Some people find it really hard to lose belly fat even though they try various workout methods and diets. That is why the fat around the tummy area is often labeled as “stubborn fat”. Therefore, a lot of people are now enthusiastic about trying running for weight loss to shed belly fat.
You could lose belly fat when running is incorporated with effective additional methods like interval training, cross-training, trail running, and dietary changes. So, get a dive into this article to learn in detail how running helps to lose belly fat.
What Is Belly Fat?
Belly fat is too much abdominal fat encompassing the organs in your stomach. There are three varieties of fat in the human body. They are:
- Visceral fat- This is the most harmful type of belly fat in your body. Visceral fat is found under the muscles in your abdomen. And excess visceral fat could cause many threats to your health.
- Triglycerides- This fat is the one that flows in your blood.
- Subcutaneous fat – This layer of fat is right beneath the surface of our skin.
Excessive amounts of visceral fat can put your health in jeopardy by leading to health problems like,
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- Breast cancer
- Heart attacks
- Dementia
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Strokes
- Colon cancer
How Does Running Help Lose Belly Fat?
We discussed how running could be an astonishingly powerful fat-burning activity through our previous articles on running for weight loss. In reality, those who suffer from excess weight know how difficult it is to deal with weight loss. However, in conformity with data from the studies, an individual who weighs 180 pounds torches 170 calories when running for 10 minutes at a constant speed. If he runs at the same pace for 30 minutes, that person will burn more than 500 calories. The data also shows that long runs simply aren’t going to support you in losing that tummy fat. According to the specialists, you also demand to make lifestyle and dietary modifications to displace those problematic spheres.
Even if you are a routine runner who is observant of what you eat, you are still likely to possess belly fat that you just can’t shed. In many instances, this can be thanks to the food you take. In fact, even expert athletes can make confused dietary decisions. As an example, those who train daily tend to consume more sports drinks and protein bars. They both include high levels of sugar. Unluckily, that sugar chooses to deposit in your body, especially around the abdomen area.
Use this Body Fat Calculator to evaluate your body fat and discover how much you would require to weigh to maintain healthy body fat.
How To Beat Belly Fat While Running
When you are running for weight loss, there are a few things that you could do to increase its effectiveness. Some people may think that the more distant they run, the more tummy fat they will torch. But still, that is not always the fact. In fact, running for long distances is best at boosting endurance and burning calories. Yet, they are not fundamentally the most suitable for dealing with body fat. To shed the fat, you’ll have more benefit by blending up your exercise routine. Here are some tips to boost your fat-burning process while running.
#01- Include Interval Running
When your intention of running is to lose weight and belly fat, the type of running matters the most more than how often you train. Research shows that high-intensity exercises that include a high level of effort for a short period of time are more potent at burning fat, especially in the abdomen. Thus, by running at various paces, you will boost the circulation of oxygen to your muscles. This will aid in increasing your metabolism and dropping more calories. If you are a beginner at interval running, you could seek help from your fitness trainer for several varied exercise sessions.
#02- Try Cross-training
Cross-training includes hitting an elemental activity. And in this situation, we consider running and improving it with subsequent workouts such as cycling and swimming, which are both powerful at burning the flab, to enhance the profits earned by the initial exercise. Moreover, these subsequent exercises should be low impact to minimize the risk of injury. In addition, they should only be performed for a comparatively compact period of time. That is for not more than 30 to 60 minutes per session.
#03- Go For Trail Running
Trail running is an ideal way to admire the beautiful nature around you while losing belly fat. An easy-peasy approach to pinch your running to lose belly fat is to proceed from the roads and onto the trials. Although your speed is expected to be more moderate, trail running gives more of an entire body workout to support you in congealing those problematic zones. You could occasionally try hopping over rocks and logs, running up and down hills, and running in random terrains. These changes with each and every step will function your quads, glutes, calves, and belly a lot more than running on a flat-leveled path. If you notice you have attained a weight loss interval on the roads, running brisker, not more challenging, including some trails could be an efficient resolution for you.
How Often Should You Run To Shed Belly Fat?
When you work on a weight loss plan, it is essential that you set goals. In fact, if you need to see the outcomes, being restrained, and putting in efforts for hard work are crucial factors. In order to lose those pesky amounts of belly fat, you should at least train for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity movement four to five times a week. We know that could sound like a lot to you. And if you have a super-active schedule, it may not be easy to allocate the time. But actually, that does not have to be four to five sessions of running. Alternatively, go for three 30 minute running sessions per week. Then, you could incorporate yoga or a dance class, go for a swim or add a gym session.
On top of everything, it is necessary that you maintain a healthy diet with fewer carbs, sugar and cut down the amount of processed and junk food as much as possible. Moreover, a mini-research done in 2016 has shown that drinking water and staying hydrated is very effective in burning fat and chastising stubborn belly fat. So, fill yourselves up with plenty of water whenever you are thirsty!
Summary
So as you see above, beating that pig-headed tummy fat is not as difficult as you think when you follow the proper methods of running for weight loss. When smart-running is incorporated with a healthy lifestyle and dietary changes, fitting into those favorite jeans will not be a daydream anymore! So, let us know how our article guided you with information on how running helps to lose belly fat. Don’t forget to keep us posted with a comment below.
Sources and References
National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2730190/
National Library of Medicine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/
The Johns Hopkins University, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Health System
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/8-ways-to-lose-belly-fat-and-live-a-healthier-life
American Council on Exercise
https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/assets/education-resources/lifestyle/fitfacts/pdfs/fitfacts/itemid_2666.pdf