8 Morning Rituals That Help You Lose Weight

Studies that pit cardio against strength training have come to conflicting conclusions, with some saying time in the cardio area is more important than time in the weight room and vice versa. But a combination of the two gets rid of the most belly fat, found a large review of the research.

Build a fitness routine around both, and make sure it includes a couple of high-intensity interval (HIIT) sessions per week—research shows that HIIT is particularly effective at melting belly fat. Running is a great HIIT option, but high intensity doesn't have to mean high impact. You can do an effective HIIT workout on more joint-friendly machines like the elliptical, stationary bike or rower. (If you do want to do your intervals on the treadmill, though, we've got a trick for that).