Affiliate links on our site may earn us commissions. Learn More.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy Policy.

arrow
Newsletter

Discover The Best Wellness Tips In Your Inbox

Subscribe to Health Reporter’s newsletter and get our health experts’ highlights and the latest news about healthy living.
The newsletters are spam-free and sent from our health experts and professionals.
sent

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter!
Home arrow Nutrition arrow Weight Management arrow How to Lose Lower Back Fat: 4 Effective Secrets Revealed

How to Lose Lower Back Fat: 4 Effective Secrets Revealed

HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: March 31, 2023
6 min read 2392 Views 0 Comments
clock 6 eye 2392 comments 0

You’ve tried everything but still can’t lose that stubborn lower back fat. There must be something you can do.

how-to-lose-lower-back-fat

Do you have problems with back fat? Are you having a hard time getting rid of it? Have you spent hours at the gym every week lifting weights and running a couple of miles on machines? Yet the exercise isn’t targeting your troubled back.

While some people may be genetically predisposed to having more fat than others, there are ways to reduce the appearance of excess fat through exercising and dieting.

Read on to find out how to lose lower back fat without breaking the bank or doing too many strenuous exercises!

How to Lose Lower Back Fat: 4 Effective Ways

If you spend a lot of time thinking about your back fat, you are not alone. Nobody wants to have it. Fortunately, here are our top tips to get rid of that pesky lower back fat, have a flatter belly, and feel more confident in any outfit.

#1 Workouts

The best way to target lower back fat is by doing exercises that can strengthen your core and lower back to reduce back fat.

Remember there’s no single exercise routine that will eliminate back fat; hit your back muscles from all angles with exercises that target the lower, middle, upper, and oblique areas. 

Don’t forget weight training. Exercises with weights will promote muscle growth.

These exercises include front squats, knee tucks on a stability ball, plank flies using dumbbells, reverse flys using cables, or kettlebells and pull-ups

Incorporating cardiovascular and aerobic exercises into your weekly workout plans can help you lose fat in your back and other areas of your body. These include activities such as brisk walking, jogging, running, cycling and swimming. 

Caution: Just as with any other workout routine, it is always best to consult a certified personal trainer before embarking on a program to lose overall body fat or get into shape, particularly if there is any chance of aggravating existing health problems in the process.

#2 Make dietary changes

Start with the little lifestyle changes.

Taking care of your health with nutritious food is an excellent way to keep fit and lose weight naturally. How many calories do you need to burn during the day? It all depends on your current lifestyle.

Start by cutting out all high-calorie, refined, and processed foods from your diet and replacing them with more lean proteins like fish, eggs, and chicken. For example, when eating red meat, limit yourself to 4 ounces three times a week.

That’s not all! Eat a balanced diet of complex carbs, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Some foods have been found to promote weight loss and help burn fat faster than others. These include spinach, cabbage, grapefruit, dark leafy greens, and apples, all of which help burn off those unsightly body fats, especially when combined with regular exercise.

#3 Stress less

Stress is a significant reason behind the accumulation of fats in different parts of your body. When you are stressed, your body releases more cortisol, leading to a drop in your insulin sensitivity. This raises your insulin levels, which triggers your body to store calories in places like your belly and back muscles.

Stress is also a significant cause of excessive eating and can result in obesity. So, by minimizing stress, you are also minimizing your chance of getting flabby and unwanted weight gain. A quick morning yoga session or light stretching routine could help stretch those hard-to-reach muscles causing trouble spots around your back.

#4 Stay hydrated

Water is essential for so many functions in your body. It encourages your body to release leptin into your bloodstream, a hormone that signals your brain that you’re full. 

What’s more, according to a study, hydrating keeps you going without food longer throughout the day, and the more hydrated you are, the better your metabolism can work. This can be effective in helping you shed pounds, which will result in losing some fat from your back.

Make sure to drink at least 8 to 10 cups of water throughout the day to help curb hunger, flush fat cells from your system, and enhance digestion.

What Causes Back Fat?

Back fat is usually caused by excessive calorie intake, lack of physical activity, and poor nutrition. 

As you gain weight, excess fat develops in stages, starting with the layer of subcutaneous fat that’s nearest to your skin. This layer gradually gets pushed outwards, which causes the deeper muscles around your back to get slightly pinched and begin protruding into a rounded shape.

What’s more, sitting for long periods every day (you know who you are) and consuming high-sugar foods or too much salt encourages your body to retain water, which causes fat deposits to increase. 

In addition, genetics may play a role in why some people tend to store fat around their lower backs while others store it more in their arms, thighs, and buttocks. This kind of fat is medically called lipodystrophy, referring to a condition where parts of your body accumulate more fat than others. 

Moreover, health issues like hormonal imbalance, thyroid disorders, and other things may also be responsible for how much back fat you have. 

Why Is Back Fat So Hard to Lose?

Its peculiar location makes it very difficult for your body to metabolize and effortlessly burn away lower-back fat. The only way for fat loss is through a combination of diet and exercise – not magic tricks or fad diets. 

Before you dive into why back fat is such a stubborn problem, it’s essential to understand the difference between the two types of fat in your body – subcutaneous and visceral. The best way to tell them apart is by their location.

Subcutaneous fat is found directly under your skin, and it takes up residence in areas like your arms, buttocks, and thighs. And because it lies right below the skin, it is often referred to as pinchable or jiggly because you can literally pinch it.

Visceral fat, on the other hand, tends to be more deep-seated, often accumulated in all sorts of inconvenient places near your vital organs, lower back, and abdominal cavity.

Is Back Fat Normal?

Most people consider it some flaw or problem with their body, even though it’s completely natural and normal. The simple fact is that everybody has a bit of fat around their back area.

But it becomes problematic if it keeps accumulating and bulging out. One of the easiest ways to tell if you have too much fat around your back is by feeling lumps along your spine. These are pockets of accumulated fat that need trimming down. If these feel bigger than an inch or two across, it’s time to act!

How to Target Lower Back Fat?

Cardiovascular exercises, along with strength training, are crucial in your quest. 

A general recommendation is 3–4 cardio sessions per week for about 30 minutes each session. In addition, resistance training can help build muscle in your lower body which, when increased, will speed up your metabolism and naturally help you burn more calories throughout the day. 

Lift weights two or three times a week, focusing on big muscle groups (legs, butt, etc.) until you’re challenged without feeling exhausted. At the same time, it’s essential to ensure that you don’t overdo these exercise sessions, as they can be very strenuous and lead to injuries if overdone. 

You can also try some yoga moves that help burn those excess body fat while improving blood circulation in your back. The best thing about yoga is that it doesn’t require special equipment or training sessions. All you need to do is relax and breathe in a controlled manner while following along with an instructor through various positions called asanas.

A Word From Our RD

When it comes to losing lower back fat, your biggest allies are diet and exercise.

In order to truly make a difference, focus on small steps towards improving your diet and always remember: slow and steady wins the race. Try setting small goals for yourself that are very achievable within a given time frame, such as starting with cutting out fast food for two weeks or drinking more water for three days.

Exercise is also effective for toning and slimming your lower back. No matter what workout routine you choose – whether it’s running a couple of miles or huffing and puffing through endless reps of crunches – what’s important is that you do something you enjoy at least once every day!

By doing so, you can stick to small improvements without overwhelming yourself. Consistency is key here – but also remember that consistency doesn’t mean perfection.

Conclusion

Nothing can be more painful than carrying excess weight in a specific area of your body. It just makes you feel uncomfortable with your own self. 

So, if you’re wondering how to lose lower back fat, the right diet, high-intensity interval training, strength exercises, and plenty of water should do the trick.

Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel’s goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
The article was fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Was this article helpful?
check
Thank you! We received Your feedback
HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: March 31, 2023
6 min read 2392 Views 0 Comments
0 Comments

Leave a comment

checked
Thank you for your comment!
We will review it as soon as possible.
HealthReporter
Your Name
Missing required field
Your Comment
Missing required field

company-logo