Why Running A Marathon Won’t Melt Stubborn Belly Fat

If your goal is to have a slimmer stomach, running may not be an option for you.

If your goal is to have a slimmer stomach, you may have started running like me because it’s a free and easy way to burn calories.

But have you noticed that it doesn’t work? You may be running and not losing weight, or maybe even gaining weight — it’s frustrating trying your best and not seeing the results you’re looking for!

If you had told me a few years later that I would complete ultramarathons, that running could even seem effortless, I never would have believed you. Good or bad, I was just trying to get in shape and lose 40 pounds ASAP.

When I started exercising to lose weight, running and cycling were the two cardio exercises I did the most. If you haven’t seen my workout routine that helped me lose 20 pounds in 30 days then you should.

One morning I skipped the long hours of running on the treadmill and headed for the woods near my house.

I still remember those first races. Going out at night or running through the local woods so that no one saw my pathetic efforts. That I had to stop breathing and walking so often … Sometimes it seemed like running would never be easier.

If you had told me a few years later that I would complete a marathon, that running could even seem effortless, I never would have believed you. Good or bad, I was just trying to get in shape and lose 40 pounds as fast as possible.

After the race, although I made a few changes to my meal schedule to lose the weight I gained during the workout, my spongy stomach didn’t move and it pissed me off.

It wasn’t like I would run more often or for longer distances. It just happened that I realized how running could help me get my mom’s stomach down.

After just two weeks of running on these crazy trails and hills, I felt an incredible strength in my legs that I had never felt before in the 12 weeks I was training to lose weight.

I quickly realized that my muscles were constantly tensed, because running in the woods is completely different from running on a sidewalk or treadmill.

More importantly, the hills forced me to change my pace and I knew this kind of workout would be key to getting off the stomach too.

Running this way was also very difficult for me. I felt a complete calm afterward that I couldn’t achieve unless I did a long workout in the gym.

And the extra benefit? My stomach was thinner. I could see the definition in my obliques — I had obliques!

I’m certainly not saying I had a six-pack after a month of racing in the woods, but now I see that I’ve pushed myself in the wrong direction.

I was working harder, not smarter. If you’re struggling with a weight loss plateau while running, the answer can be found in the woods for you too.

Why you are not losing weight on your tummy

Getting rid of your belly bulge is important for more than just to look attractive.

Excess belly fat — especially visceral fat, the fat that surrounds your organs and makes your stomach bloat in a “beer gut” — is a predictor of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and certain cancers.

If your results get stuck, skip long, slow runs and do some HIIT cardio. This will speed up your body’s metabolism and increase weight loss. Adding hills and sprints is an effective way to run for weight loss.

If diet and exercise haven’t done much to reduce your tummy fat, then your hormones, age, and other genetic factors may be the reason.

These are 10 possible reasons why your are not losing belly fat:

You eat too much

When you start an exercise program, such as running, your body will want to replace those extra calories lost, which can make you hungrier and consume too many calories.

Or, you can have the mindset that by working you have “won the cake, extra helpings, or a second glass of wine” as a reward. If you only burned 300 calories while running and took in another 300 calories, it makes sense that you are not losing weight.

Many people believe that a low-carb, high-protein diet is key to weight loss. But a common problem runners face that results in a lack of fat loss is eating too much protein, Jessica explained. “The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for athletes throughout the day and after training. training, ”she said. “Anything extra is stored in the same way as extra calories — as fat.”

You don’t pay attention to what you eat

When using running as an aid to lower your overall body fat percentage and thus reduce belly fat, eating a balanced diet is essential. Focus on whole foods, including complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, adequate-protein, and healthy fats at regular times throughout the day.

Keeping a food diary can help you lose weight, as it can help you determine when to snack on or mindlessly eat extra calories — adding up all those handfuls of muffins!

You eat too much sugar

When you’re eating tons of added sugars and refined carbohydrates, you don’t necessarily have to worry about the empty calories that cause weight gain. Eating foods such as donuts, crackers, pasta, white bread, and alcohol will increase your insulin levels, which can lead to weight gain. Keeping your insulin levels low can lower your overall body fat percentage, including belly fat.

You are not burning enough energy

The problem may be that you are not running enough. Start with 20 to 30 minutes of running at a comfortable pace every other day and gradually work your way up to 45 minutes of running.

P.s: If you want to put on muscle, increased calorie intake is important. Grab my favorite fat burner as a healthy option in between your meals like nuts, bananas, avocado, protein yogurt etc.

“When women gain weight after menopause, they are more likely to be in their uterus,” said Michael Jensen, MD, a professor of medicine in the department of endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic. During menopause, the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down.

You do cardio in a steady-state

If you spend a lot of time doing steady-state cardio or too much cardio, you can end up producing too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which can contribute to belly fat, said Rocio Salas-Whalen, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist at New York Endocrinology.

If your results get stuck, skip long, slow runs and do some HIIT cardio. This will speed up your body’s metabolism and increase weight loss. Adding hills and sprints is an effective way to run for weight loss.

You are not building strength

Instead of focusing on more cardio, do strength training three times a week to build more calorie-burning muscle mass. While you may not notice the million crunch reduction in your belly fat, you can do abdominal exercises like dead bugs, planks, side bridges, pallof presses, and hollow holds.

These exercises help use your abs in a way that supports other strength training exercises, such as compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, or bench press, which you should also do during your strength training.

You are demotivated

Are you in the process of losing belly fat? Reducing belly fat relies on a combined approach of a low-calorie, high-fiber, low-carbohydrate, and sugar diet, as well as cardiovascular and strength training. If you’re willing to do the job, you can get past and lose genetics.

You are getting older

As you get older, your body changes the way it gains and loses weight. Both men and women experience a drop in metabolism or the number of calories the body needs to function normally.

In addition, women have to deal with menopause. “When women gain weight after menopause, they are more likely to be in their uterus,” said Michael Jensen, MD, a professor of medicine in the department of endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic.

During menopause, the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down. During this time, testosterone levels also begin to drop, but at a slower rate.

This change in hormones helps women retain their belly weight. The good news is you can fight this process.

You are stressed

Belly fat itself is a different beast. If you find that you can lose weight elsewhere, but not in your stomach, the culprit could be genetics, but it could also be cortisol.

If you have a busy and busy life (you are not alone!), the level of stress hormones in the body will increase. Then you start running and that also ensures a high level of cortisol in the body.

Increased levels of cortisol can cause your body to retain the fat on your stomach more than in other places.

This is because “over time, consistently high levels of cortisol seen under stress promote the storage of excess glucose as fat in the abdomen, which creates belly fat,” Erica Patel, ACE Certified trainer.

Find ways to reduce your stress level and take the time to take care of yourself: read, listen to music, take a bath, meditate, write in a journal, or spend time with your friends and family. boost morale.

Running is just not for you

Just as diet doesn’t work for everyone, an exercise program doesn’t work for everyone. Running may not be what your body needs for weight loss. Try out and alternate different forms of cardio — try cycling, boxing, hiking, biking, CrossFit, or swimming — something you love and will stick to consistently.

Diet tips: I always recommend to eat as healthy as possible and drink enough water throughout the day. If you want to put on muscle, increased calorie intake is important. As a tip — Grab our weight loss diet plan. You can also slowly increase your current meal portion, most importantly don’t skip meals if you want to loss weight.

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