If you’re looking to shed persistent lower belly fat, weight loss coach and TikTok creator Soraya Russell has outlined three key areas to concentrate on. In a recent TikTok video, she emphasized that these strategies are effective for all ages but are particularly beneficial for those 35 and older, as belly fat tends to be more challenging to eliminate with age.
Russell noted that her advice applies whether you’re “menopausal, have PCOS, are pre-diabetic, are dealing with cortisol-related” belly fat, or even if you have no underlying health conditions. At the start of her clip, she noted that you cannot use spot reduction methods to lose lower belly fat, as the “only way” to truly shed this is to “lose overall” fat.
The initial recommendation Russell provided is to maintain a “slight calorie deficit.” To achieve this, she suggested multiplying your target weight by 12, which will yield your daily calorie deficit goal. For instance, if your target weight is 140 pounds, then multiplying 140 by 12 results in 1680 calories, which would be your calorie deficit target.
Struggling With 'Stubborn' Belly Fat? A Weight Loss Coach Says These 3 Tips Can Help
1. Put Yourself In A Slight Calorie Deficit
Russell emphasized that consuming too few calories, "especially for those over the age of 35," can significantly decelerate your metabolism, thereby complicating the weight loss process. Thus, it is crucial to aim for a more sustainable calorie deficit that won't drastically hinder your metabolic rate. Additionally, she advised incorporating a 200-calorie margin within your deficit because adhering to an exact number every day is highly challenging.
This approach means you should aim to consume "between 1580 and 1780 calories on average." The rationale behind using the term "on average," as Russell explained, is to accommodate activities like dining out on weekends, which may result in higher calorie intake. By balancing out higher weekend calories with more controlled intake during weekdays, you create a more sustainable approach compared to rigidly following a very low-calorie diet or striving to hit the same calorie number daily.
Initiating weight loss with a calorie deficit is essential, but the ultimate objective isn't merely to lose weight. The goal is to lose fat specifically, and the subsequent steps will be designed to assist with that particular aim.
2. Eat Enough Protein
For her second tip, Russell recommended making sure that you are "eating enough protein" since protein "aids in muscle building and muscle recovery." She added that if you're "eating more protein within your calorie deficit, you're going to be building and stimulating your muscle." The rule of thumb is that if you "weigh more than 225 pounds, you want to take your current weight" and multiply it by 0.6. This is now your protein goal.
If you weigh "225 pounds or less, you want to take your current weight" and multiply it by 0.8, she continued, making this your protein goal. If you are a "vegan or vegetarian," she advised taking your "current weight" and multiplying it by 0.4" and making this your goal. Russell did acknowledge that "it's a little bit harder to get in protein when you're plant-based," but not impossible.
To sum it up, she shared that step one is to concentrate on a calorie deficit, and step two is to "ensure most of the weight we're losing is fat because we're retaining muscle by eating enough protein." The third step will "help us build lean muscle," which will lead to "that lean, toned look that a lot of us want."
3. Lifting Weights 3-4 Times Per Week
Russell's last suggestion is to lift weights "three to four times" every week, especially if you are "over 35." She noted: "this is so important for so many reasons, as lifting weights doesn't just help you look leaner and more toned, but it also helps speed up your metabolism."
Essentially, the coach noted that "people from muscle have a faster metabolism, which means that they burn more calories all day long compared to someone who has less muscle mass."
How to lose stubborn lower belly fat (especially if you’re 35+ and the weight won’t budge like it used to) Learn more about coaching at the in my profile #weightlosscoach #fatlosscoach ♬ Tadow (ACÚSTICO) - Nahz Watch on TikTok
The Bottom Line
This means that "achieving your weight loss and body transition goals will be so much easier." She said to lift weights for about 45 minutes to one hour." She advised: "you can do it at home with a couple pairs of dumbbells or go to a gym."
Russell concluded her video, sharing that "you can not only lose stubborn belly fat, but the fat all over your body and keep it off for the rest of your life" by following these three tips. The more you know!
