Most guys worry about a beer belly, but there’s a type of fat that’s even more dangerous. Visceral fat sits deep around your organs, contains stress hormone receptors, produces inflammatory compounds, and disrupts insulin, heart, and liver function. All of this raises your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other metabolic problems. If you’re over 40 and dealing with a bulging belly, you don’t need endless cardio or crash diets to tackle visceral fat. There are smarter ways to lose it without punishing your body.
Below, trainer Bobby Maximus shares a science-backed plan to get rid of visceral fat and lose your stubborn belly without taking extreme measures.
Related: Bodybuilder & Fitness Coach Reveals the Key to Combine Weight Loss and Muscle Gain
Train Smarter
Visceral fat is loaded with adrenaline receptors, which makes it highly responsive to high-intensity conditioning. That’s why lightly jogging on a treadmill won’t cut it. Instead, focus on VO2 max intervals three times per week. Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes of light cardio on a bike, rower, elliptical, or outdoor run. Then, do four rounds of four minutes hard effort followed by three minutes of easy recovery.
Over time, this increases your body’s ability to burn fat efficiently, targeting visceral fat first thanks to its receptor density and blood flow. Combine this with strength training for even better results.
Manage Insulin
If your insulin levels remain high from constant snacking, your body will just store it elsewhere. When insulin is high, fat-burning is turned off. This is where intermittent fasting comes into play.
Try a 16-hour fasting window with an 8-hour eating window. Start by fasting for three to five days a week, slowly working your way up to a week. During the fast, you can have black coffee, water, tea, or other zero-calorie drinks.
“It drops insulin for a long enough stretch that your body has no choice but to start tapping into that visceral fat,” Maximus says. “It’s going to boost hormone-sensitive lipase, the enzyme that breaks stored fat into usable fatty acids. It pairs perfectly with your conditioning because now when you free fat with adrenaline, your body is primed to burn it, not store it.”
Stop Estrogen
Belly fat acts like a hormone lab, producing an enzyme called aromatase that converts testosterone into estrogen. More estrogen means more belly fat, creating a vicious cycle. Combat it naturally by eating cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale with most dinners.
Overall, it’s important to eat nutrient-dense whole foods consistently and avoid processed foods as much as possible.
Calm Cortisol
Visceral fat is a stress magnet. High chronic stress signals your belly to store even more fat.
“Your belly fat can take inactive stress hormone and turn it into active cortisol inside the fat cell. It’s like having a tiny stress factory wrapped around your organs,” Maximus explains.
Combat it with magnesium before bed to support relaxation, sleep, and stress response. Try box breathing by inhaling for four seconds, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding for four. Repeat for five minutes daily. A calmer nervous system equals less cortisol and, in turn, less belly fat.
Related: Cardio vs. Strength Training: Which Is Better for Shrinking Middle-Age Belly Fat?
Hack Your Appetite with Protein
Even the best training plan fails if you overeat. You’ve heard it before: abs are built in the kitchen. Protein preloading helps control hunger naturally. About 20 to 30 minutes before your largest meal of the day, eat 25 to 30 grams of protein. This could be a protein shake, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese.
Protein slows digestion, boosts satiety hormones, and naturally reduces how much you eat during your meal. Pair this with intermittent fasting and smart food choices, and maintaining a calorie deficit becomes far easier. Bye-bye, belly fat.
