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It makes sense that people would want to run to lose weight after the year 2020. It’s been an easy year to get fat.
Covid-19 lockdowns have made sure of that. Think about it. What other options have we actually had?
Working from home means we don’t even have to walk to the car anymore. I used to travel to the shop around the corner from my office to get hold of a snack. Now my fridge is filled to burst with the poor choices.
Never fear. In this article, we’re going to tell you how running for weight loss can help you shed the guilt of the unwanted weight you’ve gained during lockdown.
1.Before you start, remember, running doesn’t necessarily cause weight loss.
The only way to lose weight is to use more energy than your body takes in. Some evidence suggests that although you will be using more energy through running, a spike in hormones can cause you to want to eat more. It will help if you bare this in mind when it comes to getting your sweat on.
It’s just another kick in the teeth, you’ve been led down the path of believing that there’s hope for getting rid of your pot belly after all only to be thrown this bombshell. But don’t throw your arms up in despair even if you’re someone who doesn’t directly lose weight from running, adopting it as a healthy lifestyle can steer you to other lifestyle changes such as adopting discipline which will still help you lose weight.
2.Make sure you enjoy running
This is a number one rule. It’s probably a given seeing as you’re reading a blog based on running. But merely seeing running as a means of losing weight is setting yourself up to fail.
If you don’t enjoy running, it shouldn’t be done to lose weight. A study by Self Determination Theory found that exercising simply for the enjoyment of the task is a key motivator as well as exercising to achieve a particular goal or reward.
Think about it this way. The vast majority of us want money. But there are definitely different routes we’d prefer to get it. Fast cars and flash watches are appealing. However, if I’m bad at math, then becoming an accountant probably isn’t the way to go about getting them. Why should this be any different for exercise?
The trick is to combine the motivation to lose weight with your enjoyment of running. If the two don’t meet naturally, then you’re going to struggle to do it every day. Sorry.
3.Know your calories
Ok, this is embarrassing. I know I shunned calorie counting earlier. But for certain subjects, counting calories is unavoidable. This is especially true for when it comes to knowing what distance to run.
At the simplest and most basic level, there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. On average, a person will burn 100 calories per mile they run. This is regardless of speed, tempo etc.
This means that, in theory, if you want to burn a pound of fat purely from running, you need to aim to run thirty-five miles a week. This might sound like a lot. That’s because it is.
An experienced runner will average around 30 miles a week, so if you’re starting out, there’s no way you should expect to hit this milestone right away. Even if you manage it, chances are it will be too challenging to keep up the pace.
Do yourself a favour. Accept that whilst you might be able to lose weight from running, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Learning this now will make things work out a lot easier in the long run (pardon the pun).
Not only will you adopt other healthy habits that will help you on your weight loss journey, but the task of getting runs in will also feel a lot easier if you aren’t facing such an unattainable goal.
4.Try fasted cardio
Are you someone who skips breakfast? Maybe you’ve woken up and gone straight for a jog without picking up a nearby cereal bar or banana. If so, you may have already completed some fasted cardio.
Put simply, fasted cardio is the act of performing cardio hours after eating when insulin levels are at their absolute lowest. In theory, this should cause your body to look for alternative energy stores and potentially cause it to use up more fat.
There are mountains of evidence debating whether this works or not. A recent study by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that the majority of people who fasted showed little difference in weight loss compared to those who hadn’t.
Some research suggests that running on an empty stomach could even be damaging to your weight loss because running without energy might mean you end up running less.
When all is said and done, it’s unlikely you will lose more fat by running the same distance in a fasted state. But if it doesn’t harm your performance, there’s no harm in trying some fasted cardio.
5.Avoid bad eating habits
This might sound like a given which you’ve heard time and time again. But taking up a new form of exercise will always open you up to a world of questionable eating habits. You’re bound to make mistakes. Maybe the only way to learn your lessons is through trial and error. But head our advice. It could save you a lot of time.
BURNING CALORIES FROM RUNNING DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN YOU CAN EAT MORE. This has been put in capitals because it is the most unfair and truest thing that the author of this post suffered in blissful ignorance from for years.
When calculating the number of calories, you can consume, do not think that because you have run seven miles and burned 700 calories that you can then go on to an extra cheeseburger.
The best way to understand how many calories you can consume factored in with how much you exercise is by consulting a calorie calculator. Say you’re a 25-year-old female who weighs 165 pounds and exercises 4-5 times a week. According to a calorie calculator, you would need to be 1,805 calories a week in order to lose a pound of weight.
However, the same individual who does little to no exercise a week can only eat 1388 calories a week to lose the same amount of weight.
Get it? When calculating calories, it is essential not to take the amount you have burned as the amount you can eat and still expect to remain in a deficit. Instead, you should factor in how much exercise you do on a calorie calculator, and take the number for face value.
This being said, you should expect being hungry. Running is an intensive exercise, and you will use energy. If your main goal is to lose weight whilst running, it might be an idea to limit the distance of your runs to start so that you aren’t left feeling too hungry throughout the day.
6.Eat the right kinds of food
Carbohydrates are perfect for storing energy during exercise. Choosing starchy foods such as potatoes and rice is a much better option than going for sugary snacks. That being said, there is no shame in using certain sports drinks high in glucose for a particularly long run. Fruits and vegetables high in carbohydrates such as bananas are also a good bet.
Did you know: Research has shown that eating bananas specifically before and during exercise is an excellent method for supporting performance?
Diet is a tricky one. No matter how hard all the latest fitness mags and food gurus try to shove it down your throat, diet is not a “one size fits all” situation.
What works for one person may not work for you. Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian and Atkins might all be excellent diets for some. But not for everyone.
Talking diet might be overwhelming to start with and often feel as if someone is spouting off a load of mumbo jumbo. So it’s important to outline this key point. The best diet is the one that works well for you. However, diet indeed makes up for approximately 70% of your weight loss goal. So keeping a few guidelines in mind is essential. When all is said and done. Everything in moderation is often a good choice to make.
7.When should I eat if I’m running to lose weight?
Once again, this is probably something that comes down to working for you. You may be trying fasted cardio, in which case you obviously should not be eating before you begin your run. You may find that you don’t have enough energy to run you best, in this case consuming a high carb meal the night before is a better idea. Perhaps you simply need a cereal bar to help you deal with the hangries before a run. It’s all down to what works for you.
8.Do some interval running
Interval running is exactly what it sounds like – Running between intervals. And it’s insanely good for you especially if you’re trying to trim some fat.
If sprinting isn’t necessarily your thing, you don’t need to act like the roadrunner to get in some interval running. When you’re starting out, just try breaking up your run into differently paced segments. You can work your way up from there.
Interval running can be fantastic for weight loss. It’s been proven that interval running, which incorporates sprinting, can increase insulin sensitivity for young adults.
Side note: It’s probably worth saying that although we live in a world where some people see it as pretty darn cool not to be sensitive, insulin sensitivity is a good thing. I promise. Insulin sensitivity is fantastic because it can lower your chance of getting type 2 diabetes.
Interval running doesn’t just draw the line at doing great things for your insulin. Fast bursts of exercise can heighten your mood more so than long-distance running. So if you’re someone who feels sluggish and bored running mile after mile, this might be for you.
9.Switch up your workouts
Ever seen Groundhog Day? Maybe TheTruman Show? If I’ve learned anything from half watching nineties films whilst I scroll on my phone, it’s that life on repeat is boring. Why should your run be an exception of this?
Don’t get me wrong; good habits are important. So is routine. But getting caught in a rut is not good for your mind or your weight loss plan.
Our bodies are smart. They can quickly get used to performing the same tasks day in and day out. Over time they adapt and performing the same exercises will not help you lose as much weight.
Think of it like starting a new job. To begin with your full of energy, enthusiastic and passionate. But after months of doing the same thing, Your bored, tired and Karen in marketing won’t shut up about her kids. Your performance at work will blunder because you’re not getting anything out of it anymore. Why should your run be any different?
10.Beware of plateaus
You might begin to lose a lot of weight when you first start running. It’s the same no matter what you do to lose weight. As you get skinnier and your body adjusts losing weight gets trickier.
A significant drop in the first few weeks of attempting to lose weight is entirely normal. This is mostly due to your body getting rid of water weight first. After this happens, your metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories) begins to slow. Sooner or later, it’s likely that you’re going to find that the things you did to lose weight, in the beginning, are no longer working.
When this happens, do not. I repeat. DO NOT. Thrown your hands up in the air and give up. Deciding that this is all a waste of time, that you’re going to be a fat kid for life and searching the internet to see if there is a paperboy who will deliver burgers to your house every morning is an insult to everything you’ve worked for.
When you reach a plateau in your weight loss journey, all you need to do is adapt. Consider cutting more calories, mixing up your workouts and maybe changing some of the foods you eat.
In Conclusion
Forget fad diets, calorie counting and that weird drink your influencer friend keeps advertising on Instagram. Losing weight can be as simple as starting a short jog around your neighbourhood. In summary, you can lose weight through running as long as you manage your expectations, watch what you eat and be mindful of your training.
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