Researchers from multiple university studies have found that walking is the very best way to get rid of belly fat. Can you really walk off your belly fat?

Yes, say Duke University Medical Center researchers, but you have to walk or jog at least 12 miles a week to just avoid gaining the visceral (around the organs) belly fat and 20 miles of jogging to lose belly fat (both visceral and subcutaneous). That’s a lot of walking!

Yes say the researchers at the University of Virgina.

These folks offered more hope to us all by finding that women doing 3 shorter and faster walks plus two moderate walks a week lost 5 times as much belly fat as the women they studied who walked at a moderate speed five times a week. Prevention.com  reports that the study found that although both groups burned 400 calories

“ Those speed walking also dropped more than 2 inches from their waistlines, pared about 3 times more fat from their thighs, shed 4 times more total body fat, and lost almost 8 pounds over 16 weeks–all without dieting!”

CNN author Tracy Teare also agrees that walking will help you lose belly fat – especially if you vary your walking routine to include plyometrics (things like jumping, bounding and skipping); add hill walking and/or adding intervals.

Put all 4 types of variations together to add variety and umpf to your walk.

First walk for about 15 minutes building up to a moderate pace to warm up. Then turn sideways and do some lateral squats and some jumping jacks or toe rises. Follow that up by walking again at a moderate pace. You could also skip for awhile; march, walk like you are in deep snow – raising your knees high and etc. Adding some arm movements will also increase the intensity of your walking workout.

Next find some hilly territory (or use the incline on the treadmill or elliptical) to gradually increase the intensity of your walking. Again warming up and cooling off with moderate paced walking.

Finally, add intensity by walking really fast (fast enough to get breathless and sweat) for a minute or two after you warm up, then slowing down again to walk at a slower pace, then doing another speed burst and so on.

The Good Housekeeping site  also agreed that you can walk off belly fat. Based on research done at Pennington Biomedical, 20 minutes of walking three times a week (in conjunction with reduction of calories) can help you lose an inch of belly fat.