Why Belly Fat Is the Last to Go (And What You Can Do About It)

Belly fat. It’s the part of weight loss that frustrates so many people. You’ve been eating better, training consistently, the scale is moving, but that stubborn bit around your stomach? Still hanging on for dear life.

If this sounds familiar, don’t worry—you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong. Your body is simply following a biological process that has been designed for survival. In this post, we’ll break down why belly fat is so persistent, what role it plays in your health, and the best ways to finally shift it.

Why Does Belly Fat Stick Around?

Your body doesn’t lose fat in an even, predictable way. When you’re in a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn), it breaks down stored fat for energy. But it doesn’t just pick a spot and start melting fat away—it follows a hierarchy of fat loss that is largely determined by genetics and hormones.

Typically, fat loss starts in areas with less dense fat storage—the face, arms, and legs. The abdomen, however, is a high-priority storage site, especially for men. This is because fat around the stomach, known as visceral fat, plays an important role in protecting your internal organs like the liver, pancreas, and intestines.

From an evolutionary standpoint, this makes sense. Your body prioritises survival over aesthetics, keeping fat in areas where it can act as an energy reserve and a protective cushion. Unfortunately for us, that means the fat around your belly tends to be the last to go when losing weight.

The Two Types of Belly Fat

Not all belly fat is the same. It’s important to understand the difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat:

• Subcutaneous fat is the fat you can pinch—it sits just under the skin and isn’t as strongly linked to health risks.

• Visceral fat is deeper, surrounding your internal organs. High levels of visceral fat are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic disorders. (Harvard Health, 2021)

Losing visceral fat is important for your overall health, but it’s also the most stubborn to burn.

Can You Target Belly Fat?

A common myth in the fitness world is that you can "spot reduce" fat—meaning you could do hundreds of sit-ups and magically melt away belly fat. Unfortunately, that’s not how fat loss works.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that six weeks of abdominal exercises did not reduce belly fat compared to a control group (Vispute et al., 2011).

What does work? A calorie deficit, combined with strength training and cardiovascular exercise.

How to Burn Fat More Effectively

While you can’t control where your body loses fat first, you can adopt a strategy that encourages overall fat loss, which will eventually target the belly.

1. Strength Training to Preserve Muscle

When losing weight, your goal isn’t just to lose weight—you want to lose fat while keeping muscle. This is where strength training plays a key role.

Lifting weights helps maintain lean muscle mass, which in turn keeps your metabolism higher as you lose fat. A 2018 study in Obesity found that strength training helps reduce visceral fat more effectively than cardio alone (Strasser & Schobersberger, 2018).

If you’re not already incorporating resistance training into your routine, now is the time to start. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses, which burn more calories and engage multiple muscle groups.

2. Zone 2 Cardio for Fat Burning

Cardiovascular exercise plays an important role in burning extra calories and improving heart health. But when it comes to optimising fat loss, Zone 2 cardio is particularly effective.

What is Zone 2 cardio? It’s a moderate-intensity effort where you can still hold a conversation but feel like you’re working. Typically, this is around 60-70% of your maximum heart rate—the effort you’d put into a steady jog, brisk walk, or easy cycling session.

A study published in Sports Medicine found that Zone 2 training increases mitochondrial efficiency and fat oxidation, meaning your body gets better at using fat for fuel (Schroeder et al., 2021).

Try adding two to three 30-45 minute sessions of Zone 2 cardio per week—it’s a great way to increase calorie expenditure without overly taxing your recovery.

3. The Calorie Deficit: The Real Key to Fat Loss

At the end of the day, no training program will work unless you’re in a calorie deficit. This means burning more calories than you consume.

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

• If you eat at maintenance calories, your weight stays the same.

• If you eat in a surplus, you gain weight.

• If you eat in a deficit, you lose weight.

A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirmed that a calorie deficit is the only requirement for fat loss—whether you follow low-carb, low-fat, or any other diet approach (Hall et al., 2015).

Rather than looking for shortcuts, focus on sustainable habits like portion control, prioritising protein, and increasing activity levels.

Putting It All Together

Losing belly fat takes time, and there’s no magic trick to speed up the process. But if you focus on consistency, follow a structured training plan, and stay in a calorie deficit, your body will eventually tap into those stubborn reserves.

To recap:

✅ Strength training helps preserve muscle and boosts metabolism.
✅ Zone 2 cardio improves fat oxidation and burns extra calories.
✅ A calorie deficit is the key driver of fat loss.
✅ Patience and consistency will always win in the long run.

If you’re looking for a structured plan to help you lose fat, gain strength, and stay accountable, I’ve got training programs for both home and gym workouts, starting from just £20 per month.

Want more info? Fill in the form and I will be in touch.

– James