The answer is no. You cannot spot reduce. It is impossible to lose weight in just one area of your body.
When you lose weight via diet and exercising, you lose weight all over your body. However, you might lose weight faster in some areas of your body than others due to your body composition / body type and where your pockets of fat are.
For example, a woman with a pear shaped figure (carries most of her body fat on her lower body) will lose weight a lot more slowly on her hips and buttocks than on her waist. An apple shaped woman (carries most of her body fat in her torso and upper body) will lose weight a lot more slowly on her stomach than on her hips.
These are some of the factors that can have an impact on where you lose weight the most.
Having said that, you can do certain things that can help with reducing belly fat. Some of these are listed below:
Eat less Refined Sugar – Refined sugar is very unhealthy and can only be metabolized by the liver in any significant amount. When you eat a lot of refined sugar, the liver gets overloaded and is forced to turn it all into fat. Numerous studies have shown that excess sugar can lead to increased accumulation of fat in the belly.
Strength Train at least 3 times a week – Try to exercise at least 5 times a day for up to 30 mins. Cardiovascular exercises are great to raise your heart rate which burns calories faster but strength training builds lean muscle which raises your metabolic rate amongst many other benefits. You particularly want to be doing exercises that involve large muscle groups as these burn more energy or calories. Examples are Squats and Deadlifts.
Eat nutrient dense whole foods – Eating whole foods (foods grown from the ground and are just one ingredient e.g. berries) can help with losing fat in your middle. Not only are these food packed with nutrients which is beneficial to your health but they often leave you feeling fuller and sated and over time, help to curb unhealthy cravings that make you reach for the unhealthy junk meals.
