I get asked this question a bunch. When people make the choice to get in shape, one of the first they ask me is how to get rid of back fat.

I have to break some hard truth though — there’s no such thing as losing back fat. There is the ability to lose overall body fat. That being said, there are still factors that can lead to decreasing back fat and belly fat and keeping fat from settling in your midsection in general.

The thing is, it’s not all about what you do in the gym or the weight room. Obviously, you’re going to need to do things like cardio and resistance training if you want to keep fat off of your body in general, but when it comes to back fat and belly fat, there are other factors at play besides just how many hours of training you put in. Your body needs a solid foundation to build off of which means getting rid of back fat starts with your lifestyle and your habits and ends with training and dieting.

Factors like age, sleep, and stress can all lead to excess fat gathering around the midsection, which leads people to want to spot-train around back fat or belly fat. But you can’t do that, because even things like your hormone levels (estrogen and testosterone) impact how much weight gathers around your midsection. So there’s no easy fix, you need to understand your body, take care of it with consistency, and put the work in.

If you want to get rid of back fat, here are a couple of steps you can take to set yourself up for success.

Maintain a healthy sleep cycle

Getting quality rest can help with weight loss in several ways. Sleep has been shown to reduce ghrelin levels (the hunger hormone) while increasing leptin levels (the satiety hormone). This means your body will feel fuller on less food when you regularly get enough z’s. Sleeping well also helps boost your metabolism so that you burn more calories while awake — obviously a positive if you want to get rid of body fat. 

I cannot stress the importance of an evening routine enough. And I’m not talking about something severe and dramatic. You don’t need a full-on self-care routine or something that takes up hours of your time. Just have some sort of routine (that doesn’t involve a screen) that gets your body prepared to sleep.

When combined with resistance training, cardio, and healthy eating habits, sleeping well helps maintain muscle mass while shredding fat through improved insulin sensitivity — which means more energy output without added effort. In short, feel good, play good. When you feel good, you win more.

High-protein diet = reduced back and belly fat

While you might think that a high-protein diet is only for bodybuilders, it’s actually a great way to boost your metabolism and lose weight. Protein is the building block of your body, and if you don’t eat enough of it, your body will break down muscle tissue to get its protein fix.

How much protein do you need? The amount depends on several factors:

• Your gender: Women need less than men for most activities.
• Your age: Older people burn up protein more slowly than younger ones do.
• Your fitness goals: If you have an intense exercise regimen, then more protein is needed to maintain lean muscle mass in the face of increased physical activity.

A good rule to follow is to eat a gram of protein for every pound of your body weight. So if you weigh 120 pounds, eat 120 grams of protein every day. Protein is considerably more satiating than foods that are heavy in carbs. If you eat a steak, you’re full for the rest of the evening. Whereas if you eat a doughnut, you’re going to want another doughnut in 30 minutes.

At the end of the day, the main thing to understand is that there is no spot-training you can do to get rid of back fat or get rid of belly fat. Minimizing total body fat is the only way to get there, and it goes far beyond what you input in the gym. Monitoring what you put in your body, establishing set routines, and getting regular and adequate rest makes the journey much easier. If someone tells you there’s a simple solution or an approach sounds like a gimmick, listen to your gut — it’s probably right.

– the Viking

How can I get help?

If you are struggling with figuring out how to get rid of back fat or how to get rid of belly fat, contact the Modern Warrior Experts.  

If you found this blog helpful, make sure to follow us on Instagram @modernwarriorlife  for more tips and tricks! 

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