By: Chris Gates
Nobody wants to put on excess belly fat. That’s a fact.
But as most people venture their way into their 30’s, gaining weight in or around the midsection is pretty common.
And the reason it happens probably isn’t what you think.
No, your age doesn’t cause you to gain more weight. Your hormones very likely are NOT to blame, and it’s not because your metabolism got a lot slower.
You gain weight in your midsection because of your lifestyle habits. In your 30’s, it’s common to start having kids, build a family, focus more seriously on your career, and start shifting your focus from prioritizing yourself to prioritizing those around you.
Makes total sense.
But that shift in attention doesn’t mean you also need to let your own personal health and longevity go.
If you’ve transitioned into the second phase of your life and are now in your 30’s (or older), wondering how to get rid of that stubborn belly fat, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’m going to give you 10 evidence-based tips that are PROVEN to help you lose belly fat.
And before we dive in, here’s a look at some of my clients who have used these techniques to achieve amazing results of their own!
For Starters: Calorie Deficit
Before we dive into the 10 tips on how to lose belly fat in your 30’s, let’s establish the most important piece of information when it comes to burning belly fat.
You need to be in a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit means you’re burning more calories than you’re taking in through food each day. This is the only true way to shed body fat.
If you’d like to learn more about how to get into a calorie deficit, read the following articles, which break down how to track your nutrition and get you set up with a calorie deficit to burn fat and lose weight!
Now, let’s dive in!
Tip 1: Eat foods that are high in fiber
Fiber is incredibly beneficial when dieting to lose body fat. Not only can it assist with digestion, but it has been shown to increase the feeling of fullness on low calories. Epidemiologic studies have shown that fiber intake is associated with a lower body weight. Satiety and energy intake are possible explanations for this effect.
Some examples of high-fiber foods:
- Most berries
- Most vegetables
- Sweet potatoes
- Black beans
- Nectarines
- Apples
The more of these foods that you can fit into your daily diet, the more it will help you get in a calorie deficit, stay in a calorie deficit, and shed unwanted belly fat.
Tip 2: Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink each day, or each week
I know this isn’t going to be a popular one, but it’s extremely true and can be extremely effective.
Quite simply, drinking alcohol is drinking calories. And drinking calories makes it way too easy to consume too many calories each day (we’ll have more on this topic further down the list). Calories from alcohol provide no nutritional value to your body, which is why many people call them “empty calories.”
Because alcohol lacks the nutritional value that you get from protein, fats, and carbohydrates, your liver is forced to prioritize the breakdown of these calories over everything else you consume. This slows down your metabolism and can contribute to weight gain.
Alcohol is basically seen as a toxin by your body, and the reaction is to burn off/get rid of that toxin as quickly and efficiently as possible, which can mean more calories from food get stored as body fat.
High alcohol consumption is also associated with obesity and increased fat mass in the belly/abdominal region.
Try to reduce your alcohol intake to 1-2 days a week, or reduce the amount of total drinks you have to a maximum of one per day.
Tip 3: Eat a high-protein diet
Of all of the macronutrients, protein is the most satiating, which means it will make you feel the fullest. So obviously, incorporating lots of protein in your diet when trying to burn body fat is going to be a huge help! This will help you feel full while in a calorie deficit.
Additionally, protein is the major driver of muscle recovery and growth. So if you’re strength training as part of your weight loss plan, a high-protein diet can help you not only maintain the muscle mass you have, but possibly even build some muscle in the process!
Lastly, the more muscle mass you build, the more calories your body will naturally burn. Protein is kind of a “magic pill” when it comes to trying to burn belly fat. The more protein you have, and the more you’re consistent with it, the more benefits you’ll see over time!
Pro Tip: Try to get at least 100 grams of protein in per day. If you already get that much, then shoot for 1 gram per pound of your goal body weight.
Tip 4: Manage your stress levels
Stress probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when managing your weight and burning body fat, right? Normally we all focus specifically on training and nutrition.
But stress matters.
Cortisol is the stress hormone in your body, and when stress goes up, cortisol goes up. When cortisol goes up, it’s associated with increased appetite and body fat storage.
So while it may not be as simple as saying, “OK, today I’m going to be less stressed!” Finding ways to find peace, happiness, and calm throughout your day could very likely have positive benefits to your weight loss goals.
Do a few things every day that bring you joy. It could be exercising, going for a walk, watching a show or movie you love, or anything else. The more you manage your stress levels, the easier it may be for you to burn that belly fat.
Tip 5: Limit the amount of sugary food that you eat
Sugar often gets painted as the devil, “bad,” or “unhealthy,” in diet culture.
I don’t necessarily believe that.
But it is clear that the more sugar you consume, the greater your chances are of gaining weight and having higher levels of abdominal fat mass. Sugary foods and drinks make it way too easy to add a lot of additional daily calories to your diet.
Sugary foods are often very calorie dense, which means you’re eating a relatively small piece of food that has a relatively high amount of calories associated with it. So in this case, you’re making it way too easy to eat too many calories and not be in a daily calorie deficit.
Instead, try reaching for low- or no-calorie options that are sweet. Fruit, for instance, is very sweet, super tasty, and low in calories.
Tip 6: Do a combination of strength training and cardio
Too often, when you want to lose weight it means hopping on the treadmill or stairmaster for HOURS and doing endless amounts of cardio each week.
That’s a recipe for failure.
For the process of burning belly fat, you want to lose specifically body fat, right? You don’t want to be losing muscle mass, too.
Lifting weights is going to help you retain as much muscle mass as possible while you’re in a calorie deficit, and it’s going to promote more weight lost from body fat. Additionally, it’s going to help add some variety to your workout routine, keep things interesting, and generally promote greater adherence to the plan.
My recommendation would be that you do at least two days of strength training a week, up to as many as five days a week (start on the lower end if you’re a beginning to lifting weights). Sprinkle in some low-intensity cardio on non-strength training days, and you’ll have yourself a well-rounded routine tailored to your goals!
Tip 7: Limit or eliminate the cooking oils
Earlier, when we talked about alcohol, I mentioned “empty calories.” Cooking oils present a different type of concept: “hidden calories.”
Quite simply, cooking oils are loaded with calories (primarily from fats). A single tablespoon of olive oil, for instance, will add well over 100 calories to whatever food you’re eating. So limiting your use of these in the foods you prepare can made a big impact and potentially drastically reduce the amount of calories you eat.
If you can get by without cooking oils, then go for it. If not, try using a very light zero-calorie cooking spray like Pam.
Tip 8: Stop Drinking Calories
In my opinion, drinking liquids that contain calories is the absolute easiest way to over-consume calories each day. And eliminating liquids with calories is the easiest way to cut a ton of calories out of your diet!
This is one of the first things I discuss with my weight loss clients when we get started.
- Are you drinking calories on a regular basis?
- If so, how often?
- Or how much?
- What types of drinks?
- And are there lower-, or zero-, calorie alternatives?
Soda, juice, loaded coffees, etc. can add hundreds of additional calories to your diet. If you’re struggling to lose belly fat, and you’re drinking calories, this is a great place to start.
Opt for low- or zero-calorie alternatives like diet soda, or flavored water with Crystal Light, Mio, or any other sweetener (or just drink regular water!). And for the coffee drinkers out there, choosing a basic black coffee can still help you get your morning caffeine fix without pumping it full of unnecessary additives!
Tip 9: Get 7-9 Hours of Sleep Every Night
Studies show that suffering from poor sleep on a regular basis can contribute to increased weight gain. In fact, this meta analysis reviewed 18 studies that involved more than 600,000 adults, and it showed an association between sleep loss and obesity.
Unfortunately, most people nowadays just don’t get enough quality sleep. The sleep you get is probably below the daily recommended amount (7-9 hours), and the sleep you get is probably pretty low quality.
My article on a sleep routine that works may really help you to develop habits that promote high quality sleep. The better your sleep quality is, and the more you get of it, may drastically influence your eating habits and weight loss in a positive way.
Tip 10: Track and Document Your Training and Nutrition
This final tip is going to be perhaps the most impactful of all. If you’re not already tracking your nutrition, now is the time to give it a try.
Many people get scared of tracking their food, because they see it as a daunting or time consuming process.
It’s absolutely not.
Really, tracking your food requires just one extra step as you prepare each meal. I’ve written an entire article on how to track your macros, which walks you through exactly what you need to track your food and how to do it each day. There’s even a video in that article that walks you through how to track certain foods with a food scale.
For any weighing and measuring you do, you can enter the numbers into a free tracking app like MyFitness Pal and it will tally up your nutrition throughout each day.
This is the most foolproof way to truly understand how many calories you’re eating each day. And from there, you can then easily figure out how to manipulate your nutrition to start losing weight and burn off that stubborn belly fat!
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Thanks for reading this article! I hope you found it helpful. If you’re interested in hiring a coach to get a customized program and expert guidance throughout your fitness journey, check out my coaching page and submit a coaching application form if you’d like to discuss your goals!
CGF