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When it comes to shedding stubborn belly fat, maximizing your time at the gym is crucial. It can be challenging to choose the best method among the various options available, including resistance bands, machines, free weights, and equipment-free routines. To settle this debate, we consulted fitness professionals to determine whether training with resistance bands or no equipment is more effective for getting rid of belly fat.
It is important to note that spot reduction, the idea of targeting fat loss from specific areas, is a misconception. However, you can alter how your body stores and uses fat by increasing muscle mass. This is where strength training plays a significant role.
Resistance Bands vs. No Equipment: Which Burns More Belly Fat?
Although both resistance bands and bodyweight exercises are effective for fat loss, according to Deb Simpson, NASM-CPT, the founder of Featherweight Fitness, bands provide an advantage for progression when you are looking to advance your workouts.
“Bodyweight routines teach strong foundational movement and are a great place to begin,” Deb explains. “But to build lean muscle—which helps reduce body fat—you eventually need to add resistance. Bands do that affordably and effectively, without needing a full home gym setup.”
Kristina Turnure, MS, CPT, PN1, GGS-PPN, health and fitness coach and founder at Built & Balanced, agrees that bands provide a clear advantage by establishing more resistance and time under tension.
“This is essential for boosting metabolism and improving body composition, including reducing abdominal fat,” Kristina shares. “Resistance bands also allow for more progressive overload compared to bodyweight alone, which helps prevent plateaus and promotes long-term fat loss. They can mimic the benefits many women love from Pilates or reformer-based workouts like added resistance, core engagement, and controlled movement.”
Bands make it seamless to sculpt lean muscle, boost metabolism, and train in a consistent manner—all of which support fat loss. In addition, they’re portable, making working out on the road easy, and they’re cost-efficient. A full set is typically cheaper than a single dumbbell, Deb points out.
“[Plus,] for anyone getting back into strength training or working around joint issues, bands are a low-friction way to make progress without overwhelm,” she adds.
That’s not to say no-equipment workouts don’t have their place.
“Bodyweight exercises like squats, planks, and single-leg movements can be deceptively hard. They challenge your balance, control, and coordination—all of which build strength that supports fat loss,” Deb tells us. “The key is progression. Once the basics get easier, you either make the movement harder or add resistance.”
That’s where resistance bands come in clutch.
Alexa Mellardo
