If you're looking to lose belly fat fast, jogging is one of the most effective workouts you can do—but not all jogging routines are created equal. The key is combining steady-state cardio with high-intensity bursts to torch calories and target stubborn fat. Here are five jogging workouts that actually work, backed by science and designed to get you results without wasting your time.
Fartlek—Swedish for "speed play"—is a sneaky way to mix endurance and sprinting without feeling like you're stuck on a hamster wheel. Start with a 5-minute warm-up jog, then alternate between 1 minute of moderate-paced running and 30 seconds of all-out sprinting. Repeat this cycle for 20-25 minutes, then cool down. The unpredictable shifts keep your metabolism guessing, and studies show this style of training can increase fat oxidation by up to 36% compared to steady jogging alone. Bonus: It’s way less boring than staring at your watch waiting for the next interval.
Find a hill with a moderate incline (about 5-8% grade) and turn it into your personal fat-melting machine. After warming up, sprint uphill for 20-30 seconds, then walk or jog back down to recover. Aim for 6-10 repeats. The uphill sprints engage your core and glutes way more than flat-ground running, and the eccentric motion on the downhill helps build endurance. Research from the Journal of Sports Sciences found that hill training can burn up to 28% more calories than running on flat terrain—plus, it sculpts those lower abs like nothing else.
Longer jogs at a conversational pace (where you could chat in short sentences) might not sound sexy, but they’re gold for tapping into fat stores. After 30-40 minutes of continuous movement, your body starts relying more on fat for fuel. The trick? Keep your heart rate around 60-70% of your max (roughly 220 minus your age). Throw in a few 30-second pick-ups every 10 minutes to spike calorie burn. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that participants who jogged at this pace for an hour, 3-4 times a week, lost significantly more visceral fat (the dangerous kind around your organs) than those doing shorter, more intense sessions.
This workout leverages EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption)—aka the "afterburn effect"—where your body keeps torching calories for hours post-workout. Structure it like this: Jog 2 minutes, sprint 30 seconds; jog 90 seconds, sprint 45 seconds; jog 1 minute, sprint 1 minute. Then reverse the sequence. The varying intensities max out calorie burn, and a 2011 study showed pyramid intervals can elevate metabolism for up to 48 hours afterward. Pro tip: Do this one in the morning to capitalize on all-day fat oxidation.
Tabata isn’t just for burpees—applying it to jogging is a game-changer. After warming up, sprint as hard as you can for 20 seconds, then walk or slow jog for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times (total 4 minutes). It sounds short, but the intensity triggers a cascade of fat-burning hormones like catecholamines. A 2017 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that Tabata protocols reduced abdominal fat nearly twice as fast as traditional cardio. Pair this with a 10-minute warm-up and cool-down jog to round out the session.
Consistency is everything—pick 2-3 of these workouts per week, mix in strength training, and watch your waistline transform. And remember: No amount of jogging will outrun a bad diet, so pair these routines with whole foods and protein to fuel your progress. Now lace up and hit the pavement—your flatter stomach awaits.
