Everybody wants to know how to get rid of that stubborn upper belly fat! It’s difficult, and it can be very frustrating. Luckily, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. This article will go over 10 tips on how to get rid of your upper belly fat naturally and quickly.

The battle against upper belly flab is real. But, whether you’re on the dieting wagon or not, fighting that stubborn fat under your breasts can be a frustrating and daunting task. The good news? There are natural ways to combat this problem! In this article, we’ll discuss four steps to get rid of that stubborn fat once and for all.

Most people have trouble losing their lower stomach fat, but those struggling to lose their upper belly fat are in the same boat. The frustrating part is the upper ab fat can stay there no matter what diet or workout you’re trying! However, there are some things you can do to speed up the process and shed that stubborn fat.

So if you’re tired of trying to lose that top pooch and if your upper stomach seems to stick out farther than your bottom stomach, then you’ll need to read this. You’ll discover why you have this upper belly fat in the first place, why you can’t get rid of it, and precisely what to do to get rid of it.

Why Is My Upper Stomach Bigger Than My Lower

Most people have trouble getting rid of their stubborn lower belly fat rather than their upper stomach fat. But in some their upper ab fat can be harder to burn off than their lower.

The reason for this is primarily due to genetics. We all have a particular shape to our body; it’s what makes us uniquely different from one another. For example, some people might be predisposed to having an “apple” shaped figure, whereas others are more likely to be pear or hourglass-shaped.

Here are all the possible reasons why your upper stomach continues to bulge out:

• genetics
• diet
• lack of exercise
• fat distribution
• stress
• lack of sleep
• hormones
• plastic exposure
• age
• posture
• bloating
• water retention

So there are quite a few factors that could be causing the excess fat to build upon your upper abdomen. If your goal is to lose higher belly fat, then it’s going to be critical to make sure you address all if not most of the above list.

Otherwise, it’ll be hard to get rid of the excess fat in your higher belly region under the boobs. And with more weight gain, the more likely you are to keep building onto the upper stomach fat.

Why Can’t You Get Rid of the Upper Belly Fat

Stubborn fat is usually the last to go. We all have those stubborn fat places on our bodies that seem to hold on no matter what we do. Hip dips, arm fat, and love handles can be the worst, but so is the upper abdominal fat.

Weight loss will be the first step toward getting rid of the upper stomach fat, but usually, this isn’t enough. Crazy enough, just losing weight can make your upper abdominal fat look even worse. This is because you might also be losing muscle, which you’re going to need if you want to tone your body.

Without muscle, the fat on your body will continue to be high despite losing weight. Think of it like water in a plastic bag. You can take water out, but the bag will still be saggy. The trick is to lose weight and lower your body fat, which will then finally reduce upper belly fat.

The first thing you need to do is make sure you’re doing weight training to build up your muscle to lower the overall fat on your body. This will help to lose upper belly region fat as it shapes and tones the area. This should also reduce any extra fat that’s trapped underneath.

Visceral fat is the deep fat under your abdominal muscles that makes your stomach pop out. It’s the fact that you can’t see unless you’re standing above your hips. Unfortunately, since this is deep in the abdominal region, weight loss won’t get rid of visceral fat so quickly since it requires dieting and a more intense workout routine.

What to Do to Lose Fat on the Upper Belly

Following a proper diet is going to be the first thing you’re going to have to do. Lowering your calorie intake, eating nutrient-rich foods, and eliminating junk food are going to be key to reducing your weight. Sugar should be kicked out of your body; otherwise the fat burning is going to stop, and the fat deposits are just going to keep piling onto your upper abdomen.

Adding in a cardio-based workout routine will also help you lose weight. Cardio is going to be key since it’s the best type of workout for overall weight loss. Even if you’re doing strength training, cardio is still a good idea on top to burn off more fat and get rid of stubborn belly fat such as upper stomach fat.

Now that you have the weight loss under control, it’s time to focus on fat loss. Getting rid of the stubborn fat on your upper stomach can only be achieved with fat loss. Unfortunately, most people miss this step and just focus on losing weight… but the stubborn fat will always cling on!

To reduce body fat, make sure you’re lifting weights in a consistent resistance training workout routine. The only way you can build muscle is by lifting weights. So make sure you not only try to add muscle to your upper body but rather your entire body. If you don’t have access to a gym, then using your body’s weight can even give you some impressive results to reduce upper belly fat.

You might also want to consider reducing stress levels which can make your body hold onto excess water that contributes toward making your midsection bigger than it should be. Getting enough sleep each night will be key to reduce belly fat. Studies have found lack of sleep leads to less self-control, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

And with all these changes happening, not only will your upper stomach become smaller but so will your lower abdomen area, thanks to losing weight and building muscle mass over time.

Best Exercise to Get Rid of Upper Belly Fat

One of the best ways I’ve found to target the upper abdominal fat better is to combine high-intensity cardio with sport-specific exercises for the upper stomach. This will elevate your heart rate so you’re body will be in a fat-burning mode. Then combining this intense cardio with upper stomach exercises will help to target the fat in the area.

An example would be jumping rope for 30 seconds and combining it with 30 seconds of Toe Reach Crunches. To do Toe Reach Crunches just lay on your back on top of a yoga mat. Then with your legs straight, raise them so they’re up in the air. Then straighten your arms overhead as you bring your hands up towards your feet by crunching up. Keep your ab muscles tight throughout the entire movement.

Another example would be to run in place or on a treadmill for 5 minutes at an intense pace for you. Then lay on top of a mat and do an Elbow to Knee Twist Crunches to target your upper abs. Place your hands behind your head and bring one knee towards your chest by bending it. Next, bring the opposite elbow towards this knee by lifting your shoulder off the mat. The key is to get the side of the upper body you’re twisting off the floor so you engage your upper abdominal muscles.

One more example would be to ride an exercise bike for 3 minutes at an intense pace. Then get off the bike and get into a sideways plank position. With your elbow under your shoulder, lift your hips off the floor. Then bring your top knee towards your topmost elbow by bending them into each other. Try to 10 of these per side as you slowly twist your elbow and knee together.

Then combine these types of workouts with a whole-body resistance training program. You don’t have to work out that much during the week. Just 2-3 sessions a week at least just starting is going to do a lot for not only weight loss but building your abdominal muscles so you can finally lose upper belly fat.

Menopause and Upper Belly Fat

When women hit menopause or perimenopause, many gain weight and have fat gain too. Women gain belly fat after menopause because they’re not only getting older and their metabolism is slowing but also because of hormonal changes.

Upper belly weight gain is typical at perimenopause because women tend to eat poorly, exercise less, and start drinking alcohol in excess around this time of their lives. This causes a shift towards more abdominal fat storage instead of subcutaneous (stomach) or visceral (inner-abdominal cavity). They refer to this as the “middle-age spread.”

The best way for women over 45 years old who want to lose upper stomach weight and keep it off long term is by focusing on the right dieting strategy combined with cardio/weight training workout routines that build muscle mass faster than fat. A lower calorie intake and eating more fiber-rich foods help a lot. More lean body mass means you’ll burn calories day and night, thus your upper belly flab will better be burned off too.

Harvard Medical School found women in menopause who increased their protein intake and decreased carbohydrate consumption lost more upper ab fat than those who didn’t. Women in menopause might want to try intermittent fasting to lose belly fat since the body starts burning glucose for energy instead of its stored fat. This will hlep you to build up the lean muscle mass faster with less time spent exercising by using this approach.

The Last Word

So just because you’re stuck with excess fat on the upper part of your belly doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it for good. But most make the mistake of just focusing on weight loss when that’s really only the first part of the solution.

The real trick is to also focus on whole-body fat loss and building your abdominal muscles. This will then force the stubborn belly fat on your upper stomach to finally burn off. Of course, if you lose more weight, some of the upper belly might come off, but there will always be an unwanted amount hanging on.

Even though you might have the genetics for belly fat on your upper abdomen doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it forever. Many people have stubborn fat spots on their body, and of course, it feels like it’s always the last to go. But when you’re following the right plan, then this stubborn fat will be forced to be burned off.