Lower belly fat might just be the most annoying type of fat of them all. The good news is I have some advice for you.

QUESTION:

How do I get rid of lower belly fat? I would consider myself fairly slim. I am quite active and have a balanced diet. However, I still have excess fat under my belly button (skinny fat would be the term for this). What can I do to get rid of this as it is one of my insecurities?

ANSWER:

Oh, girl, I feel your pain. In fact, MOST fit women can empathize with you because lower belly fat is the most womanly thing our body does. Stubborn lower belly fat is entirely natural and entirely hormonal, and somewhat genetic. As women, we're predisposed to carry fat in our lower abdomen, hips, and thighs. Therefore, fat in those areas can be the last to go and the first to pop up. I know, it's amazing.

I say that stubborn lower belly fat can be somewhat genetic because there are some women who carry less fat in their stomachs compared to other areas of their body. Before you go thinking "oh, I wish!" trust me, you don't. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. It doesn't matter what stage of transformation you're in; there is always someone who would kill for your body. That said, let's establish the game plan that can help you lean out that area.

First, you have to think bigger than your lower abs and shed fat all over your body. Genetics and hormones ultimately decide the order of where you shed fat first on your body. So, you just have to go with the flow and wait until it's time for your body to shed that lower belly fat. The time will come with patience and consistency.

Second, you have to make sure that your body is programmed to shed fat by fine-tuning your diet. A high protein diet is a must for losing lower belly fat. Therefore, make sure that 40-50% of all the calories you eat each day are protein.

Here's the equation for how you figure that number out. If you normally eat 1900 calories per day then multiply that by .4 or .5. Next, divide that number by 4 and that's your protein goal. Here's the equation below for clarity.

(Your calorie goal x .4 or .5)/4 = grams of protein to eat each day.

Lastly, reduce the amount of cardio you do and increase the amount of strength training you do. I talk about this extensively in The Cardio Bunny Body and 4 Reasons Why Strength Training for Fat Loss is the Best Strategy, so give them both a read when you get a chance.

ln a nutshell, strength training sends signals to your body that help it understand which body mass you do need and therefore which body mass (fat) it should burn for energy instead.

So that's my advice, patience, protein, consistency and strength training. You've got this!

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