Exercises give your entire body a proper workout to lose fat, especially around the belly and love handles. Running, walking, jogging, and skipping fall under the category of aerobic exercises.
So, does running burn belly fat and love handles?
Running is one of the best exercises to lose belly fat and love handles. It is an excellent and convenient way of weight loss. Apart from burning those extra pounds, it also has plenty of other health benefits. But running alone is not enough to lose belly fat and love handles. You should also focus on some other aspects of health to lose weight through running.
However, there have been questions lately about the possibilities of losing belly fat and love handles through running. This is what we are going to cover in this article.
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Does Running Burn Belly Fat and Love Handle?
Can I lose my belly fat and love handles by running? The question is common among weight-conscious people. Yes, it is possible to burn belly fat and love handles by running. We will tell you, why?
Running is an exercise that engages your whole body. So rather than focusing on just one spot, you get a whole body workout. This helps you burn more fat, especially that stubborn belly fat and love handles.
It has been shown from research that an average person burns at least 100 calories by running 1 mile. So, you can see how effective this is!
Another study shows that by using a treadmill for about 30 minutes a day at a pace of 5 miles per hour, a person weighing 125 pounds could burn 240 calories. While a 185-pound person will burn off 355 calories.
So, whether you got a treadmill at home or gym or probably you run on the road, you will burn off just enough calories to burn belly fat and love handles.
So, you should run at least 30 minutes daily on the road or on the treadmill to burn off the unwanted fat around your belly.
How Does Running Help in Burning Belly Fat and Love Handles?
When it comes to exercise, it’s no secret that running is good for you. But it is important to understand what running does to your body to burn belly fat.
Here is the list of benefits that you get from running and ultimately losing those extra pounds on your belly and love handles.
- Boosts metabolism
- Reduced Stress and cortisol
- Improves blood circulation
- Tones abdominal muscles
- Improves Sleep pattern
- Reduces insulin levels
- Strength heart muscles
- Increase oxygen uptake
All these benefits of running ultimately lead to fat loss. Especially the reduction in stress levels and increase in metabolism help in reducing belly fat.
How to Run to Lose Belly Fat and Love Handles?
When people start running, the first thing that comes to their mind is that it is so strenuous. Of course, all aerobic exercises are! That’s the reason they burn more calories.
How to run to lose weight? Running to lose belly fat and love handles is pretty straightforward. All you need to do is get yourself moving to burn more calories than you consume.
On average, running 1 mile can burn 100 calories. But as the metabolism and stamina of different individuals vary, hence, for younger people, it takes 6.5 to 8.5 minutes to run for a mile. For the older ones, it takes up to 10 minutes.
To achieve a significant loss of belly fat and love handles by running, you should run at a steady pace for about 30 minutes per day. Of course, the longer you run, the better results you will get.
Running daily for at least a mile will enable you to steadily lose weight from your belly and love handles. If you want to maximize the benefits of running, the best thing you need to do is turn your running session into high-intensity interval exercises (HIIE).
It is a type of exercise that increases the weight loss process. To gain benefits of HIIE, alternate between sprinting and walking. How long each interval should last depends on your health conditions and ease.
Also, you might not be able to run for long if you are a beginner. And may need longer intervals.
So, take a look at the running schedule for beginners.
Running Workout for Beginners
If you want to lose belly fat and love handles, running is the most convenient method to start with. If you are a beginner, here is a good running workout to start the journey of weight loss.
- Warm-up by walking for 5 minutes.
- Right after your warm-up, sprint as fast as you can, for one minute.
- After you sprint, walk at a steady pace for about 5 minutes.
- Repeat one minute sprint and 5 minutes walk for another 4 times.
- Complete the 30 minutes workout.
End your exercise by walking until your heart has steadied and your body has cooled down. This running workout will enable you to lose weight as long as you do it regularly. Also, monitor your eating habits.
Running, but Not Losing Belly Fat, Why?
A lot of people complain that they are running to lose belly fat but are not successful in doing so. There are a few major mistakes that people commit while they start running for fat loss.
Some people do not drink enough water. Remember, if you will not drink enough water, you will have a slow metabolism. You will not get the benefits of running.
Another mistake is that many people do not check their eating habits and they keep on running for weight loss. To lose weight by running, your body must be in a calorie deficit.
By avoiding these mistakes, you can get the maximum benefits out of your running workout. Try to focus on living a healthy lifestyle along with doing exercises.
10 Effective Tips to Consider Before You Start a Running Workout
When people start a running workout, they forget about a lot of other important things to consider. Here are some effective tips to help you get started with an effective running workout.
- Get a pair of running shoes to support your feet well. The comfortable running shoes will help you run faster and will act as a shock absorber.
- See a doctor before you start your running regimen or any exercise program. This is especially important if you are overweight or having other health problems.
- Start slowly and regularly. Combining running and walking in the first few days is always sensible.
- Begin by stretching before you run. It is important to completely stretch the leg and calf muscles to prevent muscle injuries.
- Set goals in the beginning that how much weight you want to lose. It will help you monitor your progress through this process.
- Rest at least one day per week. This gives your muscles a day to rest and your body recharges itself.
- Drink plenty of water. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. This will boost up your metabolism and will help you burn more fat.
- Have a healthy balanced diet containing carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
- Try to run in a peaceful and beautiful place. It reduces your stress and will help you feel good. Enjoy the scenery around you.
- Get enough sleep. Quality sleep of at least 7 hours is necessary to balance hormones and prevent weight gain.
All these tips will help you run efficiently and regularly. By considering these tips, you will be able to achieve your weight loss goals faster.
FAQs
Can I remove my love handles by running?
Answer: Yes, running is an effective workout to burn belly fat and love handles. It will increase your metabolism. Your body will start burning the extra amount of calories and you will lose the fat around your love handles.
Will running burn my belly fat?
Answer: Running is one of the best aerobic workouts to lose belly fat. But you also have to monitor your eating habits. You should eat a healthy diet containing all the essential nutrients to lose belly fat. Avoid unhealthy and junk food if you are running for fat loss.
Is running better than walking?
Answer: Running is no doubt a high-intensity exercise that burns a lot of calories. But if you want to burn belly fat and love handles, a combination of running and walking can be very effective. As both running and walking have amazing results in fat loss.
How long does it take to get rid of love handles?
Answer: It depends on how many love handles you initially have. On average, you may take 2 to 3 months to lose your love handles if you are running consistently. Remember, to eat healthy along with exercise.
Bottom Line
Running for fat loss became very popular along with the advancement of exercise therapy. But, does running burn belly fat and love handles? Yes, running is the best exercise to combine with a healthy diet for fat loss.
If you have a treadmill, this is the best time to start running for burning belly fat and love handles. If you don’t have a treadmill, just start running on the roadside or any peaceful place. Don’t forget to take a water bottle with yourself to keep yourself hydrated.
