If You're Over 50 and Struggling With Stubborn Belly Fat, Try This Workout ASAP

Kaitlin Vogel
·8-min read

While there are many upsides to getting older, one of the downsides is the challenge of losing weight. Belly fat can be particularly frustrating, and once it’s there, it feels impossible to get rid of.

What’s more, excess abdominal fat is actually dangerous and can lead to a long list of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and hypertension.

The good news? By making a few lifestyle changes, you can lose those extra pounds in your midsection—and a great place to start is with your exercise routine. Also, while exercise is important for losing belly fat, diet is another important part of the equation. If you’re over 50 and looking for a slimmer waistline, we also listed which foods can help.

Related: Want to Sweat In the Comfort of Your Own Home? We Found the 30 Best Workouts on YouTube

Best Workout To Get Rid of Belly Fat if You’re Over 50

“As we age, we need to change up the way we workout and eat,” says Whitney Berger, founder of WhitFIT NYC. “I am 40, and I will tell you, how I train now is drastically different than when I was younger.”

HIIT workouts are the best for burning belly fat, she explains.

“HIIT training increases the rate at which your body burns calories,” Berger states.

Berger says HIIT training boasts a "glorious" excess post-oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect and triggers an afterburn.

"HIIT training is proven to be the best way to create the EPOC effect, burning calories hours after the workout," Berger says. "This works for every age but is extremely effective for those over 50.”

While authors of a 2022 review of the effects of HIIT workouts on middle-aged and older adults didn't find that they were more beneficial than moderate-intensity activity,  they did find that this type of exercise body improved composition and muscle strength.

Berger adds that the best type of workout to incorporate into your HIIT program is abdominis exercises.

Transverse muscles are the deepest muscles in our cores. They're the internal corset, and they wrap around the internal organs keeping them safe, but these are also the muscles that keep your belly tight and give the appearance of a slim, trimmed waistline, Berger explains.

Ab exercises that use a neutral spine alignment are best: Clams, dead bugs and Pilates crunches are just a few great transverse abdominis exercises to try.

"If you're over 50, I would suggest doing low-impact exercises that are easier on the joints during the HIIT workouts — so, no jumping," Berger says. "Working the transverse muscles not only works the core but is also great for the pelvic floor, which is something to be mindful of as we age."

Related: 'I'm 67 and I've Never Been Healthier—Here's What I Eat For Breakfast Every Single Morning'

Top Foods To Eliminate Belly Fat

1. Navy beans

Beans contain dietary fiber that feeds our healthy gut bacteria (our microbiome), which improves gut health and shrinks belly fat, explains physician Dr. William Li, MD.

Researchers from the University of Toronto have studied the benefits of beans in adults, including those over 50, and found that adding 5 cups of canned navy beans to the diet per week, on top of their usual diet, over one month led to a one-inch reduction in waist circumference. Another study supported the idea that cooked beans could boost gut health and body fat more than weight loss alone.

Related: These Are the 6 Healthiest Beans and Legumes You Can Eat, According to Dietitians

2. Broccoli sprouts

The young sprouts of broccoli plants contain high amounts of sulforaphane, a bioactive that fights body fat, Dr. Li states. Sulforaphane increases metabolism by burning harmful body fat through a process called thermogenesis.

A Spanish study involving 40 overweight adults, including those over 50, showed that eating just 1/3 cup per day of fresh broccoli sprouts for 10 weeks resulted in 6% lower body fat. Just as important, the sprout eaters also had a 40% decline in an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein). Remarkably, the fat loss and lower inflammation continued for 20 days after the subjects stopped eating the sprouts, showing a long-lasting effect.

Related: Here's Exactly What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Tomatoes Every Day

3. Carrots

Carrots contain a bioactive called beta-cryptoxanthin, which is a carotenoid that increases fat burn and metabolism, Dr. Li explains.

A study by researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht, Netherlands, examined the effect of eating carrots on people older than 50. They found that those eating just three medium carrots per day had half the amount of belly fat compared to those who ate no carrots. Their waist circumference was also 1.6 inches smaller. A more recent study of middle-aged Japanese men ages 40 to 64 with high BMIs found that increasing veggies loaded with carotenoids led to a decrease in visceral fat.

4. Vinegar

The acetic acid that makes up vinegar turns down the genetic signals for fat creation and shrinks body fat, Dr. Li explains.

Researchers in Aichi, Japan, studied the effect of two tablespoons of vinegar per day on adults, including those over 50, for 12 weeks, and compared it to the effects of a placebo. The vinegar eaters lost four pounds and shrank their waist circumference by almost an inch.

In contrast, subjects who had the placebo experienced an increase in both body weight and waist size. The study was done with apple cider vinegar, but the active ingredient is acetic acid, which is also found in balsamic vinegar, white vinegar and black vinegar.

Related: ‘I'm 80 and In the Best Shape of My Life—This Is the Exact Workout Routine I Swear By’

5. Gochujang

This popular spicy fermented Korean bean paste is a probiotic food that improves gut health and a useful bacteria called Akkermansia mucinophila that helps streamline metabolism and is associated with leaner physiques.

Gochujang also delivers a fiery flavor because it contains chili peppers, Dr. Li states. Chili contains a bioactive called capsaicin that triggers the body’s ability to burn fat and increase metabolism.

Researchers in Korea found that older adults who were given the equivalent of two to two-and-a-half tablespoons of gochujang for 12 weeks lost body fat.

A 2020 study of rats found that Gochujang prepared with rice and wheat koji helped animal subjects whose obesity was a result of a high-fat diet.

6. Oolong Tea

This slightly oxidized tea is typically what you will find served at a Chinese restaurant. It contains EGCG (a polyphenol), L-theanine (an amino acid), and oolong tea polysaccharide (a unique carb). All three natural substances fight body fat, Dr. Li explains.

Researchers in China studied oolong tea’s effect on body fat in adults, including people over 50. They found drinking four cups of oolong tea per day for six weeks led to a weight loss of six pounds and a shrinking of their waist size by one inch.

7. Avocados

Avocados are a good source of healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help regulate metabolism and improve insulin sensitivity, resulting in weight loss and a reduction in belly fat, Beata Rydyger, BSc, RHN, a registered nutritionist based in Los Angeles and nutritional contributor to HPD Rx, states. Monounsaturated fats are also slow-digesting and can help you feel fuller, longer—reducing the urge to overeat.

One study found that a daily avocado could help redistribute belly fat for women. Though the participants were under 50 years old (25 to 45), it's worth noting.

8. Berries

Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are high in fiber, low in calories and rich in antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation, a common root cause of weight gain, particularly in the midsection, Rydyger explains.

Berries are also low on the glycemic index, meaning they do not cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, which can lead to weight gain and an increase in belly fat.

9. Leafy greens

Leafy greens like spinach, kale and arugula are low in calories and high in fiber, which can help regulate digestion, reduce hunger and make you feel fuller for longer, Rydyger says. Leafy greens are also rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which can help support overall health and reduce inflammation, leading to a reduction in belly fat.

Next up: The 8 Best Teas For Lowering Cholesterol

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