To shed off some pounds, it is recommended to adopt a healthy diet coupled with workout sessions. Running, being an excellent form of exercise, has numerous advantages, such as aiding in weight loss. By following a well-structured running regimen, you can anticipate burning calories and excess body fat. However, your success on the program will depend on several other factors, one of which involves familiarizing yourself with the appropriate training plan.
How to Run to Lose Weight
To shed weight, a significant reduction in calorie intake is required. If you aim for a weekly calorie loss of 3,500 to 7,000, which amounts to losing 1-2 pounds each week, according to the majority of specialists. You can accomplish this shortfall by reducing your calorie consumption or increasing your physical activity, such as jogging. You can also combine the two methods to achieve your objective.
Losing weight in a safe and sustainable manner means aiming for a weekly reduction of one to two pounds. Even if you maintain a regular running routine and engage in strength exercises, you might still be increasing your muscle mass while shedding excess fat.
Although your body may be becoming more fit, strong, and lean, the scale may not reflect this change and in fact, sometimes you may observe an increase in weight. Therefore, it may be wise to adopt an alternative approach to monitor your progress such as computing your body fat percentage or paying attention to how your clothes fit.
The Importance of a Healthy Diet
Despite the unique dietary requirements of runners, the fundamental guidelines for maintaining a healthy diet remain significant. Opt for reduced servings of fatty and calorific meals, and consume an increased amount of whole grains, proteins, whole fruits, and vegetables.
Runners often make the mistake of consuming extra calories from food and drinks to make up for the ones they’ve burnt. This often leads to weight gain or hitting a weight loss plateau, despite their consistent training.
In order to achieve your objective, you must first determine the quantity of food you are consuming. Find out the number of calories required for losing weight by utilizing this calculator.
It’s important to be cautious about your food intake following a run. Proper refueling is crucial for weight loss purposes. Exercise stimulates hunger due to the body’s need for additional calories. If you are not careful with your food choices and consume excessive amounts of inappropriate foods, you may surpass your energy needs.
According to research, the period of time when muscles are most responsive to replenishing glycogen stores is the initial 30 minutes post exercising. The hypothesis is that consuming food shortly after a strenuous workout or lengthy run can reduce muscle pain.
Select a snack that is portion-controlled, like a cup of yogurt, a glass of chocolate milk, or a banana with a post-run smoothie, after your run. During your meals, aim for foods that are rich in fiber and protein to help you stay satiated and full.
It is advisable for women to don a sports bra during running to alleviate discomfort. Similarly, if you intend to run in low light conditions like early mornings or late evenings, it is suggested that you wear reflective clothing to avoid any mishap.
Before commencing a running exercise, there are some fundamentals that you should be aware of.
- Frequency: To get started, aim for 3 to 4 days of running per week. This allows for enough recovery time between workouts.
- Warm up: Before every running workout, it is important to warm up and stretch in order to prepare your body for the run. Start by stretching, followed by 5 minutes of walking at an easy pace. Then, slowly progress to a power walk.
- Cool down: At the end of your run, make sure to cool down with 5 minutes of walking, gradually decreasing the speed as you go.
- Total time: Aim for around 30 minutes total. This includes 5 minutes for a warm up, 5 minutes for a cool down and 20 minutes of running/walking in between.
Getting started with running is simple and doesn’t demand much equipment. For those new to running, it is recommended to try running for 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times per week while allotting 5 minutes for warming up and cooling down.
Running Workouts for Weight Loss
The running exercises you engage in can have an impact on the duration of shedding off excess weight. Though there isn’t a single ideal running regime for weight loss purposes, you can optimize your potential for losing weight by incorporating various types of training.
Achieving consistency is crucial in any weight loss program, particularly those that involve running. Running is an intense physical activity that may be too demanding for some individuals to perform daily or every other day. However, sporadic exercise won’t yield positive outcomes.
Incorporate additional activities such as weight lifting, rowing, cycling, or hiking with your running routine. Endeavor to engage in some form of physical exercise for the majority of the week. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the most fruitful way of losing weight involves engaging in 250 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
- Base runs: What most people would call a normal run. They are short-to-moderate length runs around 6 miles (10 km) and done at your natural pace.
- Long runs: Longer versions of base runs done at the same pace but over a greater distance of around 10–12 miles (15–20 km). They help improve your overall fitness and endurance.
- Interval runs: Short, intense runs repeated several times with short breaks in between. For example, 5 x 0.5 mile runs with 1/4 mile (400 meters) light jogging between each interval. These runs train your running power and speed.
- Hill repeats: Similar to interval runs but done uphill. For example, 10 x 1-minute hill repeats. They train your running power and speed while improving stamina.
- Recovery runs: Slow runs done after harder runs like hill repeats to add extra distance to your overall run. For example, a 4-minute run at a comfortable pace after a harder run.
- Progression runs: These mimic competition-style runs by starting slow and finishing at a faster pace. They build endurance, speed and reduce fatigue. For example, 5 miles (8 km) at a natural pace, then 1 mile (1.5 km) at a fast pace.
Base runs are regarded as ordinary runs among the many types of runs that serve distinct purposes and offer specific advantages.
High-Intensity vs. Low-Intensity Running Workouts
The proportion of carbs and fat that serve as energy sources during exercise may vary based on factors such as the duration, speed, and intensity of physical activity. Consider it from this perspective:
- High-intensity running: The body relies more on carbs simply because they’re a quicker source of energy. They provide your body with the burst of energy it needs when launching something like a sprint. It’s like putting a match to paper: it burns hotter and faster but then is quickly over.
- Lower-intensity runs: With these longer, lower intensity runs your body gradually shifts from carbs to fat. While fats may not be as immediate a fuel source, they are more sustainable. In this sense, burning fat is more like lighting a candle: it burns steadier and longer.
Wouldn’t it be logical to exercise at a slower yet consistent pace if your aim is to burn fat? Well, that’s not entirely true. Though adopting a lower intensity workout helps in burning a higher percentage of fat calories, a higher intensity workout results in an overall increase in calories burned.
There is significant evidence linking belly fat to a greater vulnerability to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and numerous other illnesses. Research has demonstrated that engaging in moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise such as running can decrease belly fat, even if you do not alter your dietary habits.
Through the examination of 15 studies and 852 participants, it was discovered that aerobic exercise can diminish abdominal fat without a modification to diet. Nevertheless, belly fat was most effectively reduced through moderate-to-high intensity training. A separate study observed 27 middle-aged women and concluded that high-intensity running was notably effective at reducing belly fat as opposed to low-intensity walking/running or no exercise.
A group of 45 inactive but healthy women were studied and it was found that high-intensity interval training for three days in a week resulted in significant reduction in body and belly fat, as compared to no exercise or consistent pace exercise.
Numerous studies have shown that engaging in moderate-to-high intensity aerobic exercise, such as running, can effectively reduce dangerous abdominal fat, even in the absence of dietary modifications.
Interval Running Workouts
To burn more calories when running, you would need to run at a higher intensity pace, roughly 80 percent or 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. At this speed, you’re not doing an all-out sprint, but you’re working hard enough so that you’re not able to carry on a conversation.
Begin with a 20-minute jog at a moderate to high intensity level between 80 percent and 90 percent. Another option is to perform interval training, switching between high-intensity and low-intensity exercises. As you advance and improve in your fitness level, you can increase the duration of each interval and the number of sets.
It is important to note that running at a high intensity consistently is not recommended. After engaging in any demanding physical activity, it is necessary to allow your body time to recuperate and reconstruct itself. It is advisable to incorporate one or two high-intensity runs into your weekly routine.
During the remaining days of the week, undertake lengthier runs that are not as rigorous. Such runs should prove more enduring, enabling you to cover greater distances and expend more calories. For additional variety and to enhance your muscular robustness, contemplate undertaking hill repeats or indoor treadmill runs.
Strength Training
Incorporating strength training into your regular routine is a crucial aspect of your running training, even if it doesn’t involve actual running. Those runners who succeed in shedding and maintaining their weight include strength training as a regular habit. Besides being able to burn calories while strength training, your enhanced lean muscle mass will enhance your running performance, enabling you to run faster and longer and burn more calories during your runs.
The presence of lean muscle mass aids in increasing calorie burn throughout the day, including during periods of rest. Additionally, incorporating strength training into your routine can decrease the likelihood of experiencing injuries while running, enabling you to continue exercising consistently.
Incorporate resistance or weight training into your weekly routine by dedicating 2-3 sessions lasting 20-30 minutes each. It’s not necessary to lift weights that are too heavy as even basic body weight exercises can be impactful.
staying motivated
is to keep it fun so you won’t be tempted to make any excuses to avoid your workout.
To make your exercise routine more engaging, try altering your running path every couple of weeks or incorporating diverse workout techniques such as sprinting intermittently or completing hill repeats. Additionally, running with a companion who inspires you can help keep you responsible and offer added security when jogging in the early morning or evening.
If you struggle to motivate yourself in the morning, consider preparing your running attire the night before to minimize effort. Additionally, registering for races or other events while you are at ease can serve as a source of added motivation for running and aid in maintaining your concentration.
Varying your exercise regime frequently or engaging in a run with a companion can add excitement to your routine and provide sustained motivation.
Side notes
When aiming for weight loss, running proves to be a useful workout option. Running aids in burning calories and developing both endurance and strength. It is recommended to follow a steady running schedule, incorporate strength training, and consume healthy meals to shed excess weight and enhance physical fitness. Moreover, continuing to run after the weight loss can assist in maintaining the achieved results.
Engaging in running is a superior way to attain weight loss as it consumes a high amount of calories, has the potential to promote sustained calorie burn beyond a workout, might suppress hunger, and is effective in diminishing detrimental abdominal fat.
Additionally, running provides several other health benefits and is easy to start. Unlike various forms of physical activities, running necessitates minimal gear, can be practiced in any location, and offers several alternatives to make it engaging.
In case you struggle with self-motivation for running, consider seeking out a running companion or switching up your workout routines every now and then for additional diversity.