Can You Lose Belly Fat by Running on a Treadmill?

Running on a treadmill to lose weight and belly fat?Treadmill running is the best alternative to regular running, it is most beneficial…

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Running on a treadmill to lose weight and belly fat?

Treadmill running is the best alternative to regular running, it is most beneficial for overweight people and beginners because it provides relatively more balance and stability in your runs. If you are running on a treadmill to lose belly fat, then you have made the right start to losing weight.

Running on a treadmill will exercise your thighs, calves and overall leg muscles while promoting a healthy heart and respiratory system. Just like any other cardio exercise, running on a treadmill will increase your heart rate and deep breathing.

Running promotes weight loss through fat burning, which is key to losing belly fat. Coupled with a healthy weight loss diet and the right running techniques, you can lose all the belly fat that currently concerns you.

Can You Lose Belly Fat by Running on a Treadmill?

Yes, of course you can lose belly fat by running on a treadmill.

It is however important to note that treadmill running alone is not the best way to lose belly fat. Losing belly fat will require a calorie deficit, consistent treadmill running and techniques to lose weight at a healthy pace for the best results in belly fat loss.

Let’s discuss belly fat and how you can lose it from treadmill running.

What Is Belly Fat?

Belly fat, or abdominal obesity, is fat that covers your abdominal muscles. These muscles include:

  • Transverse Abdominis
  • Rectus Abdominis
  • External Oblique
  • Internal Oblique

These sets of muscles make up your abdomen which is covered with 2 main types of fat, namely:

  • Subcutaneous Fat
    The layer of fat directly underneath your skin, you can feel it when you pinch your belly. This is the visible fat and is not necessarily harmful to your health because it stores the much-needed calories your body burns when you are running low.
  • Visceral Fat
    Visceral fat is fat that surrounds your internal organs, you cannot visibly see or touch it. This fat actively releases hormones and compounds that promote several harmful, disease-related processes in your body.

The visceral fat is what is most damaging and difficult to lose – your belly fat can prove to be dangerous because of it. The National Library of Medicine suggests that belly fat puts you at a higher risk for diabetes and heart disease, which is why losing it is an excellent decision.

How to Lose Belly Fat By Running on a Treadmill

Losing belly fat from running on a treadmill requires a combination of diet and running techniques. Here are some of the most important things you can do to lose belly fat from running on a treadmill.

  1. Calorie Deficit Diet

This is the first and most important step toward losing overall weight and belly fat. You want to start with a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories. This will help you lose a pound of weight every week, which is a healthy amount of weight loss according to the American Council on Exercise.

You want to bring down your carbohydrate intake to 50-55% of your daily calories and increase your protein intake according to your current weight. Add 1-1.5 grams of protein for every 2 pounds of body weight.

This will help you maintain your muscle mass, which can drop when you lose weight. Additionally, you can supplement your calorie deficit diet with your treadmill runs. For example, if you lose 250 calories every day from your treadmill runs then you only need to cut 250 calories from your daily diet.

  1. Run For 30 Minutes

Study shows that exercising for 30 minutes a day, like running, will help you lose more weight than if you exercised or ran for 60 minutes a day. This is mainly due to the after math of your exercise. 30-minutes leaves you with enough energy for the remaining day and promotes better appetite.

Whereas exercising 60 minutes a day will lead to sedentary behaviors for the remaining day and you will eat more to compensate for the extra strain of prolonged exercise. This means you should run on your treadmill for 30 minutes daily and no more for the best results in weight loss and belly fat reduction.

  1. Run Consistently

Consistency is key if you want to lose belly fat and you always want to be consistent with your treadmill runs. If you are a beginner then start with small goals even if you feel like going all in at first. This is so you can avoid any injuries and any kind of de-motivation from not meeting unrealistic goals.

You can start with three 30-minute treadmill runs per week and make it a regular habit. Once you become habitual and comfortable then gradually increase to 5 days a week with 2 rest days where you can simply do stretches to avoid injuries and irregularities.

  1. High Intensity Intervals in Runs

This is the best thing you can do to lose belly fat from running on a treadmill. High intensity intervals in running are similar to high intensity interval training, you can implement them in your treadmill runs to burn the most calories in 30 minutes.

Segment your run into parts and start with a 5-minute jog then sprint with high intensity for 3 minutes and 2-minute jogs in between each interval of high intensity sprinting. End the session with a 5-minute cool down jog. You can adjust your treadmill during each part of the run.

This will mimic high intensity interval training and give you better results for losing your belly fat. Stretching your body and legs before and after each session will also help you burn more fat and reduce the risk of injuries.

  1. Use Treadmill Inclines

Treadmills have the option for inclined running which is a great option for people looking to lose weight and belly fat. Inclined treadmills with high intensity interval sprinting will help you build more strength in your leg muscles and lose more weight simultaneously.

Just make sure not to exert too much strain on your muscles and body by inclining all the way from the start. You want to first develop a running habit then incorporate inclined treadmill runs once or twice per week in your 5-day running schedule.

Conclusion

Running daily for 30 minutes on a treadmill is beneficial for weight loss which is key to losing belly fat. You want to be consistent with your treadmill runs and incorporate the mentioned techniques gradually for improved results.

Although, no amount of treadmill running will help you lose belly fat if you do not maintain a calorie deficit from your diet and exercise. So, make sure you stick to your diet and running-plan to lose both, subcutaneous and visceral belly fat, at a healthy pace overtime.

For more information on treadmill running, diets and a healthy lifestyle, please visit our website.

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