There are several exercise techniques you can use to drastically reduce belly fat, and keep it off for life. But nothing will work well without a proper diet in the mix. Diet is a critical component for losing weight and being in optimal health.

I might also add that there is not one single exercise that would be key to losing belly fat, but a combination of them, executed correctly and regularly with proper form and intensity. I do not want to give false hope to all the people reading, who think they have to do just one thing to lose belly fat. It’s a combination of great things, done consistently and for life! This is not a three month Band-Aid plan.

Top six essential tips for losing belly fat

1. Intensify and increase your volume of weight training. That means you will have to exert some significant effort here. Intensity means that you will have to lift weights in a way that triggers the metabolic changes needed to pursue fat burning. This is a mix of many components that a good personal trainer can walk you through. My advice is focusing on tempo, range of movement and how much weight you are lifting. This, in conjunction with a healthy diet, will give you the best results.
   My top 3 tips for weight training;
   – Large volume training with shorter rest periods
   – Hypertrophy training, using the 8–12 repetition method
   – Strong man training, full-body workout, using what’s available in your gym
   – Use compound movements to trigger the most significant fat-burning potential
2. HIIT or as we call it interval training. These can be sprints on a treadmill, hill sprints or running on a track. These are very intense and tap into your bodies available fat stores for energy, due to the intensity of it. For example, you could sprint at your maximum capacity for 30–40 seconds, and rest for 60 seconds. This is repeated about six times or more until you get to the 20–30-minute mark. Then you are done. This causes a cascade of metabolic stress and triggers the after-burn effect. This means that you are burning calories, even at rest.
3. Eliminate processed foods in your diet.  Please get rid of processed sugars, carbs and foods that contain numbered additives on them. Your body does not require these, and they are nutritionally void in every sense of the word. Choose whole foods such as cruciferous veggies, organic high-grade protein sources, quality fats such as avocados and nuts, and limit carbohydrates to days when you are training only. Carbohydrates that non processed include; sweet potato, root vegetables and unrefined oats.
4. Consume foods that improve your insulin sensitivity. These include citrus, spices, vinegar, antioxidant-rich plant sources like blueberries, kale, spinach and any other forms of green vegetables. Fill your diet with these rich sources, and consume as many green vegetables as possible. Cruciferous vegetables are the richest sources of antioxidant’s, and have cancer-fighting properties, as well as weight loss benefits. These wonders contain minerals; their fibre content makes them keep you filled up for more extended periods, eliminating cravings.
5. Take good care of your gut health. When your gut health is low, and you suffer from constant constipation and diarrhea, you will increase your rate of inflammation, elevating stress hormones and increasing your chances of having the belly fat stay with you for life! Increase the good bacteria in your gut by consuming fermented foods, and eliminating things like gluten, corn and soy. Keep a food diary to view what you are eating, and if it’s causing stomach or gastrointestinal upsets. It’s essential to pinpoint the culprit, as it could be the one thing that’s stopping you from achieving weight loss results.
6. Please stay hydrated. A lot of people misinterpret the signs of dehydration with hunger! You can eliminate this by consuming up to 3 litres of water daily. You’re body needs this, and it’s essential for removing wastes, and increasing your fat-burning potential. I’ve seen many people live on 500ml of water per day. This is terrible for your body! If you are training and not hydrating yourself properly, you will increase your risk of injury and muscular cramps. Keep a bottle close by at all times, and drink some every hour. You will be amazed at the changes this one thing can bring.