When we talk about belly fat, it’s useful to understand that we are really dealing with is a source of energy. Our body stores excess calories in the form of fat that can then be used, whenever needed, to produce energy. Exercise can facilitate the burning of this excess fat/energy source.

It is our nutrition, our eating habits, though, that will impact results by about 70 per cent, if not more. Only by controlling calorie intake and learning to better manage our metabolic needs can we succeed in reducing belly fat.

Here are a few tips to help you reach your goal of a flat stomach: 1: Find out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the rate at which your body burns energy when at rest. It is fundamental to know this if you have a weight loss or weight management goal. Book a Body Composition Analysis test at Champneys from as little as £15.

2: The next step is to develop an eating plan alongside an exercise strategy.

My advice is to ask a fitness professional to help you with this. We are all individuals and the amount of information out there is overwhelming. A good trainer and possibly a nutritionist can provide the level of expertise and instructions that will best suit your specific needs and tailor a programme based on your own level of fitness.

3: Keep a food diary and never skip a meal. Smart-phones have revolutionised our lifestyle and today it is easier than ever to keep track of our food intake. Shop around for the right app, or software that can help you record, daily, what you are eating and drinking. You will be amazed by the usefulness of the information you will gather. That data will empower you to monitor your development and make the right choices.

4: Set yourself a very specific goal, make it measurable and give it a time frame. Don’t exaggerate; try to be realistic and make your goals small but achievable. Think in grams rather than pounds. You’ll see results weekly if not daily.

5: Find a training buddy, someone that wants to achieve a similar, or the same, goal. There are plenty of bellies that want flattening around us. Research shows that we are much more likely to stick to a weight loss programme if we do it with other people than if we try to achieve it all by ourselves.

6: Try many forms of exercise. You will inevitably find something that works for you and that you enjoy.