Losing weight isn't really "my" topic because of my propensity to lose weight and instead I constantly try to get in shape rather than shed extra pounds.
However, a large number of people are on the run out of the desire to lose weight. Someone is enough for a month, others run a marathon, and still others have run their entire lives, once wanting to lose weight. This is great, because the well-being of running also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.
It became interesting for me:
- How effective is running for weight loss?
- Which running workouts burn the most calories?
- What physiological processes are behind this?
- What does the research say about this?
And since I've been running for several years now and noticed some changes in weight and appearance, I'm going to share my experience.
Running to lose weight is surrounded by many myths. The point is, not everyone loses weight while 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, the benefits of running?
Besides the obvious benefits (involvement of large muscle groups, improved cardiovascular system function, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), at least one study is worth mentioning. Over 55, 000 people took part over 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%
- the risk of death from cardiovascular disease is reduced by 45%
- life expectancy increases by 3 years on average
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 afford even a pair of inexpensive running shoes, you are in business.
Weight loss factors
No matter what sport you play, there are factors that directly affect the speed and intensity of your weight loss.
Among them:
- Age. . . The older the person, the less work is recommended and, therefore, the result will be less important. In addition, muscles shrink and weaken with age;
- Body composition. . . If you have more muscle mass than fat, you will burn more calories running;
- Training intensity. . . Literally everything counts: activity, frequency, pace, distance, etc.
- Ground.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 were given a strict eight-week calorie-controlled diet. By staying in exactly the same conditions, men lost more extra pounds than women;
- General daily activity. . . Even a 10 minute charge is effective if you are sedentary;
- The weight. . . The heavier the weight, the more calories will be burned at the start.
The main and unwavering formula for weight loss is to burn more calories than you eat.
How many can you reset at one time?
First of all, it should be clarified: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, in a street or a stadium?
It may seem that there are no differences, but it is not. Functionally, the load changes little, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to push hard from the surface, while the track, due to the continuously moving belt, pulls your leg back and you spend less physical effort.
In addition, the treadmill considerably shortens the stride and hinders movement.
Why not trust the lost calories displayed on the machine screen? It takes into account the speed and duration of training, as well as average runner data, which often has little to do with reality. Additionally, the machine tends to overestimate the numbers in order to motivate them to keep exercising.
For an hour on a treadmill, working out at a speed of 10 to 12 km / h, you can lose 550 to 750 calories. It all depends on incline, running pace, heart rate, body temperature, etc.
1 kilogram of fat = approximately 7, 500 to 8, 250 calories
There are many parameters to consider when running outdoors. For example, a report from Harvard University indicated that a 30-minute workout for people with different intensities and different weights gives different results:
- A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 370 calories in half an hour while running at a pace 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 pace of 4h20 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate, he loses 435 calories.
When you run slowly, most of the calories come from fat. At an intense rate, muscle and liver glycogen stores become a source of calories. By the way, after training they always "run out" (EPOC effect, on this - below).
Compared to other sports, the indicators are on average as follows:
| Activity | Calories burned 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 |
| Roller | 260 |
| Aerobic | 240 |
| Basketball | 220 |
| Play badminton | 167 |
How many days a week should you run to lose weight?
If you're just starting your running journey, you shouldn't set a goal of running every day or running for an hour by all means.
Your training plan should be progressive. Start by alternating brisk walking and slow jogging. A normal running pace is one you can talk to. It will be difficult at first, so you can take a step if necessary.
Start with the fact that the workouts should be at least 3 in 7 days. There should be enough time for the body to have time to get rid of the excess and recover.
Once you get the hang of it, you can do different types of running workouts to pump your body more versatile and burn calories more efficiently. However, remember that a basic workout will keep your body running smoothly and minimize the risk of injury.
High intensity running workouts
A meta-study found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns an average of 30% more fat than other types of exercise.
Thus, HIIT training is a more effective way to reduce body fat. High intensity running workouts include interval running and fartlek.
Strenuous exercise creates excess oxygen uptake after exercise, which is known as the oxygen debt effect.EPOC (Excessive Oxygen Consumption After Exercise). . . This promotes the oxidation of fat faster and causes what is called the "afterburning effect". In addition, the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormone (according to one study, up to 450%) within 24 hours of stopping HIIT.
In addition to weight loss, this type of cardio has a number of other benefits:
- improved endurance
- blood sugar control
- muscle building
- strengthen the immune system
- relieve stress and anxiety, etc.
However, with all its advantages, interval training has a number of contraindications, since there is an active load on the cardiovascular system.(CCC). Before starting this type of race, you must make sure that you have no contraindications from the CCC.
What time of the day is it best to train for weight loss?
According to recent studies, people who exercise in the morning perform better than those who exercise in the evening. During the experiment, the scientists divided 48 women into two groups: the first engaged in aerobic exercise in the morning for six weeks, the other preferred to exercise in the evening. During the specified period, they recorded each meal. As a result, exercise in the morning was found to help reduce the amount of high-calorie foods during the day, allowing them to lose more weight.
Other studies have shown that exercising on an empty stomach before breakfast burns more fat than exercising after eating.However, if you are running on an empty stomach, it is worth taking a shorter, easier route as your body may not be ready for it.
There is a lot of controversy over which is the most effective. It is believed that our physical performance increases when the body reaches its maximum temperature for the day. For most people, this is between 4: 00 p. m. and 5: 00 p. m. , although some experts extend this time to 7: 00 p. m.
A monthly training plan possible for beginners
Before you can show results, especially if you were previously sedentary, you need to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.
Please note thatonly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training program for you, because when choosing a plan, your goals and the state of your body will be taken into account.
The plan is designed to immerse you in your workouts as smoothly as possible; this is achieved by alternating walking and running:
Week 1 |
Monday - Walk 20 minutes Tuesday - rest or do cardio for 20 minutes (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - 20 minute brisk walk Thursday - rest Friday - alternating fast stride (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) 4 times Saturday - rest 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 stride (3 minutes) and intense jogging (1 minute) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast stride (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - 20 minutes on foot or by bike up to 30 minutes Sunday - rest |
Three weeks |
Monday - repeat 7 times alternating fast stride (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternate 9 times fast step (1 minute) and jog (2 minutes) Thursday - rest or bike for 30 minutes Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast stride (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - 25 minute active walk Sunday - rest |
4 weeks |
Monday - alternate brisk strides 6 times for 1 minute and jogging for 4 minutes Tuesday - rest or swim / bike (30 minutes) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk stride, jog for 20 minutes, and finish with an additional 5 minutes of brisk stride Thursday - rest Friday - race continues for 25 minutes Saturday - 30 minute biking or walking at a brisk pace Sunday - rest |
A versatile training program for beginners. There are hundreds of similar plans on the internet
As you move into the second month of your training plan, gradually increase your jogging time, keeping your walking intervals to a minimum. When 30 minutes of running is normal for you, you can add 4 days for a full running charge.
It is important to monitor your heart rate.
The fat burning heart rate zone is considered to be 50 to 70% of maximum heart rate. It is calculated based on the age of the person.Very averagethis is about 115-130 beats for the age of 30 or 110-125 beats for the age of 40. You can measure exact heart rate zones using special functional diagnostics. This will help you train more effectively.
When you run in the fat burning zone, your body learns how to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you shouldn't expect that running in this particular zone will lead to more weight loss: due to the low intensity, less calories are burned than running in the high intensity zone.
What helps to maintain the result?
In order to track your progress and get a feel for your heart rate during training, you can't do without assistive devices:
- Fitness bracelets.Paired with your phone, they help you track your steps, kilometers, and track speed and time. In most fitness bracelets, the heart rate monitor only works accurately in quiet areas and low stress areas. I can't say this is true for absolutely all fitness bracelets, some do a good job with this task.
- Sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't need to run with your phone either. Watches from sportswear brands (and Apple Watch) tend to have a relatively accurate heart rate monitor, but not as accurate as chest belts. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor depends on the model and technology used to implement it, so it is best to consult the reviews of a particular gadget in advance.
- Chest heart rate monitors.The most accurate heart rate measurements.
Why am I running without losing weight?
There could be several reasons:
- Bad motivation.Quite often you can hear people running around saying that they are working with a burger they have eaten or that they are cutting circles in the stadium to earn a chocolate bar in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian, food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn how to correlate the calories consumed and consumed and how to eat well. If you run an hour a day, but eat 500 more calories a day, you shouldn't expect weight loss.
- Weight control.A safe and reasonable rate of weight loss can reach 1 kilogram per week. If you run regularly and do weight training at the same time, keep in mind that as you lose weight, muscles are building. In this case, it is more advisable not to look at the arrows of the scale, but to regularly measure your body (waist, hips, leg circumference, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress would be more revealing.
- Getting used to the 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 stores and building materials for muscle recovery. Over time, the body adapted to the stress and stopped perceiving it as an irritant. In this case, it is enough to alternate between different types of training: running over rough terrain, finding other routes, combining gaits, adding loads of force, etc.
- A tough diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more weight you lose. In reality, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts stress on the body, it begins to build up reserves where possible, as well as retaining water to repair damaged muscle fibers and provide glycogen to working muscles. As a result, it often leads to emotional breakdowns and overeating.
5 myths about running
Stretch before you run
Surely each of us has heard that before running you need to stretch and warm up your muscles. You will be surprised, but scientists have no consensus on this score. Rather, they agree that the benefit can only come from dynamic stretching (lunges, flexes, swinging legs and arms, etc. ).
What's wrong with the static form of the stretch?
- A 2013 study found that it can reduce productivity, not increase it.
- Another study from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that stretching before running does not prevent injury.
And another recent study found that static stretching can impair muscle performance for up to 24 hours.
Static stretching refers to exercises like a fold or butterfly, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15 to 60 seconds at the time of maximum muscle lengthening.
But warming up your joints certainly won't hurt you.
The more exercises the better
There is a common mistake among beginner runners - the desire to increase the pace of running and the volume of loads as quickly as possible. At first the enthusiasm and motivation prevail, and it seems that running 2-3 km is too little and a shame. Better just 10 and up the hill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, does not have time to recover, and athletic performance drops before it occurs.
This leads to prolonged cessation of training, general loss of strength and exhaustion. Sometimes muscle swelling or weakness can be observed, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, it leads to "emotional" overeating and sometimes injury, which completely discourages the urge to run again.
Be patient and think long term, don't empty your body. Even with the most intense workouts, you still won't lose weight in 2 weeks. The process should be approached systematically and the burden should be broken down into stages.
Runners don't need strength training
Numerous studies examine the effects of strength training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprints. It states that strength, power and speed are intrinsically related to each other, as they are all the result of the same functional systems.
Strength training dramatically improves endurance and running performance. For example, the gluteus maximus is believed to be the most important contributor to top speed while running. Needless to say, it must be pumped without fail? Running alone cannot do this.
Also, the stronger the muscles get, the more elastic and resilient the body will be while you run.
Dress warmly to lose more
A big misconception for beginner runners looking to shed those extra pounds. Some girls even wrap themselves under clothes with cling film in order to achieve the maximum result in their opinion.
Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with weight loss. With the help of sweat, the body cools down, eliminates fluids and toxins. Additional 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 powerful load on the body, if before that there was a sedentary lifestyle. And excess weight is already a weighting agent.
As a rule, this method is used by experienced athletes to develop strength-speed capabilities. Heavy loads over long distances can increase the risk of injury for an inexperienced runner.
Running and increased appetite
As your body learns to adjust to the new diet and exercise, you burn fewer calories. In addition, when weight is lost, the body needs less energy to function. So the basal metabolic rate (the energy the body burns while at rest) actually begins to decline.
Running at a moderate pace is believed to increase appetite, especially for novice runners. The body wants to go back to its previous mass and more intensely produces hormones that make you hungry. But several studies have shown that running at high intensity has the opposite effect - by suppressing levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and reducing appetite.
For my part, I can say that I have never won as much as when I was preparing for a marathon. My maximum monthly run was just over 200 kilometers 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: good nutrition, alternating loads, their gradual increase. If you want to lose weight by doing regular but short workouts (say, 20 minutes a day) at the same pace, this is unlikely to get you any closer to your desired goal. It all depends on the initial settings.
You can get the result by running either prolonged or intensively. Ideally, to lose weight, you should alternate interval training with slow, long jogging. This will prevent the body from adapting to the stress level. Why is this important? Because you can face a phenomenon that physiologists call a plateau state, when the physical condition and weight are stabilized and it becomes very difficult to get them off the ground. You have to "surprise" the body and try unusual loads that become irritating to it. New approaches also help avoid the burnout that can arise from a similar routine.
You can get what you want faster by combining aerobic and anaerobic loads (cardio and strength). But do not forget about the side effect (and in fact - the main one) of running. In addition to the loss of extra calories, you will bring tremendous benefits to the whole body.