What Running Does To Your Body: Lose Fat & Tone Belly

Anyone can look at a pack of runners and notice that they are typically in pretty good shape. Why is that? What does running do to your body that makes runners looks to physically good and toned? The Runners High is just one psychological benefit of running but there are plenty of different physical benefits as well.

Can you lose belly fat by running?

First let’s take a look at the body composition changes that can happen. The answer to if you can lose belly fat by running is yes, in fact as your body increases metabolism, you will constantly be generating more muscle and losing fat. Just like other anaerobic activities, running can help you lose weight and tone up your body. How does running affect your body’s muscle and fat balance? When you look at the calories that your body is burning throughout the day verus the number of calories that you are taking in, that’s how you can determine if your body will have a net negative calorie change. Keep in mind that losing weight does not mean that you need to stop eating, it just means that you need to change how you are eating.

Why is belly fat so dangerous?

Belly fat crosses all parts of your body, not just the visible belly areas and it wraps around your vital organs and other important bodily function areas. Visceral fat is what’s hiding inside your body and it’s the type of fat that gives you a higher risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, higher blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

How can I lose belly fat with running?

Cardio matters a lot, you need at least 30 minutes of real cardio to make a difference. And no, we’re not taking about going to the gym and walking on the treadmill with your friends while you watch the news. Actual cardio will make you sweat and push your body’s limits. Interval training is your new friend if you want to lose belly fat. In fact, interval training is one of the best ways to lose weight and train for your first 5k. Higher intensity workouts with short breaks are proven ways to lose weight – which is why CrossFit is so hot right now. 10,000 steps per day is recommended if you want to have a generally healthy lifestyle – set that fitbit, iWatch or Garmin to reflect this daily step count and you’re well on your way to losing belly fat and feeling healthier.

How much weight can you lose by running 30 minutes a day?

Eating and running go hand in hand – and generally if you eat 2,500 calories per day and run/walk up to 25 miles per week, you will see a significant change in your weight. If you run a 10 minute mile, and run a 5k each day for a week, you will hit that target.