Today, running is one of the most popular ways to fight excess weight. It really helps burn excess fat, tightens skin and improves health at the same time. But in reality, not everyone gets the desired result. And the point here is not that running is ineffective, but that a person does not know how to run properly to lose weight. Let's try to figure it out.
Benefits of running for weight loss and more
Running to burn fat is a simple and effective way to get rid of excess weight. It is not for nothing that this sport has gained great popularity all over the world. He has a numberbenefits, including the following:
- Running is accessible, requires no financial investment or special equipment, so anyone can do it.
- This is a safe sport and it will only bring benefits if you follow the basic rules.
- Regular exercise really helps you lose weight because it provides a vigorous cardio workout. On average, one hour of running burns 500-700 kcal.
- Running gives a person comprehensive benefits, and this applies not only to the figure, but also to health. It helps fight stress, strengthens the nervous system, exercises the heart and blood vessels, and improves their functioning.
- Running normalizes the work of the digestive system and accelerates metabolism.
- Running perfectly strengthens and tones the muscles.
- This type of activity stimulates the removal of harmful waste, toxins and excess fluid from the body.
Although running can help anyone lose weight, it's important to keep this in mindcontraindications, and they are:
- serious disorders in the work of the heart and blood vessels (heart defects, heart failure, blood pressure problems);
- phlebeurism;
- bronchial asthma;
- endocrine system disorders;
- serious vision problems;
- inflammatory processes in the body;
- infectious diseases;
- problems of the musculoskeletal system.
People who are overweight should consult a professional before starting jogging, as they may injure themselves. In their case, a brisk walk or jog may be more appropriate.
It is recommended to study different options for losing weight with running and choose the best one. It is also very important to know how to run correctly, to learn all the rules and recommendations to burn fat.
Why running is good for weight loss
So does running help you lose weight? Let's figure it out.
Problems related to excess weight are generally characteristic of people who lead a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, half of the population now has private cars. Thanks to machines, we stop not only running, but actually walking. As a result, fat accumulates in the body, and muscles atrophy due to uselessness.
To avoid obesity and unpleasant consequences for your appearance and health, you need to pull yourself together and go for a run. This is the simplest form of physical activity available to anyone. And let it be just a quick walk first. Start running as soon as your body adjusts.
Let's take a closer look at how running burns fat?
Running gets your heart pumping, so it's classified as cardio. With an accelerated heart rate, more blood passes through the heart per unit of time than in a calm state. The lungs also begin to work harder and your blood is actively enriched with oxygen. Oxygen saturation occurs in all cells of the body, from the tips of the toes to the brain. Metabolic processes start to go faster.
Running requires energy. The body uses internal reserves to ensure a constant flow. First, the glycogen accumulated in the liver is consumed, and then the fat deposits of our body are used. Therefore, running and being overweight are incompatible concepts. If you are active and burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Running and losing weight go hand in hand.
- Fat burning begins after 20-30 minutes of continuous running for running (7-9 kilometers per hour).
- With interval training, the process of breaking down fat starts earlier, you don't need to run for an hour to start fat catabolism. However, interval running is quite strenuous and this type of cardio is not suitable for everyone.
When talking about whether running helps you lose weight, it is important to clarify its type and duration. If we mean a classic run at an easy pace, the duration of the training should be at least thirty minutes.
How to run to burn fat: Basic rules
We already know that the answer to the question of whether running helps you lose weight will be positive. However, there are a number of nuances that must be taken into account for running in order to really get results. Let's take a closer look at them.
Running time
Keep in mind that the duration of your run will depend on the intensity of your training. It is also necessary to take into account the level of physical fitness and choose the load that will be optimal. It is recommended to start with short runs and gradually increase their duration and distance.
Running is recommendedat least 40 minutes, because only after this period, the body begins to consume not calories, but directly hateful fats. Many experts recommend interval running - it increases endurance and is great for weight loss.
Preparing and finishing your workout
A proper fat burning run should start and not end. Certain rules must be followed.Before training, consider the following:
- To burn fat, it is recommended to eat at least two hours before training;
- It is useful to take a contrast shower in advance, it will help to tone the muscles and blood vessels, so it will be easier for the body to carry the load;
- Before starting the main part of the lesson, do a short warm-up - this will help prevent injuries and muscle pain, as the body will be ready for stress.
You need to monitor your diet between workouts. Of course, it is not recommended to eat sweets, fatty foods and other foods that are the enemy of your figure. Limit salt intake, as it tends to retain fluid in the body, which increases body volume. Drinking enough water is also important and you can do this during exercise as well.
After the run, the following recommendations will be useful:
- Stop gradually, not suddenly. Switch from jogging to walking and slowly slow down. This will help restore breathing and heart rate and force the body to burn more calories.
- After your run, take a hot shower to help calm your muscles and nervous system.
- Avoid hypothermia. The body heats up during running, and a slight breeze or draft can have a negative effect on your health.
Choosing the intensity of the exercise
An important point about how to run to burn fat is the intensity of the run, which determines the speed of weight loss and the final results. It should be remembered that it is important not only to lose weight, but also not to harm your health.
The more intense the exercise, the faster energy is used up. A leisurely jog is safe for your health, but it is more suitable for keeping fit than for losing weight. And too much intense exercise can cause the body to become exhausted, and as a result, it can begin to lose not only fat, but also muscle, and the cardiovascular system can suffer from excessive stress.
Thereforeloads should be increased gradually and consistently.If you are new to running, start with minimal ones and build them up over time. By monitoring your heart rate, you can determine the intensity of your exercise. Typically, a good fat burning effect gives more than 130 beats per minute. However, if this number is more than 150, the load may be too dense. At the right intensity, the heart rate should return to its normal level no more than half an hour after the end of the run.
Clothes and shoes
The right equipment also plays an important role in running performance. Slimming shoes and jogging suits should be as comfortable as possible and should not restrict movement.
Clothing should be chosen from natural, breathable materials.Be ableuse a special suit to lose weight, provides concentration on some problem area. For example, you can buy pants and shorts that speed up the process of losing weight.
You should choose shoes that are comfortable, light and fit perfectly. This will help reduce stress on the joints and minimize the risk of injury.
It is often recommended to those who want to reduce the volume of the abdomenbelt or cling film for running and losing weight. In principle, this is useful, but do not expect a miracle to happen and you will lose weight in three exercises. These substances help to accelerate the process of removing excess fluid, which has a beneficial effect on the process of weight loss. There are also belts with a massage effect.
Regularity of training
How often and how long should you run to burn fat? Consistency is the most important key to success. The best option is to run 3-5 times a week. To speed up the results, you can replace running with other types of activity, such as strength training or swimming. It is recommended that men combine running with weight training to lose weight.
Don't expect quick results. Openlychanges for the better will be noticeable after 6-8 weeksregular exercises.
By knowing how to run properly to lose weight, you can improve your appearance without harming your health. In addition, it is recommended to follow the following recommendations:
- Be sure when runningmonitor your physical condition.Pain and dizziness are unacceptable. Breathing should be even.
- You can run both on a treadmill and outdoors.The first option is good because it is available in any weather. Secondly, it allows you to enjoy the beauty of nature and breathe fresh air, but it will not always be available due to weather conditions. It is recommended to run on the ground, not on asphalt - this has a beneficial effect on the level of endurance and will allow you to properly distribute the load.
- Make sure your running technique is correct.
- Posturewhile runningshould be smooth.Breathe evenly. Speed changes should be smooth.
If you want to burn fat in a specific area with running,You can follow the technical recommendations below:
- To lose weight in your legs, it is recommended to use a technique with high hip lifts, to include running with an additional step in your training, and to alternate running with jumping (with or without a rope).
- To lose weight in your stomach, apply additional stress to your abdominal muscles and always monitor their tone.
If you follow all the rules and there are no contraindications, you can start running safely and soon you will see clear changes for the better. Do not forget about proper nutrition and other types of exercise - in combination, you will get an effective program that will help you achieve the ideal figure. As a bonus, running will help you improve your health and forget about stress and depression.
How to Build Strength, Endurance and Burn Fat with Running
People often ignore running or look at it one-sidedly. For example, if you want to lose weight, run. If you want to exercise your heart, run too. Some see it as an opportunity to set a personal record and prove to themselves that you can run 10km without stopping. For some, jogging is a way to relax the mind after a busy day of intellectual or stressful work. And it happens on the contrary - an excellent morning workout to gain strength, energy and complete the planned work plan in record time.
A universal but insidious discipline
On the one hand, everything is like this. On the other hand, working power is often overestimated or ignored at all.
Thus, running increases the effectiveness of strength training - it increases the working weights and the intensity of training. It is an important helper in getting rid of excess fat. If everything is done correctly, we will discuss below. There are other cases as well.
For example, a person decided to lose weight - it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl - and let's run away in anger. After all, he had heard from the corner of his ear that running allows you to get rid of excess weight. The fellow sweats seven times, blushes like a lobster, his heart jumps out of his chest, his legs are loose, he has no air, but he continues to move his weakened legs - this 3-4 must be missed. km.
I ran three times a week for a month, suffered a lot, got on the scale, but there was no result. The reflection in the mirror has not changed much. This is the best case scenario. At worst, he started to look bad, he was not in good health, his knees hurt, he was emaciated (less muscle, no fat), and he lost a pitiful 2-3 kg. the total body weight is not at all pleasing.
The fact is that you need to run correctly and build the training process wisely, not forgetting nutrition and a number of other factors. Let's talk about everything in more detail.
Suitable for everyone
The running training system I will discuss below is universal. It is suitable both for the completely untrained athlete who decides to get his body in order, and for the advanced athlete who has been training with weights for many years but neglects running for various reasons.
For example, your knees hurt, you have shortness of breath, your muscles "burn" (don't burn). I can safely classify myself as the latter, and I have approached the issue of running more than once before, but only now have I found really effective ways to use it.
About ten years ago, I had an experiment - I wanted to run 10 km at a time. I got results, but it was difficult and took more than three months. The hope of eating delicious food while losing fat from a long run did not materialize. And I barely ran 10 km, that's called "I can't". Then I more or less got used to running (I hated it before), but these are flowers compared to the results of a reasonable approach to training.
Where to start
No preparation and long preparations are needed. We ate normally, after an hour and a half we put on old sneakers, went to the nearest stadium with rubber running tracks, set a timer on the watch or smartphone.an hourand ran at an easy pace. Only a few points are important:
- Do not run on asphalt.A stadium with a rubber surface is good, a treadmill in a gym is good, and dirt with grass is good. Asphalt is not good, it puts too much stress on the joints and ligaments. Individually selected high-quality sports shoes (how to do it is written here) will partially solve the problem of hard surfaces, but this is not a panacea, and not everyone has such an opportunity. But you can run on the surfaces described above in any, even the most anonymous Chinese sneakers (be prepared for calls from such shoes).
- Work within your aerobic limit.I have described the theory in detailthis article("Aerobic exercise" section), I will not repeat myself, but I will summarize briefly. If you have a heart rate monitor (any type - optical, chest mounted) - then 120-150 beats/min. The main thing is not to suffocate - there should be enough oxygen. Use your breathing as a guide without a heart rate monitor. As soon as you start suffocating, it becomes difficult - go for a brisk walk until you catch your breath, then jog again. And you work like this for an hour. Even if you walk a lot.
- After 60 minutes, record how far you have traveled during that time. Try to run and walk more next time.100 meters, 200, but more. If you do everything right, you will not have to tire yourself. The body itself carefully adapts to any reasonable load. In this case, we focus on breathing and heart rate, do not overload the body and it will respond by adjusting and compensating. I took a day off, went back to the stadium, ran/walked for an hour - look at my smartphone (if it can count steps), activity tracker or count laps and you see that you have covered more distance, but at the same time when you are not in pain or out of breath while running. I speak from my own experience.
By working with this system, in 2-3 months, an untrained person will learn to avoid fatigue for an hour without interruption and at a good pace. As long as the citizen does not start eating more to compensate for the increased energy consumption, general well-being will improve, endurance will increase and weight will decrease.
Butthe devil is in the details. Yes - this is a working system that I personally tested on myself. You can take it and use it without going into the details.
If you're looking for the most effective results, whether it's burning fat, improving your strength results in the gym, or both, then read the next part of my series of articles on how to run without knee pain. why you should seriously run for 60 minutes, plus how to burn fat and maintain muscle.
It's real - I checked it myself. People often ignore running or look at it one-sidedly. For example, if you want to lose weight, run. If you want to exercise your heart, run too. Some see it as an opportunity to set a personal record and prove to themselves that you can run 10km without stopping. For some, running is a way to relax the mind after being mentally or emotionally stressed.
Running for weight loss: how to burn more calories?
Running is one of the most effective and fastest ways to exercise for weight loss. Increased heart rate during running contributes to the consumption of large amounts of oxygen, increases energy expenditure, which leads to fat burning. For fast and desirable results, it is important to get the right load while running, exercise at the right time and in the right mode.
How to run properly to lose weight
One of the important factors in the effect of running on weight loss is the high consumption of oxygen, which is the main fat burner. It is not for nothing that running is called aerobic exercise, because it is performed with available oxygen.
An important condition for exercise aimed at losing weight is a well-ventilated room or clean street air and proper breathing during running.
It is important!Proper breathing during running should be accompanied by quick and sharp inhalation, and exhalation, on the contrary, should be gradual and smooth. You should breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Another important factor for weight loss is the heart rate zone.Heart rate plays a crucial role in weight loss.
- Lower heart rate limit120 strokes per minute, where fat burning is ensured.
- Upper limit, which protects the burning of fat, not muscle, and the heart muscle does not receive excessive stress, is 160 beats per minute.
These are averages. But you can calculate an individual heart rate zone for everyone based on age.
We subtract your age from the maximum heart rate of 220 beats per minute. Take, for example, the age of 30.
- 220 - 30 = 190 beats per minute - we get the maximum heart rate.
- We multiply our maximum by 0. 6 to calculate 60% of our maximum.
190 * 0. 6 = 114 beats per minute - the lower limit of the pulse. We calculate the upper limit of the heart rate, 80% of the maximum.
190*0, 8=152 beats/minute.
Therefore, the permissible heart rate zone for thirty years old is 114 - 152 beats per minute.
How many calories are burned during running?
You can lose an average of 700-800 kcal in one hour of jogging. The indicators depend on the load, age, weight and level of physical fitness.
How much should you run to lose weight?
The duration of the exercise also plays an important role.You should not run more than 60 minutes to reach your goals.Exercising for more than an hour will not only overwork the body as a whole, which, on the contrary, will slow down weight loss, but also begin to burn muscle fibers.
But alsoThere is no point in exercising for less than 20 minutes.
To run efficiently, it is important to rest less without lowering your heart rate, but you don't have to run at the same pace. Interval running is also good for burning fat, where you spend more time running and less time walking.
You can run on a treadmill both outside and in the gym. Special simulators are adapted to determine the angle of inclination - to simulate climbing uphill. This method is perfect for interval training, where instead of resting during the walk, you go uphill. By increasing the load, you can burn more calories and put more stress on your hips and hamstrings.
When is the best time to run to lose weight?
For each person, depending on the rhythm of life, the best time for exercise will be different.
Studies have shown that for most people, effective exercise occurs in the afternoon, especially in the evening.
One of the popular ways to lose weight is jogging in the morning on an empty stomach. After sleep, glycogen stores are depleted, so the body uses its own fat for energy. Such training should not be long, 30 minutes is enough, otherwise, in addition to fat, there is a risk of losing muscle mass.
There can be two such half-hour exercises a day - in the morning and in the evening.
3-4 exercises per week are enough.Rest from aerobic exercise is no less important than strength training. The body needs time to recover, without which, the process of burning more fat will not be possible.
It doesn't matter what time of day you exercise, if your body is rested and full of energy after a night out, a morning run will be no less beneficial than an evening run. It is important to feel your body here.
Running program for weight loss in tables
The training scheme is designed for several levels of difficulty for both outdoor and treadmill running. It may take 2-4 weeks of training to adapt to the program. If running gets easier, move up to advanced level.
Outdoor running for beginners
interval time
| Run | 2 minutes |
| A brisk walk | 2 minutes |
The first exercises are designed for 30-40 minutes. Each week you need to increase the duration of the session and the duration of the run.
Outdoor running for the fit
interval time
| Run | 5 minutes |
| Walking | 2 minutes |
There should be trainingMaximum 40-60 minutes.
Training in the gym on a treadmill for beginners
interval time
| Run | 2 minutes |
| Walking on the slope | 2 minutes |
A treadmill for the advanced
interval time
| Run | 5-10 minutes |
| Walking on the slope | 2-3 minutes |
Do not start running immediately on cold muscles. It is recommended to stretch the muscles after training.
If necessary, the load can be increased by increasing the speed and reducing the rest time. So you can go from an hour of non-stop training to non-stop running.
The result
Indeed, running is a quick and easy way to lose weight. An important condition for training is proper breathing, pulse, load-rest ratio. Remember that to lose weight, it's not just about running, your calorie expenditure must be greater than your calorie intake. Accordingly, it is necessary to monitor your diet, not to overeat and limit the intake of simple carbohydrates.