Strength Training Reduces Deep Belly Fat, Too

Strength training can also significantly reduce visceral fat, which is the deep belly fat that surrounds vital organs like the pancreas and liver and can be harmful to your health, increasing the risk of insulin resistance, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer. 

In one study, researchers had a group of women and men ranging in age from 61 to 77 strength train twice a week for 25 weeks. At the end of the study, all the participants lost about four pounds of fat. The women also lost a significant amount of abdominal fat (both visceral and subcutaneous). Strength training also improves insulin sensitivity and helps manage blood sugar levels, both of which help to prevent visceral fat gain (which in turn sets the stage for more insulin resistance). This study is notable because the women were postmenopausal, which is a time when belly fat storage increases. 

I recommend that all women strength train at least twice a week, regardless of age! Young women should incorporate lighter weight/higher repetition through a full range of motion and movement patterns to help with body composition and biomechanical changes that occur with puberty.  Women in their reproductive years should look to power and hypertrophy training to improve body composition, bone density, and overall strength. Women in the menopause transition and beyond should prioritize strength-power training in their exercise routine, as hormonal changes make it harder to maintain muscle mass and strength (and the hormone changes increase belly fat storage). Strength training is looking to be the cornerstone and foundation across ages for optimizing body composition and health.