Stubborn belly fat is beyond annoying as it just seems to stay there no matter what you do. As a result, you start looking for different solutions and tricks to get rid of the excess fat on your belly. Unfortunately, most of the information you will find will be complete and utter nonsense. There are so many myths surrounding stubborn belly fat that it’s almost hard to know where to begin. 

Below, you will find three of the biggest myths to avoid falling for as they will waste valuable time and money:

Myth 1: Exercises for the stomach will remove belly fat

Such a common idea, but there’s no science to back it up. Effectively, this relates to all the belly fat burning workouts out there that revolve around exercises targeting the stomach. It’s believed that you can do workouts that specifically target belly fat and help you get rid of it. In reality, exercises involving the stomach will just strengthen your abs, which doesn’t get rid of belly fat on its own. 

The only way to remove fat specifically from your belly is by undergoing surgery. Procedures like a tummy tuck offer spot fat reduction, but you cannot achieve this through exercise. Don’t waste time on workouts that claim to help you do this!

Myth 2: Waist trainers slim down your tummy

Have you seen those waist trainer products on sale everywhere? Basically, you are wearing a modern-day corset that pulls in your stomach and makes you look slimmer. The argument is that these devices, when worn regularly, will naturally slim down your tummy and magically melt away belly fat. 

Realistically, this is a massive myth. Waist trainers do absolutely nothing, other than making you look slimmer while you wear them. They are not going to get rid of stubborn belly fat, so avoid wasting your money. 

Myth 3: Cayenne pepper helps you burn belly fat

A very popular myth with regard to fat loss as a whole. You might have heard of people drinking water with cayenne pepper to burn belly fat, but is there any legitimate proof behind it? 

For starters, you won’t be able to target belly fat, no matter what you eat! Secondly, cayenne pepper contains capsicum, which has been shown in some trials to increase your metabolism. In theory, this will help you burn more calories, so you could burn more fat. However, the major issue is that people think this is some sort of hack. It isn’t. You will see no effects from just doing this alone and not altering other behaviours. 

In reality, the only way to get rid of stubborn belly fat is by following a healthy lifestyle. Fat is burned when you move around and exercise, and then it is generated by what you eat. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose fat. While you can’t target the belly specifically, being in a calorie deficit will help you lose fat around your body, including your tummy.