, Luis & Gazdikova, Katarina & Caprnda, Martin & Fedotova, Julia & Zulli, Anthony & Kruzliak, Peter & Büsselberg, Dietrich. (2016). Chili pepper as a body weight-loss food. International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 68. 1-10. 10.1080/09637486.2016.1258044.
[4] Hervik, A. K., & Svihus, B. (2019). The Role of Fiber in Energy Balance. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2019, 4983657. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4983657
[5] Mayo Clinic Staff. (2021, January 5). Chart of high-fiber foods. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/high-fiber-foods/art-20050948. Accessed Jul. 12, 2023
[6] Abdul G Dulloo and others, Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 70, Issue 6, December 1999, Pages 1040–1045, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/70.6.1040
[7] Hewlings, S. J., & Kalman, D. S. (2017). Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 6(10), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods6100092
Susan Chanda is a professional content writer/journalist with over 20 years’ experience. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from University of South Africa and a diploma in Journalism and Public relations.
Susan has been writing evidence based fitness and health articles since 2016 for Fitness Chat, and is a certified fitness trainer, and diet and nutrition coach.
Fitness Chat is one of the several other websites that Susan owns, or co-owns with her children.
You can read more about Susan here.