Brisk walking, cycling, HIIT training, resistance training or combined training help improve fitness and effectively reduce liver fat.
Liver disease is quietly becoming one of the biggest health problems in the world. In fact, metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a growing health concern globally, affecting an estimated 30.2% of the world’s population.
Sedentary lifestyles, high-calorie diets and rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes mean more and more people are silently accumulating fat in their livers. If left uncontrolled, the condition can progress to inflammation, scarring (fibrosis) and even cirrhosis. The scary thing is that the disease often has no symptoms until the damage has progressed.
But research shows that exercise alone – even without significant weight loss – can significantly reduce liver fat. Here are 5 exercises that can help reverse fatty liver disease:
Brisk walking (or light jogging)
This is a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, performed at a pace of 3 to 4.5 miles per hour (about 100 steps per minute). It’s fast enough to make your heart beat faster and your breathing heavier, but not so fast that you can’t speak in short sentences.
This simple activity is classified as moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Studies show that even brisk walking can reduce liver fat content and improve liver enzyme levels in NAFLD patients.
Aim for 30-45 minutes of exercise, five times a week, at a pace that makes you breathe harder but still be able to hold a conversation.
Walking or cycling are both exercises that effectively help reduce liver fat. Image: Nguyen Dong
Cycling
Another aerobic option, cycling, recruits large muscle groups, enhances insulin sensitivity and promotes fat oxidation in the liver.
In case you prefer indoor activities, you can use a stationary bike with pedals, seat and handlebars that simulate cycling. These bikes provide a low-impact cardiovascular workout that helps build lower-body strength and can be done at a variety of intensity levels to burn calories, increase endurance and improve joint health.
Start with 3-4 sessions per week, 30 minutes per session, and gradually increase the intensity or duration.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an exercise regimen that alternates short periods of high-intensity or explosive anaerobic exercise with short recovery periods until the point of exhaustion is reached. Such as sprints, burpees, jump squats and mountain climbers, all of which can be done with or without equipment like a bike or treadmill.
More intense but shorter in duration, HIIT alternates bouts of exertion with rest and recovery. A recent study found that a high-intensity program significantly improved liver health compared with standard care in patients with metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).
For example, do 1 minute of sprinting or cycling quickly, alternating with 2 minutes of gentle cycling, repeating 6-10 times.
Resistance (strength) training
Resistance training involves moving muscles against an external force to build strength, endurance and muscle mass. In this form of exercise, force can come from free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or your own body weight. The goal is to challenge your muscles, causing them to adapt and grow stronger over time.
Lifting weights, bodyweight exercises or using resistance bands helps build muscle mass and muscle tissue, improves metabolic control, burns fat and contributes to liver health.
A meta-analysis noted that both aerobic and resistance training reduce liver fat content. Aim for three sessions per week targeting all major muscle groups.
Mixed training (rhythm and resistance)
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio, increases your heart rate and breathing rate by using large muscle groups in a rhythmic and continuous manner. This activity strengthens the heart and lungs and improves circulation by using oxygen to produce energy.
Resistance training, on the other hand, builds stronger muscles and bones, helps improve balance, reduces the risk of injury and makes daily activities easier, while providing significant health benefits such as weight control through a higher resting metabolism.
Combining both aerobic and resistance has been shown to provide synergistic benefits, including improved liver fat, better insulin sensitivity, and systemic metabolic effects.
You can try combining 3 aerobic sessions with 2 strength training sessions per week for significant results.