I'm 19 year old female. 5'4 and approx 115-116 lbs. Workout 7 days a week: Run every day and have a set schedule for the rest of my workout. I was quite in shape for a while but then got out of my groove for a few months and I feel horrible about the way I look right now.

My Running routine is a 20min one with a 2min warm-up and 2min cool-down. I was, before I got out of my groove, just running at a steady pace of about 6mph for the entire time. However, I had several people tell me that if I get my heart rate up and then take it back down and then back up and so on during my running routine that it'll be more effective in losing some of the "fat" that I've gained back. I not really looking to loose weight per say I mean I actually weighed more when I was in shape, but just get rid of the fat on top of my muscles.

I was curious if running at a steady pace or one that takes me up and down (which I know has seemed to help me as far as stamina and my speed has gone up as well) is better for getting rid of that small layer of fat on my abdominal area?

I eat pretty healthy, my boyfriend and I both do, we workout together and have set meal plans. Thing is, he's more about bulking up and doesn't really worry about running as much as I do so advice on running is one thing I can't go to him about.

The thing is, if you do the same thing all the time, your body get used to it. I used to have a school run that would kill a horse (three children, one bike, hills and headwinds) but because I did it twice every day, my body got used to it and I didn't even burn many calories doing it.

If you normally run for 20 minutes at 6mph, it will maintain fitness, but it won't create more and it won't burn many calories. If you throw some sprint intervals into it, it will cause your body to work a lot harder than it was expecting, so you'll get better results.

Also, doing sprints will push your heart and lungs to maximum, so they'll get more efficient and keep you healthy.

You don't have to do this all the time, maybe one or two days a week.

Thanks. Yeah I talked to a few people at one of the gyms I go to and I think that doing the intervals is much better for me. I don't always do the same intervals and doing it 7days a weeks is what I prefer. I really appreciate your input!

The thing is, if you do the same thing all the time, your body get used to it.
This advice is golden.

Different people's bodies respond differently. Some can do the same thing over and over and maintain. Some cant.

My wife is a "runner"... she likes it, enjoys it, misses it when she cannot run. I run because I need to. Hate it, never have liked it, would gladly give it up.

Well, as you age your metabolism takes some hits. Its just the truth. And, while she wasn't really overweight, shed put on some lbs that she wanted to shed. She tried running it off. It didn't work.

What did work was cross training.

Instead of running all the time, she mixed in different workouts. Now, at her upper 30's, she has a body that puts most ten years younger than her to shame.

She runs twice a week. Does pilates twice a week (this is what made a change in her body). And does a video like billy blanks tae bo once a week, sometimes more. Different muscles hit from different angles.

Honestly, for strengthening and tightening your core (abs, back, rear) I'm very impressed with pilates. I use some pilates moves regularly in a workout, and its impressive. I can suggest a few dvds if you are interested.

Since I don't consider myself a runner at heart, I can't suggest or refute any suggestions about intervals, other than it makes sense to me. The more you can keep your body guessing, the better.

A couple of years back I was tired of my trail routine, so I shortened the running in half and then did some "rock hopping"... across large stones that were a part of a dam at a large lake that I liked to go to. It was awesome. That change in workout really helped hit muscles from different angles and taxed me in a different way.

Let us know what you decide to try and how its going.