Belly fat is not something you can target directly for reduction, so you need to adopt an overall weight-loss program to lose it. When combined with a healthful, low-calorie diet, running two miles a day can be an effective part of that weight-loss program; however, to lose weight, you need to ensure you are expending more calories than you are consuming. Consult a doctor before you begin any weight-loss or exercise regimen.
Losing Fat
To lose belly fat, or fat from anywhere in your body, you need to expend more calories than you consume, and it takes an excess expenditure of 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of fat. MayoClinic.com recommends starting your fat-loss process by cutting 500 calories a day from your diet. As long as you were consuming approximately the same amount of calories you were expending on a daily basis, dropping 500 calories a day would create a 3,500-calorie deficit in a week --- a 1 lb. loss. The maximum recommended weight loss is 1 to 2 lbs. per week, so running for two miles a day could be an effective way to help drop that additional weight.
Running
Running is one activity that many people turn to because it burns calories so efficiently. According to MayoClinic.com, a 160-lb. person running at 8 mph would burn 986 calories in an hour, and a 200-lb. person would burn 1,229 calories in the same period of time. If a 160-lb. person ran at 8 mph for two miles, he would end up running for 15 minutes and expending 246 calories. If he did that every day, he would end up expending 1,722 calories a week, which would equal a loss of 1/2 lb. Some of that fat would come off the belly.
Fat Distribution
Where you lose fat depends on several factors; the most important being genetics. For example, if you come from a family of people who tend to accumulate fat in the hips and abdomen and tend to be overweight, you will most likely have a harder time than someone whose family tends to be tall and thin. Sex also plays a role. According to the American Council on Exercise, men tend to have a more difficult time than women losing fat from the abdominal area.
Recommendations
To lose weight, the American Council on Exercise recommends combining cardiovascular exercise, strength training and a nutritious, low-calorie diet. They recommend doing cardiovascular exercises, such as running, for at least 45 minutes a day, five to six days a week to drop the pounds. While performing abdominal exercises, such as situps and crunches, won't specifically reduce belly fat, including them as part of a strength-training program that works your entire body will build muscle. Having muscle will boost your metabolism, which will help you lose fat, even when at rest.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss --- 6 Strategies for Success
- "Newsweek"; Six Facts About Belly Fat; Karen Springen, November 2008
- American Council On Exercise; Why is the Concept of Spot Reduction Considered A Myth?"; Cedric X. Bryant; February 2004
- American Council on Exercise: Three Things Every Exercise Program Should Have
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss: Calories Burned in 1 Hour; December 2009
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