How Long Does it Take to Lose Belly Fat From Running 3 Miles?

Although you can't tell your body where to burn fat, running is an effective way to help lose weight, which will shrink your belly proportionately. The exact amount of fat you'll lose with 3-mile runs depends on your current weight; however, the fastest fat-loss plan combines cardio and strength-training exercise with a balanced, reduced-calorie diet. If you're currently sedentary or have any health conditions, visit your physician before beginning a fitness program.

  1. Losing Fat

    • You lose body fat when you burn more calories for energy than you consume through your diet. Your body burns energy, or calories, for normal functions such as breathing, as well as physical activities such as cooking, walking and exercising. One pound of fat is approximately 3,500 calories, so creating that much of a deficit should lead to 1 pound of fat loss. Running will increase calorie burning to help you reach your goals, but if you eat as many calories as you burn, you still won't lose weight.

    Running Three Miles

    • Running at a pace of 6 mph, you'd reach 3 miles in 30 minutes; a 155-pound person will burn approximately 370 calories in that time. Dividing 3,500 by 370, you can see that it would take just over nine 30-minute sessions -- or about 4.5 hours and 27 miles -- to lose 1 pound of fat. If you're heavier than 155 pounds, you will burn more calories and lose the weight more quickly. Although it's impossible to determine how much of the weight will come from belly fat, cardio usually helps you burn more visceral fat from deep in your midsection than subcutaneous fat beneath the skin, according to Kerry Stewart, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

    Running Guidelines

    • Running and other cardio activities burn more calories than other types of exercise, and should make up the bulk of your workout schedule. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends spending 75 to 150 minutes per week on vigorous cardio -- which is just half the time needed by those who perform moderate cardio such as walking. Running is hard on your body, however, so start out with walking if you're a beginner, and gradually incorporate short running intervals. In addition, warm up before each run with five to 10 minutes of walking.

    Toning

    • Instead of focusing solely on belly-fat loss, tone your abdominal muscles -- as well as the rest of your body -- with strength-training exercises. These are important for bone and muscle health, and also increase your resting metabolic rate for easier fat loss. For your abs, use crunch machines, twist machines or an exercise ball, or perform situps and crunches if you don't have any equipment. Also work your legs, hips, chest, back and arms using weights or body-weight exercises such as squats, pullups and pushups. Warm up before strength-training sessions to help avoid injury.