How To Burn Fat After A Run

Excess fat can accumulate through unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise, which can in turn lead to diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Running is one of the best forms of exercise to burn fat; however, you can still keep burning fat even after you're done working out. The combination of a healthy diet, an interval workout routine and resistance training that increases muscle mass, can help you reach your goal. This is true because the more muscle your body has, the faster your metabolism is, and the faster your metabolism, the faster you burn calories. Consult with a physician before starting any exercise program.

Step 1

Eat five to six small, healthy meals a day. Cut out foods that are high in fat; consume fruits, vegetables and lean meats instead, such as turkey and chicken. Doing this speeds up your metabolism through the process of digestion, because as your body absorbs, stores and transports food, it burns calories. Therefore, spreading your meals throughout the day allows your body to continually digest the food you eat, keeping your metabolism up. According to The Mayo Clinic, "Digestion accounts for about 10 percent of the calories you burn per day."

Step 2

Incorporate strength-training into your workout routine three times a week to burn calories all day long. For every 1 pound of muscle you gain, your body can burn up to 50 extra calories a day at rest.

Step 3

Try interval training two to three times a week. Alternate between short bouts of high-intensity exercise followed by a recovery period. Sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 1 minute. Interval training burns more calories and uses more stored body fat than long, steady aerobic sessions. Do 20 minutes of intervals following a short run to keep burning fat long after you're done exercising.