Running or Strength Training: Which Helps More With Belly Fat Loss?

Which option is best for you?

What “belly fat” actually refers to

The term belly fat can mean either subcutaneous fat, which lies just beneath the skin and can be pinched, or visceral fat, which is stored deeper in the abdomen around the organs. A waist measurement may reflect changes in both, but it cannot reveal how much of each type you have.

Both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help reduce abdominal fat. Research that measures visceral fat with scans has generally found a stronger effect from aerobic exercise than from resistance training alone. That does not mean lifting weights has no value, or that results will be identical for everyone. Outcomes differ, and studies use different programs and participants.

Can running lower belly fat more quickly?

Running is a type of aerobic exercise. It increases heart rate and burns energy during the workout, which can help create the calorie deficit needed for fat loss. On average, studies show that more weekly aerobic exercise is linked with bigger reductions in body weight, waist size, and body fat in adults with overweight or obesity. A large review of randomized trials found that at least 150 minutes per week at moderate or higher intensity was associated with meaningful drops in waist circumference and body fat.

One head-to-head trial compared aerobic training, resistance training, and a mix of the two in adults with overweight or obesity. The aerobic group lost more fat mass than the resistance-only group. In a related analysis, aerobic training also reduced visceral and total abdominal fat more than resistance training. The combined group did not clearly beat aerobic exercise alone on every fat measure.

These results suggest aerobic exercise is a time-efficient option when the main goal is lowering body weight or abdominal fat. They do not prove that running is always superior to every strength program. Most trials look at aerobic exercise as a broad category, and the exact activities, intensity, and weekly amount vary. Running is one practical way to do aerobic exercise, but brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and similar sustained activities can also count.

What strength training contributes

Strength training may not reduce scale weight as much as aerobic exercise when done by itself, but it offers another important benefit. During weight loss, resistance exercise helps preserve fat-free mass, which includes muscle and other nonfat tissue. A recent review of studies in people losing weight through diet found that adding resistance exercise reduced the loss of fat-free mass and improved strength. It also increased fat loss compared with diet alone, even though the difference in total body weight was small.

That matters because weight loss is not just about lowering the number on the scale. Preserving more muscle can help maintain strength and function as body weight changes. Resistance training also builds strength over time, something running alone does not target in the same way.

Strength training can also reduce abdominal fat. A review of randomized trials found that aerobic exercise, resistance training, and combined training all lowered subcutaneous abdominal fat compared with inactive control groups. The size of the reduction differed by exercise type, and direct comparisons did not show a clear winner between aerobic and resistance training for this fat depot.

Can you spot-reduce stomach fat?

Crunches can strengthen the abdominal muscles, but that does not mean the fat above them will disappear first. Fat loss tends to happen across the body, and the areas that change fastest vary from person to person.

One small randomized trial found greater trunk fat loss in a group that performed abdominal endurance exercises along with treadmill running than in a group that only ran on the treadmill. The study included just 16 men and used a very specific exercise plan. It is an interesting result, but it is far too small and narrow to show that ordinary ab exercises reliably target belly fat for everyone.

A more useful way to think about core exercises is as training for the trunk muscles. They can be part of a strength routine, but they are not a substitute for a plan that creates overall fat loss.

Which matters more: exercise or diet?

Exercise helps, but the overall pattern of eating and activity matters more. Losing fat requires the body to use more energy than it takes in over time. Exercise can help create that gap, while food choices determine how much energy is consumed. The balance is not perfectly predictable: some people eat more or move less at other times after exercising, which can reduce the expected change in weight.

That is one reason a workout plan can feel productive in training but lead to slower-than-expected changes on the scale. That does not make exercise useless. Aerobic training can reduce waist and fat measurements, and strength training can help preserve muscle during weight loss. Pairing a realistic eating plan with training you can stick with gives you more ways to make progress.

So which should you pick?

If you can choose only one type of exercise and your main goal is to lower body weight and belly fat, aerobic exercise such as running has stronger average evidence behind it. If your biggest concern is keeping strength and muscle while losing weight, strength training should be part of the plan.

For many people, combining both is the most practical approach. Aerobic exercise offers regular movement that can support fat loss, while resistance training supports strength and muscle retention. You do not need every workout to be long or intense. Start with an amount you can recover from and repeat consistently, then increase gradually.

Running is not essential. If it feels uncomfortable, is difficult to fit into your schedule, or may worsen an existing injury, choose another aerobic activity. The most effective plan in real life is one you can keep doing while also managing food intake, recovery, and other commitments.

Main points

References

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• Chen, X., He, H., Xie, K., Zhang, L. and Cao, C. (2024) ‘Effects of various exercise types on visceral adipose tissue in individuals with overweight and obesity: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 84 randomized controlled trials’, Obesity Reviews, 25(3), e13666.
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