Running, along with other forms of cardio such as riding a bike, helps to burn off your body's excess fat and "flatten your belly" to reveal your abs. If you want to best workout to get rid of that excess fat, follow expert recommendations when it comes to running strategies and schedules and basic fitness nutrition. Since everyone's body is different, talk to your doctor before taking up running.
Calories Burned
For every pound of fat that you want to lose from around your stomach and the rest of your body, you generally need to reduce your caloric consumption by 3,500 calories either through dieting or through exercise like running. While the average amount of calories you burn on your run will differ depending on biomechanics and your specific physique, MayoClinic.com estimates that running at 8 miles per hour for 60 minutes will burn 986 calories in a 160-lb. individual; 1,229 calories in a 200-lb. individual; and 1,472 calories in a 240-lb. individual.
Running and Core Exercises
Running, combined with muscle-building core exercises like crunches or sit-ups, accelerates firming and revealing of your abdominal muscles. If you've chosen to incorporate muscle-building exercises into your running regimen, the right schedule will help you "bury your belly forever," reports "Men's Fitness" magazine. Put your running at the end of your workout routine. Certified strength coach Cameron McGarr, interviewed by the magazine, says that doing your running after you've done the rest of your workout gives your run "a greater effect than had you done it beforehand."
Nutrition
You need to give your body the right nutrition for a good run. While starving yourself may seem like a way to get a flatter midsection faster, it will exhaust you and you won't be able to get the running workout you need. Eat a small snack -- approximately 200 calories and high in carbohydrates -- 60 minutes before you run. This energizes your system so you can run faster and longer and, thus, lose more weight in the long run. Eat snacks like a bagel -- pick a whole-grain one -- with a dab of peanut butter, or a banana.
Scheduling
The amount you need to run in order to achieve a slim, firm midsection will obviously vary depending on your current state of health. However, in general, people benefit from a minimum of an hour and 15 minutes of running every week. Daily cardio is ideal -- think 30 minutes a day.
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