Walking, jogging, running, and sprinting, are the exercises that are very popular and are known to burn fats from the body. It has been studied that over 80 million people have done these exercises to lose fat. So many questions, "does running burn belly fat?" or "what type of running helps you lose weight?"So yes, calories are burned while you run, which helps reduce belly fat and cut your whole body fat percentage. Running also helps and provides various health benefits and is the preferred exercise for losing belly fat.

What is belly fat?

Belly fat is the deposition of fat near the belly. It includes subcutaneous and visceral fat, which is present in the inner abdominal area surrounding the internal organs. Belly fat is harmful as it has been linked to disorders like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Belly fat can be measured by measuring the circumference of the waist. Measurements above 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women are considered obese.

What Causes Belly fat?

The weight of any person depends on mainly three factors: how many calories are consumed in the day, how many calories are burned during the day, and the last is age.

Excessive eating habits - If a person eats excessive amounts of fatty and fast foods and will not exercise for much less intensity and time, there will eventually be an accumulation of fat in the belly.
Age - Once a person ages, they lose muscles if they are not that physically active. Muscle loss decreases depending on how fast and rapidly the body utilizes the calories. After age, genetics also plays a role in contributing to belly fat or obesity.
Alcohol consumption - Drinking too much alcohol is a free ticket to getting a beer belly/ belly fat. Alcohol consists of a lot of calories; hence, it should only be drunk in moderation. The less a person drinks, the fewer calories consumed, and the lower the chances of getting belly fat.

Also, Read the Effects of drinking too much alcohol.

Does running burn belly fat?

Running involves many types, and they have various benefits and purposes. Base runs are the runs that are considered to be normal. They are done at a natural pace and are usually 10 km in length. Long runs are done over a greater distance of 20 km, which helps improve endurance and fitness in general. There are interval runs that are for short durations with short breaks. These types of runs train speed and stamina. Recovery runs are done after a complex running session to make oneself comfortable. The various types of runs mentioned above help build a person's strength and endurance. However, losing belly fat requires one to burn more calories than one consumes in a day. Running is considered an excellent option for burning calories as it has the greatest effectivity in burning calories compared to other exercises. Running engages a lot of the body's muscles. There is a special training called high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which consists of running and is responsible for burning maximum calories in a minute by using different muscles and their muscle's maximum strength. Studies have shown that running on the treadmill for a mile usually burns 33 extra calories compared to walking. 33 calories seem small, but comparing it to a 15-20 mile run burns around 400 calories more than walking for 15-20 miles. As mentioned, High-intensity running helps burn calories even after the workout. Regular Exercising helps burn calories, but few exercises, including high-intensity running, help to burn calories even after the workout. Several research studies have shown that there is a term called the afterburn effect, which significantly helps burn more calories over time.Another way of reducing belly fat is by consuming fewer calories; this is done by reducing how much food one eats in a day and choosing healthier alternatives. Running decreases appetite, which thus leads to a decrease in the intake of calories and thus leads to belly fat loss. It is believed that running reduces ghrelin levels, the hunger hormone responsible for reducing appetite. Excess belly fat is bad for health, and the person has an increased risk of diseases. However, aerobic exercises, including running, are known to reduce belly fat and thus are very important. Various research studies have concluded that moderate aerobic activities, including running, eventually reduce the fat in the belly.

What are the Other benefits of running -

Apart from losing belly fat, running or any aerobic exercise has a lot of other health benefits.

Running reduces the risk of heart disease by up to 50%; a low to medium-intensity running session is sufficient for this purpose.
Running also helps in maintaining balance in the body of the elderly. It enhances the stability of the body.
Running reduces blood sugar levels by increasing the sensitivity of muscles to insulin, which then helps the sugars get transported into the muscles for storage.
A strange benefit found with running is that it reduces the risk of cataracts which are known to cause severe problems in adults, especially the elderly.
Running keeps the joints and muscles flexible and working; thus, it also aids in reducing knee pain. It results in stronger muscles in the knee.

Also, Read How to Lose Fat in Face?

How to lose belly fat by running?

Running equipment is easily available in major sports stores; however, beginners can start with minimum equipment, including comfortable running shoes, running clothes, water bottles, etc. Some basic things to keep in mind before runningConsider Warm up training - Warm-up is very important before running; it prepares the body for the run; hence one should always start stretching before running and should start with slow jogging. Slowly, then you should progress to running.Interval running - The running frequency should be kept for 4 to 5 days a week. The gap allows the body to recover between workouts. At the end of every run, it is recommended to cool down by reducing the running speed. You should run for Around 30-35 minutes for effective results. This includes 5 to 6 minutes for warm-up, 5 to 6 minutes for the cool down, and the remaining time for running and walking.Try trail running - Trail running is a sport that combines running and if there are high grades, trekking. It is defined as running "on any unpaved surface."Trail running is frequently nothing more than running. You can switch between jogging and walking on an athletic trail running on small climbs. Also, During this time, it is very easy to lose motivation. Dedication is very important for achieving the goal. The running patterns should be made different to maintain interest. Also read: Health Benefits of adding Drumstick to your Diet

Conclusion -

Running is a major activity that is involved in the loss of belly fat. Belly fat occurs when there is an increase in the consumption of calories rather than the burning of calories. Belly fat can lead to several health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, obesity, etc. Hence one should always maintain a good diet and remain active to reduce belly fat. One effective way of doing this is by running. Running or any other aerobic exercise helps decrease the fat content in the belly region leading to loss of fat from that area, and thus is a good exercise to lose belly fat.