Can You Get Rid of Underarm Flab by Running Alone?

Running does the body good -- there's no question about that. But it's not always enough to get you all the health benefits you want. If you want to lose fat to get rid of your underarm flab, running will certainly help -- but it's only part of the solution.

  1. Spot Reduction

    • Spot reduction -- that is, losing fat in a specific targeted area -- sounds like a wonderful thing. But unfortunately you can't lose fat in a specific area, like your underarms. If you want to lose flab under your arms, you'll have to reduce your overall body fat. This may take time, depending on how much excess fat you have, but eventually you'll be able to get rid of those flabby arms.

    Running Benefits

    • According to NetWellness -- a health information website produced by the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University -- you can help reduce underarm flab with a proper fitness regimen. You should include 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like easy running, into your routine at least three times per week.

    Running and Fat Loss

    • Running at a moderate pace of 5 mph, a 160-pound person will burn about 606 calories per hour. You need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat, so at this rate you'd need to run for nearly six hours cumulatively. For a 200-pound person, the calorie burn increases to 755 calories per hour. At this rate it would take more than four and a half hours to lose a single pound of fat.

    Healthy Eating

    • Although running can help reduce underarm flab, it won't be effective if you simply eat back all the calories you burn off. According to NetWellness, "a sound, well-balanced eating plan is important in decreasing body fat." See your doctor or nutritionist to get a customized plan to fit your needs. But in general, you should create a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake and increasing your exercise to lose weight. A safe deficit is between 500 and 1,000 calories per day. This works out to about 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week.