For many people, weight loss journeys start with one common idea: do hundreds of crunches daily, and belly fat will melt away. It’s a routine countless fitness beginners follow, often inspired by social media challenges or gym advice. But what if this popular method isn't the key to toned abs at all? That’s exactly what Stanford-trained health coach and longevity biohacker Prashant Desai has pointed out, saying that most people are focusing on the wrong thing when it comes to belly fat loss.
How to lose belly fat at home?
In a video that has gone viral, Desai explained why people who work out regularly still struggle to lose fat around the stomach area. He said that doing 100 crunches every day may make the core muscles stronger, but it does nothing to directly reduce the fat around the midsection. According to him, the idea that crunches burn belly fat is “one of the biggest misconceptions in fitness,” a belief that often leads people to frustration and disappointment.
Prashant Desai clarified that spot reduction, losing fat from only one part of the body, doesn’t exist. Fat loss, he said, happens uniformly across the body and not from one specific area. So expecting crunches to burn fat only around the belly simply doesn’t align with how the human body works.
Instead of grinding away with endless abdominal exercises, he suggested four science-backed habits that actually lead to a toned stomach:
Eat less: He emphasised that meaningful fat loss begins with a calorie deficit. Without lowering calorie intake, no number of crunches or workouts can change the waistline.
Exercise regularly: Not to spot-reduce fat, but to keep hunger under control and boost total calorie burning throughout the day.
Sleep 7–9 hours consistently: Lack of sleep affects metabolism and hunger hormones, making fat loss much harder.
Reduce stress: High stress triggers cortisol, a hormone associated with excess fat storage especially around the belly.
The Indian School of Calisthenics supported his claim with a detailed perspective, saying crunches don’t directly burn stomach fat, but they do play a useful supporting role. Crunches increase muscle mass in the core, which raises the body’s basal metabolic rate, helping burn more calories even at rest. A stronger core also improves performance in high-intensity workouts, cardio and weight training, the exercises that do help burn fat more effectively.
So, for those struggling to lose belly fat, Prashant Desai’s advice seems to echo that idea, focus less on 100 crunches and more on food, movement, sleep and stress management.
How to lose belly fat at home?
In a video that has gone viral, Desai explained why people who work out regularly still struggle to lose fat around the stomach area. He said that doing 100 crunches every day may make the core muscles stronger, but it does nothing to directly reduce the fat around the midsection. According to him, the idea that crunches burn belly fat is “one of the biggest misconceptions in fitness,” a belief that often leads people to frustration and disappointment.Prashant Desai clarified that spot reduction, losing fat from only one part of the body, doesn’t exist. Fat loss, he said, happens uniformly across the body and not from one specific area. So expecting crunches to burn fat only around the belly simply doesn’t align with how the human body works.
Instead of grinding away with endless abdominal exercises, he suggested four science-backed habits that actually lead to a toned stomach:
Eat less: He emphasised that meaningful fat loss begins with a calorie deficit. Without lowering calorie intake, no number of crunches or workouts can change the waistline.
Exercise regularly: Not to spot-reduce fat, but to keep hunger under control and boost total calorie burning throughout the day.
Sleep 7–9 hours consistently: Lack of sleep affects metabolism and hunger hormones, making fat loss much harder.
Reduce stress: High stress triggers cortisol, a hormone associated with excess fat storage especially around the belly.
The Indian School of Calisthenics supported his claim with a detailed perspective, saying crunches don’t directly burn stomach fat, but they do play a useful supporting role. Crunches increase muscle mass in the core, which raises the body’s basal metabolic rate, helping burn more calories even at rest. A stronger core also improves performance in high-intensity workouts, cardio and weight training, the exercises that do help burn fat more effectively.
So, for those struggling to lose belly fat, Prashant Desai’s advice seems to echo that idea, focus less on 100 crunches and more on food, movement, sleep and stress management.