Can you lose weight running?
It always seems a real shame, and frankly a big loss, when people run purely for weight-loss. After all, once you have overcome the initial inertia, and running becomes part of a regular routine, the benefits can be multiple.
You can also to opt with your concerns relating to addiction.
Running can be social, it can help to reconnect you with nature, it’s a great stress reliever and helps in many ways. But unless you are blessed with an iron discipline or fantastic genes, weight-loss can be an added bonus. You can hop over to maximise the weight-loss and you must also understand that there are a few tweaks which you may need to make to your running routine.
Running for weight-loss
Making the most of your running
Ultimately, weight is just a number on a scale.
It really is far more important that you are left with a feel good factor as a result of your running. That doesn’t mean that you can’t push yourself from time to time, and experience the exhilaration of working through a tough run. But to turn running into a long term habit, you’ve got to keep it enjoyable.
You’re going to burn a lot more calories, and lose a lot more weight if you can make it into something you can stick with long term.
What matters when running for weight-loss?
Avoid going at the same old steady pace every time you run. The body is always trying to adapt to change. If you make your routine too predictable the body adapts more quickly, and your weight-loss can plateau.
So, try to break your running into segments. For the first 10 minutes, run at your usual pace. Then do a fast 30 second spurt before resorting to your steady pace. Repeat this for 5-10 minutes or for a period of time that feels manageable. These changes in pace will increase your heart rate, you’ll work harder, and the end result will be you will use more calories.
As well as swapping and changing intensity and speed, you should consider putting in some longer runs. Again, it’s too easy to get into a very set routine. For example, going for a few 20 minute runs a week that all feel exactly the same.
Once you have built up your base line fitness, it is time to become more adventurous. See if you can do a longer run of 30 or 40 minutes. It’s absolutely ok to slow down the pace. It can be at a super comfortable pace, but doing the extra distance (even once a week) will pay dividends.
Putting on muscle helps with weight loss. By factoring in some hill-repeats into your running schedule you can help to develop your musculature. Hill-repeats can be challenging but are a lot of fun.
And finally, experiment with running on a reduced carbohydrate intake. By reducing the level of carbs you take on during a day or over a couple of days, you encourage the body to use fat as its fuel source during your run.
This should only be factored into your running schedule from time to time and is best done with some more detailed advice from a qualified nutritionist.
We hope this information was useful for you. If you have any questions about it or about our treatments, please contact us. We are only a 3 minute walk away from Angel Station. We are always happy to help.
