Visceral fat is a type of fat found in your abdominal cavity, surrounding your internal organs. In excess, it can increase your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. If you’ve ever searched for the best exercise to lose weight, specifically visceral fat, you may have come across some unrealistic or downright outlandish workout plans. But what if the most effective exercise was one you hadn’t even considered? One tried-and-true exercise method that has been praised for years by experts often goes overlooked. Below, we reveal why lifting weights is the No. 1 surprising exercise for reducing visceral fat. 

Lifting weights is a form of resistance or strength training. It improves muscular fitness by working specific muscles or groups of muscles. You can lift weights by picking up dumbbells, using weight machines or even using your own body weight (think squats or pushups). We also consult two sports dietitians to discuss why it works and share their tips on how to add it to your routine.

Why Lifting Weights Works for Reducing Visceral Fat

“Lifting weights helps reduce visceral fat by increasing muscle mass, which helps boost resting metabolism and promotes fat oxidation,” says Amy Goodson, M.S., RD, CSSD, LD, a sports dietitian and owner of The Sports Nutrition Playbook.

The body consists of muscle and fat mass—both of which are essential. If you recall back to high school health class, your teacher may have held up life-size models of 1 pound of muscle and 1 pound of fat. While they weigh the same, fat takes up more space, while muscle mass is more dense and compact. When you start lifting weights regularly, your body tends to lose fat mass (including visceral fat) while simultaneously building dense and more compact muscle tissue. This leads to a change in body composition, and you don’t even have to cut calories to see results.

“In the absence of intentional caloric restriction, resistance training seems to decrease visceral fat in individuals with and without obesity alike,” says Marie Spano, M.S., RD, CSCS, CSSD, sports nutritionist for the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Hawks. She points to a study that found resistance training effectively reduced visceral fat in individuals both with and without obesity, even without a calorie restriction.

This could be due to the fact that there’s an afterburn effect that occurs with lifting weights. “While cardio burns calories during exercise, weight lifting continues to burn calories post-workout through excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), making it highly effective for fat loss,” explains Goodson. A study on women found that just 30 minutes of resistance training significantly increased expenditure, with effects detected up to 14 hours post-exercise, and boosted resting metabolic rate.

Finally, lifting weights (along with other forms of exercise) can help relieve stress, which may also support visceral fat loss. Strength training has been linked to lower stress levels, which can further reduce the likelihood of visceral fat accumulation, says Goodson. 

Why Gaining Muscle Can Help You Lose Visceral Fat

“The more muscle a body holds the more calories it burns each day,” says Spano. The reason for this is because muscle mass is more metabolically active than fat (which is a good thing!). The more metabolically active tissue you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest. This means that even when you’re lounging on the couch, your body is still burning more calories if you have more muscle.

Spano explains that as you gain muscle, your body’s overall calorie expenditure increases. “When calorie output is higher than calories consumed, the body taps into its fat stores, including visceral fat,” she adds. In other words, if you are burning more than what you’re eating, it can help reduce body fat, including visceral fat. 

Additionally, gaining muscle helps support healthy hormone production, which in turn can reduce visceral fat. Goodson explains, “Muscle helps improve hormonal balance, reducing cortisol levels that can contribute to abdominal fat accumulation.” Research has shown a link between stress and obesity, and elevated levels of cortisol (the body’s stress hormone) are associated with weight gain, especially around the abdominal cavity.

Building up muscle through exercise can improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Research suggests lifting weights helps lower blood sugar levels by enhancing insulin function and reduces the likelihood of excess glucose being stored as fat.

How to Get Started Weight Lifting

Starting something new can be intimidating, but you can consult an expert in the field. Spano recommends that beginners begin weight lifting by booking a session with a personal trainer or strength coach. She says, “They can assess your current state of fitness and develop a plan that fits into your lifestyle and also utilizes the equipment readily available to you while also helping you set realistic goals.” Working with a professional can also help teach you how to use equipment and prevent injury. It’s always a good idea to loop in your primary care provider before starting any new training regimen, too. 

Goodson suggests that beginners start with full-body strength training exercises like squats, dead lifts, lunges and pushups. She recommends first focusing on nailing down the correct form, as it can help prevent injury. 

Once you feel comfortable, you can add body weight, resistance bands or light dumbbells, before gradually progressing to heavier weights. If you can, work your way up to two to three training sessions per week. 

For significant visceral fat reduction, Goodson recommends weight lifting three to five times per week, alternating upper and lower body days, combined with a balanced eating plan and adequate recovery.

The Bottom Line

Lifting weights is the No. 1 surprising exercise for reducing visceral fat, according to experts. Weight lifting helps change body composition by increasing muscle mass, which is metabolically active and can burn more calories even while you’re at rest. Gaining muscle can increase your metabolic rate and regulate hormones, which also contributes to reducing visceral fat. Before you start, consider consulting with your health care team and a personal trainer to learn proper weight-lifting form. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can gradually increase the weight and frequency of your weight-lifting sessions.