View this post on Instagram[1]
As a fat-loss coach and someone who personally understands the ins and outs of losing weight, since he's lost 140 pounds, Carter Good [3] posted this to his Instagram account to bust some myths about how to burn belly fat.
He says whether your goals are to lose weight [4], build muscle, or burn belly fat [5], the same three fundamentals hold true:
- "You need to be eating enough calories for your goals. If you're trying to lose weight, that means creating a calorie deficit [6] and consuming fewer calories than your body burns."
- "You need to be following a well-structured exercise plan. If you want to get the most exercise 'bang' for your fat loss 'buck,' focus on strength training [7], and incorporate lifting weights [8]."
- "You need to be patient AND consistent." Just as you didn't gain a ton of weight overnight, dramatic changes in your body composition [9] won't happen in a few weeks or months.
Keep in mind that in order to get results that will last, the changes you make and the things you do to lose belly fat [10] need to be things you can stick to for the rest of your life. That's why diet pills, wraps, creams, extreme calorie restriction, and crazy amounts of cardio don't work — they may work in the short term, but they're not sustainable.
Carter adds that "there is no 'secret' solution" to losing fat, building muscle, and maintaining a healthy body for life. You just need to work hard, stay consistent, have realistic expectations (this one is huge!), and have a "shit-ton of patience." Above everything, don't give up because "no matter how much you might struggle, if you refuse to quit, success is inevitable."