By Marnie Kunz, CPT

People often ask me, “Does running reduce belly fat?” Many clients I train want to lose weight, especially belly fat. And I have to explain that the answer is complicated. Running can help you lose weight, including belly fat, but there is no magic exercise that will only target belly fat. However, certain types of running can help you lose more weight than others, and running is one of the best ways to burn a high amount of calories. This guide will go over the science behind running, weight loss, and burning belly fat and give you some strategies to help you lose weight - and body fat - healthily and sustainably.

Belly Fat and Weight Loss

Belly fat is fat around the midsection that makes your waistline expand. Belly fat can be right under the skin - called subcutaneous fat - or deeper in your abdomen, called visceral fat. Visceral fat surrounds organs and is the most harmful type of body fat.

Excess belly fat poses many health risks, including high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and increased risk of certain cancers. Following a running routine can help you lower your waist circumference and combat weight gain that is especially common with aging and muscle loss.

Running and Weight Loss

If you’re wondering does running reduce belly fat, first, we need to go over some basics about weight loss. The formula for weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. It takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound of body weight. So if you burn an extra 500 more calories than you consume daily for a week, you will lose a pound of body weight.

The CDC recommends losing 1 to 2 pounds of body weight per week for a healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss. Exercise - including running - is an excellent way to burn more calories and help you achieve your weight loss goals. In fact, running is one of the best forms of exercise that burns more calories than most other cardio exercises - more than walking, cycling, and rowing.

Running burns an average of 100 calories per mile you run. The calories you burn depend on your body weight, running speed, and distance. If you want a quick reference point, you can estimate you burn about 100 calories for every mile you run at a moderate intensity.

The more you weigh, the more calories you will burn when you run. For example, a 120-pound person burns about 11.4 calories per minute of running. A 180-pound person burns about 17 calories per minute while running. Also, faster running - like sprints and other interval run workouts - burn more calories than less intense runs like relaxed pace base runs.

Running Intensity and Weight Loss

Besides your body weight, your running intensity and duration will determine how much weight you lose from running. The faster and more intensely you run, the more calories you burn. Faster running workouts - such as speed workouts - burn more calories than slower running, so you can burn more calories in a shorter time if you do a speed workout such as Tabata training or intervals.

If you want to lose abdominal fat, high-intensity running workouts can help you burn more calories, creating a calorie deficit for weight loss.

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Running Workouts to Lose Weight

If you want to do long, slow runs, you will also burn a lot of calories. Slow runs at a steady pace will take longer to burn calories than short, intense workouts. Intense running workouts give you an additional boost of post-workout calorie burning. You can succeed at fat loss with either slow, steady runs or high-intensity speed workouts.

For a beginner-friendly speed workout, try fartleks - short bursts of speed during your regularly paced run. Tabata running workouts are a form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that's short and intense and will rev up your calorie burning.

Healthy Eating is Half the Equation

Eating a nutritious diet with minimally processed foods is also crucial to help with weight loss. Opt for nutrient-rich carbohydrates like whole grain bread, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes for workout fuel. Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables will also help curb hunger and offe ryour body vital vitamins and minerals.

Running burns calories and offers many health benefits.

Protein is also essential for your running performance and muscle recovery. Choose high-protein foods liek Greek yogurt, lentils, tofu, beans, and lean meats to satiate your appetite and ensure your muscle groups have enough nutrients.

Does Running Reduce Belly Fat? The Truth

So, does running reduce belly fat? The answer is that running can help you lose weight, including belly fat. However, weight loss cannot be targeted to just one area of the body, in contrast with what fad diets and fitness trends claim.

The truth is you will need to do a general weight loss program to lose belly fat. You can also strengthen your abs, which lie underneath your belly, so you can see muscle definition when you lose weight. Running is one of the best cardio exercises you can do to burn a lot of calories and lose weight.

As a trainer, I recommend combining running and strength training to lose fat, boost metabolism, and sculpt your body with resistance training. Running can help you lose fat, and strength training helps build lean muscle tissue and raise your metabolism so you burn more calories even while resting.

If you're looking for a low impact cardio workout, a great alternative to running is walking. You can burn calories by walking and also will have less impact on your joints. Another option is to run on a treadmill or track for a more soft, even surface that places less stress on the joints than running on pavement.

Tips to Lose Weight Running

Try these tips to help you lose weight - including belly fat - by running:

Ensure you have your doctor’s approval to begin a running-based weight loss program.
Set measurable goals for yourself (such as losing X amount of weight or going down 2 pants sizes, etc., by a specific date).
Track your progress. Use a fitness tracker or running app to measure your training progress.
Follow a training plan. A training plan will give you a clear map for success with customized workouts to gradually build your endurance while minimizing your injury risk. It will also keep you accountable and motivated to run.
Celebrate your milestones. When you reach a milestone, celebrate and reward yourself with an activity you love.
Eat a nutrient-rich diet. Reduce your consumption of processed foods and eat a variety of colorful produce, lean proteins, and whole grains. Work with a dietitian to establish a healthy eating program if you need to. You can also check out our healthy recipes section for menu ideas.
Be consistent. As with training, weight loss takes consistency, so stick with your workout plan. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up - just get back to it as soon as possible.
Enlist support. Run with a friend, co-worker, your dog, or family member for companionship and extra motivation. You can also tag @Runstreet on Instagram in your workout posts to get cheered on.

Sample Running Weight Loss Program

Here is a sample running weight loss plan I would recommend for a beginner who is healthy and able to run and do strength training:

Day 1: Walk for 10 minutes. Do dynamic stretches to warm up. Run for 3 minutes, walk for 2 minutes. Continue alternating run-walking for a total of 30 minutes. Walk 5 minutes to cool down. Stretch. (If you are advanced, you can run for 30 minutes).
Day 2: Walk for 20 minutes (or run for 20 minutes if you’re advanced). Strength training with a circuit workout. Do two circuits with 10 reps of the following exercises: Push-ups, squats, side lunges, bench press, bent-over rows, bicep curls, shoulder press, and back lunges. Rest 30 seconds between circuits.
Day 3: Walk for 10 minutes. Do dynamic stretches to warm up. Run for 3 minutes, walk for 2 minutes. Continue alternating run-walking for a total of 30 minutes. Walk 5 minutes to cool down. Stretch. (If you are advanced, you can run for 30 minutes).
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Day 2: Walk for 20 minutes (or run for 20 minutes if you’re advanced). Strength training with a circuit workout. Do two circuits with 10 reps of the following exercises: Push-ups, squats, side lunges, bench press, bent-over rows, bicep curls, shoulder press, and back lunges. Rest 30 seconds between circuits. Do two sets of planks for 30 seconds each.
Day 6: Walk for 10 minutes. Do dynamic stretches to warm up. Run for 3 minutes, walk for 2 minutes. Continue alternating run-walking for a total of 30 minutes. Walk 5 minutes to cool down. Stretch. (If you are advanced, you can run for 30 minutes).
Day 7: Rest.

This is a sample workout program to help beginners build endurance running and burn calories to lose weight. If you are an intermediate runner and have been running consistently for at least six weeks, add speed workouts to your program to increase your intensity and calorie burning.

Check out our Speed Section for lots of speed workouts you can do to lose weight.

Diets and Weight Loss

A cautionary note: Many runners I’ve coached come to me with weight loss goals, and they are following fad diets or eating dangerously low amounts. Restrictive dieting will not give you sustainable, healthy weight loss results, making it very hard to follow a running or workout program, especially if any of the workouts are intense. Make sure you’re eating enough nutrient-dense foods and don’t starve yourself, and you’ll see better results that you can sustain. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or a dietitian for help.

FAQs

Does running reduce belly fat?

Running can be a healthy way to lose weight when paired with a nutritious eating program and sustainable weight loss goals. There is no way to target just belly fat, so running can help you lose weight all over. A strength training program is the perfect way to complement your running by increasing your lean muscle tissue and boosting your metabolism.

How much should you run to lose weight?

The amount you need to run to lose weight depends on how much you consume, your body weight, and how far you run. For a sustainable weight loss program, if you aim to burn 500 calories more than you consume each day, you will lose one pound of weight per week. This would be about 5 miles of running daily to burn 500 calories or a combination of running and walking.

Can I lose weight by running 30 minutes?

Yes, you can lose weight by running for 30 minutes, but this depends on a few variables, including how much you eat each day, your body weight, and your activity level. If you run 30 minutes, you can expect to burn about 300 calories.

If you need a training plan to help you achieve your weight loss goals and look and feel stronger and healthier, head to our Runstreet Training Center, and I’ll be happy to help you. Happy running to you!

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, dog lover, Akita mom, and writer based in Brooklyn, NY.

Does Running Reduce Belly Fat? Tips from a Trainer