A Men's Health writer followed the 28-Day Belly Fat Burner Workout, created by Men's Health Advisory Board member David Otey, CSCS, and lost 13 pounds while losing three inches from his waist over four weeks.
The program differed from his previous routine in several ways. His old workouts involved training three times per week with limited volume per muscle group and no direct core work. Research from the past five years, including a 2022 meta-analysis co-authored by exercise scientist Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, indicates you need at least 10 sets per muscle per week to stimulate muscle growth and preserve lean muscle during calorie restriction. The 28-day plan provided sufficient volume across muscle groups through compound exercises.
The program incorporated progressive overload. In week two, the writer bench-pressed 60-pound dumbbells for three sets of eight reps, then performed 10 reps two weeks later. His arms shrunk only a quarter inch while his waist decreased three inches.
Heart rate during workouts typically ranged between 140 and 170 BPM. According to his Apple Watch, he burned 20 to 30 percent more calories per minute during these sessions than previous workouts, completing five to six exercises in less than half the time his old routine required.
The program rotated exercises weekly, which the writer noted aligned with evidence suggesting systematic exercise variation targeting the same muscles can positively affect muscle gain, though switching too frequently may reduce gains.
Beyond the workouts, the writer consumed one gram of protein per pound of body weight, walked 15,000 to 20,000 steps daily to increase non-exercise activity thermogenesis, maintained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing training, and aimed for seven hours of nightly sleep while avoiding alcohol.