Running to Lose Weight
Running to Lose Weight
Can running to lose weight help you in any way? Technically yes, but the answer to this question is trickier than it looks. Let me explain why. What makes you shed pounds is not necessarily running to lose weight. In order to lose weight, and put it into simple words, your calorie intake must be less than the calories you burn. That said, any exercise you choose can make you lose weight if it helps you burn more calories than your daily calorie intake. However, it’s also important to mention that, in fact, running is a good choice but only because it’s an easy exercise that doesn’t require equipment. So, if you choose running to lose weight, check out some guidelines for how to use running the right way!
Will Running to Lose Weight Work?
Losing weight is simple and at the same time, more complex than what we sometimes think. How fast you lose weight and where you lose it varies from person to person based on body type, nutrition, genetics and much more. But the only way to know if running is right for you is by trying it. And while you’ll be trying it, you’re also being very active, which is already a win!
How Much Running to Lose Weight?
While the exact distances are going to depend on how much you currently weigh, your fitness levels and how far you're able to run, there are a couple of benchmarks you can use to suss your ideal weekly amount. If we're talking averages – to lose, say 1lb a week, you probably need to burn about an extra 500 or more calories every day. Meaning you have to run for 45 minutes every day. However, for many people, 45 minutes of nonstop running every single day is just not realistic.
Instead, a 30-minute run, four days a week burns around 350 calories, which means a weight loss of about 0.2lb per week.
How Effective is Running to Lose Weight?
Running is a pure cardio exercise and these types of exercises not only burns fat, but also muscle, so for a long-term solution, maybe running is not the best option for losing weight. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t do your runs whenever you feel like it.
But by using runs for weight-loss, when you’re burning calories, that energy comes from fat stores, glycogen stores and then protein, which is essentially muscle. The higher your muscle mass, the higher your basal metabolic rate. In other words, less muscle means you need to eat less to get through the day. Additionally, even if the calorie deficit you’ve created by running is helping you lose weight, as soon as you step out of that calorie deficit again, you’ll likely gain unhealthy fat.
Running is one of the best cardio exercises to increase overall calorie burn, but you should also focus on preserving muscle through resistance exercise. So, you can do three strength-training sessions per week of 45 minutes, along with one or two runs.
The Best Type of Running to Lose Weight
Research shows that high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT workouts, such as sprints, running up and down hills, seems to be the most effective for weight loss. In fact, HIIT burns up to third more body fat than moderate-intensity exercises because it makes your body work harder and your body burns fat post-exercise too.
Eating before Running to Lose Weight
Experts say the best time to eat pre-exercise is about three to four hours beforehand because it gives your body enough time to begin digesting that food and for some of that energy to then into your bloodstream and be delivered to your muscles.
If you eat a big meal too close to your running then you're going to feel uncomfortable and heavy, obviously. It’s why you should save your long runs for the evenings or weekends if possible.
There are also little tweaks you can make along the way. For example, if you’d like to train at 6 pm and you’ve had lunch at 1 pm, you have a five-hour gap. In that case, a little snack around 30 minutes before your run is a great help. This because it will help to raise your blood sugar a little and ensure that you're not running hungry. Plus it’ll help you to keep the intensity up for longer.
However, if you choose to go for a run in the weekends first thing in the morning but you don’t want to wake up at 6 am for your breakfast to fully digest, there might be a solution too. The night before your training is really important for getting in your carbs and your protein and making sure that your muscles are filled with glycogen ready to fuel your exertions. That way, when it comes to Saturday or Sunday morning, you reach for a banana, a handful of dried fruit or a small bowl of porridge. This will be enough to bump up your blood sugar, see off hunger and make you feel better, ready to run. All you need is that little kickstart to get you out the door and the stores from Saturday night’s pasta dish will take care of the rest. Crucially, this will also teach you to run with the feeling of having some food inside of you. Not a massive meal, but there's no way you can do a marathon without re-fuelling, so training is the time – especially on those long runs – to get used to running with something in your stomach.
Eating (or fuelling) during a run comes into play on anything longer than about an hour. Between 60 and 90 minutes is a crucial period because that's when your glycogen stores (the energy in your muscles and your liver) start to deplete and fatigue sets in. You'll have to slow down your pace or you may need to stop altogether. You need to start re-fuelling before you hit rock bottom. But if you’re new to running and decide to do it at a steady pace, then the best time to eat is around 45 to 60 minutes.
