Losing weight isn’t really "my" topic because of my propensity to lose weight and I, rather, are constantly trying to build shape rather than lose extra pounds.
However, a large number of people are fleeing from the desire to lose weight. For some, a month is enough, others run a marathon, and still others run their whole lives, once wanting to lose weight. This is great because wellness running also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.
I found it interesting:
- How effective is running for weight loss?
- Which running exercises burn the most calories?
- What physiological processes are behind this?
- What does the research say about this?
And since I’ve been running for a few years now and I’ve noticed some changes in weight and appearance, I’ll share my experience.
Running as a way to lose weight is shrouded in many myths. The fact is that not all the pounds suffer from running. Or lose weight, but not just by running. The issue of weight loss is more complex than it seems at first glance.
Needless to say about the benefits of running?
In addition to the obvious benefits (involving large muscle groups, improving the work of the cardiovascular system, metabolism; there is a special article on the benefits of running), it is worth mentioning at least one study. More than 55, 000 people participated in it for 15 years.
What conclusion did the authors of the study come to?
- the risk of dying from any cause in people who run regularly is reduced by 30%
- risk of death from cardiovascular diseases reduced by 45%
- life expectancy increases by an average of 3 years
And the fact that running does not require additional equipment, expensive equipment and high costs, makes it one of the most popular sports in the world. If you can even afford a cheap pair of running shoes, you’re in business.
Weight loss factors
No matter what sport you do, there are factors that directly affect how quickly and intensely you lose weight.
Among them:
- Age. . . The older a person is, the less work is recommended and therefore the result will be less significant. In addition, muscles shrink and become weaker with age;
- Body composition. . . If you have more muscle mass than fat, you will burn more calories while running;
- Training intensity. . . Literally everything is important: activity, frequency, pace, distance, etc. ;
- Floor.Men burn calories faster than women. The University of Copenhagen, along with eight other institutes, conducted a study in which 2, 500 people with diabetes and obesity received a strict eight-week calorie-controlled diet. By living in exactly the same conditions, men lost more pounds than women;
- General daily activities. . . Even a 10-minute charge is effective if you’re sitting down;
- Weight. . . The higher the weight, the more calories will be burned in the beginning.
The main and unwavering weight loss formula is to burn more calories than you consume.
How many can you reset in one run?
First, it is worth clarifying: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, on the street or in a stadium?
There may not seem to be a difference, but it is not. The functional load changes a bit, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to push off from the ground intensively, while the track pulls your leg backwards due to the belt that is constantly moving and you spend less physical effort.
In addition, the treadmill significantly shortens the stride and impedes movement.
Why not trust the lost calories displayed on the device screen? It takes into account the speed and duration of the exercise, as well as the average data about the runner, which often has little to do with reality. In addition, the machine tends to overestimate the numbers to motivate them to continue practicing.
An hour on the treadmill, working at a speed of 10-12 km / h, you can lose 550-750 calories. It all depends on the incline, running pace, heart rate, body temperature, etc.
1 pound of fat = about 7. 500-8250 calories
Many metrics need to be considered when running outdoors. For example, a report from Harvard University showed that a 30-minute workout for people of different intensities and different weights gives different results:
- A man weighing 70 kg. it can burn 370 calories in half an hour while running at a speed of 6: 12 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate it loses 300 calories.
- A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 539 calories in half an hour of running at a speed of 4: 20 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate it loses 435 calories.
When you run slowly, calories are expended primarily from fat. At a high rate, glycogen stores in the muscles and liver become a source of calories. By the way, after training they still "burn out" (EPOC -effect, about - below).
Compared to other sports, the indicators are on average as follows:
| Activity | Burn calories in 30 minutes |
| Swimming (freestyle) at an active pace | 370 |
| Running at a speed of 8 km / h (6: 12 / km) | 300 |
| Beach volleyball | 297 |
| Cycling at 20 km / h | 295 |
| Rollerblading | 260 |
| Aerobics | 240 |
| Basketball | 220 |
| Playing badminton | 167 |
How many days a week do you need to run to lose weight?
If you’re just starting your running track, you shouldn’t set a goal to run every day or run for an hour anyway.
Your training plan should be gradual. Start alternately between brisk walking and slow running. The usual pace of running is one at which you can talk. It will be difficult at first, so you can take a step if necessary.
Start with the fact that the exercises should be at least 3 in 7 days. You should have enough time for the body to have time to shed the excess and recover.
Once you get used to it, you can perform different types of running exercises to make your body more versatile and burn calories more efficiently. However, remember that basic training will keep your body smooth and reduce the chances of injury.
High intensity running exercises
One meta-study showed that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns an average of 30% more fat than other types of exercise.
Therefore, HIIT training is a more effective way to reduce body fat. High-intensity running exercises include interval running and fartlek.
Intense exercise creates an excess of oxygen consumption after exercise, the so-called long oxygen effect.EPOC (excess oxygen consumption after exercise). . . This stimulates the oxidation of fats in a shorter period of time and causes the so-called "burning effect". In addition, the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormone (according to one study, up to 450%) within 24 hours of completing HIIT.
In addition to weight loss, this type of cardio exercise has a number of other benefits:
- improved endurance
- blood sugar control
- muscle strengthening
- strengthening the immune system
- relieving stress and anxiety, etc.
However, with all the advantages, interval training has a number of contraindications, because there is an active load on the cardiovascular system. (CCC). Before you start this type of running, you need to make sure you have no contraindications from CCC.
At what time of day is it better to train to lose weight?
According to the latest studies, people who exercise in the morning have better results than those who exercise in the evening. During the experiment, the scientists divided 48 women into two groups: the first did aerobic exercises in the morning for six weeks, the second preferred to do the exercises in the evening. During this period, they recorded each meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helped reduce high-calorie food intake during the day, allowing them to lose weight more.
Other studies have shown that exercising on an empty stomach before breakfast burns more fat than exercising after a meal.However, if you’re running on an empty stomach, it’s worth taking a shorter and easier route because your body may not be ready for it.
There is a lot of controversy about which time is most efficient. It is believed that our body performance increases when the body reaches its maximum daily temperature. For most people it is between 16: 00 and 17: 00, although some experts extend this time until 19: 00.
One possible monthly training plan for beginners
Before you can show results, especially if you have been sitting before, you need to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.
Note thatonly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training regime for you, since your goals and body condition will be taken into account when choosing a plan.
The plan is designed to immerse you in the exercises as easily as possible; this is achieved by alternating walking and running:
Week 1 |
Monday - Walk 20 minutes Tuesday - relax or exercise cardio for 20 minutes (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes Thursday - rest Friday - change of fast step (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) 4 times Saturday - vacation Sunday - Walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes |
2 weeks |
Monday - alternating 5 times fast step (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating fast pace (3 minutes) and intense running (1 minute) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - repeat 7 times alternately with a brisk step (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - 20 minutes of brisk walking or cycling up to 30 minutes Sunday - rest |
3 weeks |
Monday - repeat 7 times alternately with a brisk step (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating 9 times with a fast step (1 minute) and running (2 minutes) Thursday - rest or ride a bike for 30 minutes Friday - repeat 7 times alternately with a brisk step (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - active walk 25 minutes Sunday - rest |
4 weeks |
Monday - alternating 6 times with fast steps for 1 minute and running for 4 minutes Tuesday - rest or swimming / cycling (30 minutes) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk walking, running 20 minutes and completing with another 5 minutes of brisk walking Thursday - rest Friday - continuous running for 25 minutes Saturday - cycling or walking at a brisk pace of 30 minutes Sunday - rest |
A versatile exercise plan for beginners. There are hundreds of similar plans on the Internet
As you move on to the second month of your exercise plan, gradually increase your running time, reducing walking intervals to a minimum. When 30 minutes of running is normal for you, you can add 4 days for a full load.
It is important to monitor your heart rate.
The fat burning zone of the pulse is thought to be 50-70% of the maximum heart rate. It is calculated depending on the age of the person. Very averagethis is approximately 115-130 beats at age 30 or 110-125 beats at age 40. You can measure the exact heart rate zones with the help of special functional diagnostics. This will help you train more efficiently.
When you run in the fat burning zone, your body learns to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you should not expect that running in this zone will result in greater weight loss: due to low intensity, fewer calories are burned than when running in a high intensity zone.
What helps maintain results?
To track your progress and have an idea of your heart rate during training, you can't do without assistive devices:
- Fitness bracelets.Paired with your phone, they help you keep track of steps, miles and speed and time. In most fitness bracelets, the heart rate monitor works accurately only in quiet zones and in low stress zones. I can’t say that this applies to absolutely all fitness bracelets, some do this task well.
- Sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don’t have to run with your phone either. Sportswear brand watches (and Apple Watch) usually have a relatively accurate heart rate monitor, but they are still not as accurate as chest straps. The accuracy of your heart rate monitor depends on the model and technology used to implement it, so it’s best to look at the reviews of a particular gadget in advance.
- Chest heart rate monitors.The most accurate heart rate measurement.
Why do I run but not lose weight?
There can be many reasons:
- Wrong motivation.Very often from people who run you can hear them making a hamburger that they have eaten or cutting circles in the stadium to earn a bar of chocolate in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian; food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn to balance calories ingested and ingested and eat well. If you run for an hour a day and eat 500 calories more a day, you shouldn’t count on losing pounds.
- Weight control.A safe and reasonable weight loss rate is up to 1 pound per week. If you run regularly and exercise strength at the same time, keep in mind that at the same time as losing weight, muscles build. In this case, it is better not to look at the arrows on the scales, but to measure your body regularly (waist, hips, leg circumference, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress would be revealing.
- Getting used to loads. . . In the first few weeks you could see the result, but then it became less pronounced. Why? Because the body was initially stressed and actively used proteins and carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves and building materials for muscle recovery. Over time, the body adapted to the stress and stopped experiencing them as an irritant. In this case, it is enough to alternate different types of training: run on uneven terrain, find other routes, combine pace, add strength loads, etc.
- Heavy diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more you lose weight. In reality, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts the body under stress, it begins to accumulate reserves whenever possible, as well as retaining water to repair damaged muscle fibers and deliver glycogen to the working muscles. As a result, it often leads to emotional breakdowns and overeating.
5 myths about running
Get dressed before running
Surely each of us has heard that you need to stretch and warm up your muscles before running. You’ll be surprised, but scientists don’t have a consensus on this assessment. Instead, they agree that the benefit can only come from dynamic stretching (strides, bends, leg and arm swings, etc. ).
What is wrong with the static form of stretching?
- A 2013 study showed that it can reduce productivity, not increase it.
- Another study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons showed that stretching before running did not prevent injuries.
Another recent study showed that static stretching can reduce muscle performance for up to 24 hours.
Static stretching refers to exercises such as folds or butterflies, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15-60 seconds at the time of maximum muscle extension.
But warming up your joints will definitely not hurt you.
The more training the better
It is a common mistake among novice runners - the desire to increase the pace of running and the amount of load as quickly as possible. In the first days, enthusiasm and motivation prevail and it seems that running 2-3 km is too little and a pity. Better only 10 and up the hill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, there is no time to recover and the sports performance declines before it occurs.
These include prolonged interruption of training, general loss of strength, and exhaustion. Muscle swelling or weakness can sometimes be noticed, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, it leads to "emotional" overeating, and sometimes to injuries, which completely discourage the desire to run again.
Be patient and think long term, don’t exhaust the body. Even with the most intense exercises, you will not lose weight in 2 weeks. The process must be approached systematically and the load must be divided into phases.
Runners do not need strength training
There are many studies that address the impact of strength training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprinting. It states that force, power and speed are interconnected, since they are all the result of the same functional systems.
Strength training significantly improves endurance and running performance. For example, the gluteus maximus is believed to contribute most importantly to maximum speed while running. Needless to say it has to be pumped without error? Just running can’t do it.
In addition, as the muscles become stronger, the body will be more elastic and resilient as you run.
Dress warmly to lose more
A big misconception for beginners who want to lose extra pounds. Some girls even wrap themselves under their clothes with transparent foil to achieve the maximum result in their opinion.
Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with losing weight. With the help of sweat, the body cools down, removes fluid and toxins. Extra clothing interferes with cooling, which can lead to overheating and even loss of consciousness.
Running with weights will definitely help you lose weight
This is not the best method for beginners. Running in itself is a strong burden for the body, if there was a sedentary lifestyle before that. Excess weight is already a means of weighting.
As a rule, this method is used by athletes with experience to develop the ability of speed and strength. Heavy long-distance driving can increase the risk of injury for an inexperienced runner.
Running and increased appetite
As your body learns to adjust to the new regimen and exercise, you burn fewer calories. Also, when losing weight, the body needs less energy to work. Thus the basic metabolism (the energy that the body burns at rest) actually starts to decrease.
Moderate running is believed to increase appetite, especially for beginners. The body wants to return to its previous mass and produces more intense hormones that make you feel hungry. But several studies have found that running at high intensity has the opposite effect - it suppresses ghrelin (a hunger hormone) level and reduces appetite.
I can say for myself that I never got as much as when I was preparing for the marathon. My maximum monthly run was just over 200 miles, and I ate so much that I couldn’t believe I was capable of it. There was no goal to lose weight, but the appetite was strong.
Can you lose weight just by running?
It is possible, but for this several conditions must be met: proper nutrition, change of load, their gradual increase. If you want to lose weight with regular but short exercises (for example, 20 minutes a day) at the same pace, this will probably not bring you closer to your desired goal. Much depends on the initial parameters.
You can achieve the result by running long or intensely. Ideally, for weight loss, you should alternate interval training with slow and long running. This will prevent the body from adjusting to the stress level. Why is this important? Because you can face a phenomenon that physiologists call the plateau state, when physical condition and weight stabilize and it becomes very difficult to move them off the ground. We have to "surprise" the body and try out unusual loads that become irritating to it. New approaches also help avoid the burnout that can result from a similar routine.
By combining aerobic and anaerobic loads (cardio and strength) you can achieve what you want faster. But don’t forget the side (and actually - main) effect of running. With the loss of extra calories, you will bring huge benefits to the body as a whole.