Many of us want to lose fat around our bellies, but don’t know where to begin. Despite adopting a healthier diet and stepping up the exercise regime, it can feel like the weight is dropping from everywhere except your midsection.

Weight loss guru @project.s.lifestyle has taken to TikTok to share her wisdom on “how to lose stubborn lower belly fat” that “hangs” when you take your trousers off – particularly useful advice if you’re aged 35 or above and finding weight loss more challenging.

She said: “You cannot spot where you lose fat.” This means the only method to reduce belly fat is to “lose overall fat” from your body.

The first step is to ensure you’re consuming a “slight calorie deficit,” which involves eating marginally fewer calories than what you burn throughout the day.

To calculate this, multiply your target weight in pounds by 12 that’s the number of calories you should aim for.

“If you eat too few calories, especially when you’re over 35, it’s gonna slow your metabolism down,” she warned, noting that this could actually hinder weight loss.

Next, she recommended giving yourself a “give yourself a 200 calorie buffer” daily, as it’s “very difficult” to consume the exact same number of calories every day. This approach is also “more sustainable” compared to a strict low-calorie diet.

“We don’t just wanna lose weight, we wanna lose fat,” she declared, revealing that the secret lies in protein consumption. “Protein aids in muscle building and muscle recovery […] so you’re gonna be building and stimulating your muscle which means what’s left to lose? Fat”.

Moving on to her third step, she divulges that it involves “building lean muscle” which ultimately creates a “toned look.” She emphasised the importance of “lifting weights three to four times a week.”

“Not only does this ramp up your metabolism,” she noted, but it also enables you to “burn calories all day long”, suggesting 45 minutes to an hour of such exercise can significantly aid in achieving fitness aspirations.

She recommended employing “dumbbells” for home workouts or hitting the “go to the gym” reassuring that these three pieces of advice, when adhered to consistently, will make a “world of difference”.