Does walking & running help you to lose belly fat at all?

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  • jassyjan1
    jassyjan1 Posts: 313 Member
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    Bump
  • AngelaKorb
    AngelaKorb Posts: 2
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    I just learned SO much from this post. Thank you ALL.
  • Kell_Smurthwaite
    Kell_Smurthwaite Posts: 384 Member
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    As others have already said, you can't "spot reduce" fat from specific areas of your body, but getting in some cardio will reduce your overall body fat, which will mean yo ulose fat from your belly too. You CAN, however, spot-tone. Get in some cardio to reduce your fat and do plenty of abdominal work with weights etc and you'll see that belly going down. This is exactly what I'm doing and I've dropped 30 lbs and gone down a couple of dress sizes since the end of February - and the areas I see the most change in are my belly and butt.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    As others have already said, you can't "spot reduce" fat from specific areas of your body, but getting in some cardio will reduce your overall body fat, which will mean yo ulose fat from your belly too. You CAN, however, spot-tone. Get in some cardio to reduce your fat and do plenty of abdominal work with weights etc and you'll see that belly going down. This is exactly what I'm doing and I've dropped 30 lbs and gone down a couple of dress sizes since the end of February - and the areas I see the most change in are my belly and butt.

    Spot reducing and Spot Toning are the basically the same thing.. and bottom line is you can't do either.

    Lift heavy, eat a deficit, do a bit of cardio and see the fat go down.. period.
  • Hardemanwifey
    Hardemanwifey Posts: 261 Member
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    Bump, lots of good info.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    For some xtra try some wrist weights.
  • Patty120103
    Patty120103 Posts: 3
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    So will it be better to start by getting fit through walkin/running until desire weight and then working on problem areas?? If this is the way.... I have alot to go :0/
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    So will it be better to start by getting fit through walkin/running until desire weight and then working on problem areas?? If this is the way.... I have alot to go :0/

    You can't work on problem areas without working on everything. So, no, it isn't "better" to just walk/run until desired weight. In fact, I would say that it's better to find several activities that you really enjoy (running, Zumba, yoga, whatever) and especially to try to get a fair balance of cardio and resistance (which may vary from person to person, but don't neglect resistance) and do those throughout your weight loss. And if you still have "problem areas" when you get to your goal, you can reassess what you do, perhaps adding more resistance, especially weights, to help trim body fat. But realize that the body will take fat from where your genetics dictate first, and the proportions will be determined by genetics, too. So a pear will probably always be a pear shape (darn hips!! :ohwell:)
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
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    Reading this made me realize just how far this forum has came in the last year. Bad advice like everyone was posting the first bunch of replies doesn't fly as easy anymore.
  • Patty120103
    Patty120103 Posts: 3
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    Thanx for the advice!! :smile:
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    As others have already said, you can't "spot reduce" fat from specific areas of your body, but getting in some cardio will reduce your overall body fat, which will mean yo ulose fat from your belly too. You CAN, however, spot-tone. Get in some cardio to reduce your fat and do plenty of abdominal work with weights etc and you'll see that belly going down. This is exactly what I'm doing and I've dropped 30 lbs and gone down a couple of dress sizes since the end of February - and the areas I see the most change in are my belly and butt.

    John-Krasinski-no.gif

    Spot toning would be the same as spot reducing. "Tone" comes from the reduction of overall BF%, covering the muscle mass a person already has, or has built up. You can do all of the abdominal work you want with weights, but it's not going to make your body remove fat from that area. Do 10,000 sit-ups a day, but if you have fat on your arms your body wants to use first, it will.

    A flat mid area comes from 3 things.

    Caloric Deficit + Work (cardio AND compound strength exercise) + patience = a smaller mid section as "belly fat" is usually the last to go.

    One thing you will notice of many individuals on here with flat midsections, they (we) rarely do any kind of abdominal isolation. It's good for core strength, once in a while (although so are the compound movements), but it isn't going to make your midsection any flatter than any other exercises. It'll most likely just be slower due to lower caloric burn, and small muscle group being worked.

    Does it help? Of course it does because it increases your caloric deficit, along with other forms of exercise, to help lower overall BF%.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    Reading this made me realize just how far this forum has came in the last year. Bad advice like everyone was posting the first bunch of replies doesn't fly as easy anymore.

    I still read a bunch of misconception.....
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    ABSOLUTELY Cardio and diet are the ONLY ways to shed the excess fat/skin on your stomach area.

    Yes on diet, but Cardio is the ONLY way?

    wuhwhat.gif
  • demetria5150
    demetria5150 Posts: 1
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    Hi I'm deedee I've stuck at 232lbs for a year. So my sis and I decided to start walking around the park using the runkeeper app. I love this app. We have been walking now for 3 weeks . Walking fast pace at least 2.5 miles or more on week days. And weekends we walk 4 plus miles I'm down to 212 pounds I can't tell the difference yet. But i'm not giving up. I want to firm my butt I have dimples in Iit. My stomach looks like im 6 months pregnant . I can see the difference in my legs. I'm wishing and hoping to stop the jiggling in my thighs and flatten my stomach. I also start counting my calories and using a saucer for my meals and drinking plenty of water. Wish me luck everybody . Oh im 52 years old and a diabetic. My doctor told me if I could loose more weight I can stop the meds.
  • lvorquids
    lvorquids Posts: 1
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    Love to read all the story's, helps me to believe I can do it too!

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