Losing weight isn't really "my" topic because of my propensity to lose weight and instead I constantly try to gain shape rather than lose extra pounds.
However, a large number of people run away from the desire to lose weight. Someone can do it for a month, others run a marathon, and still others run a lifetime, once wanting to lose weight. This is great because running wellness also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.
It became interesting to me:
- How effective is running to lose weight?
- Which running exercises burn the most calories?
- What physiological processes are behind this?
- What does the survey say about this?
And since I've been running for several years and I've noticed some changes in my weight and appearance, I'm going to share my experience.
Running as a way to lose weight is shrouded in many myths. The fact is, not everyone loses weight on the run. Or lose weight, but not just running. The issue of weight loss is more complex than it first appears.
Needless to say, what are the benefits of running?
In addition to the obvious advantages (involving large muscle groups, improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), at least one study is worth mentioning. More than 55, 000 people participated for 15 years.
What conclusion did the study authors reach?
- 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 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 afford at least a pair of cheap running shoes, you're in business.
Weight Loss Factors
No matter what sport you play, there are factors that directly affect how quickly and intensely you lose weight.
Between them:
- Was. . . The older the person, the less work is recommended and therefore the result will be less significant. Also, muscles shrink and become weaker with age;
- body composition. . . If you have more muscle mass than fat, you'll burn more calories while running;
- training intensity. . . Literally everything matters: 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 were given a strict eight-week calorie-controlled diet. By staying in exactly the same condition, men lost more extra pounds than women;
- general daily activity. . . Even a 10-minute charge is effective if you are sedentary;
- The weight. . . The more weight, the more calories will be burned in the beginning.
The main and unshakeable formula for losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume.
How much can you reset in one run?
First of all, it is worth clarifying: is it running on the treadmill or, for example, in the street or stadium?
It may seem like there are no differences, but it isn't. Functionally, the load changes little, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, you have to push intensely from the surface, while the track, due to the continuous movement of the treadmill, pulls your leg back and you expend less physical effort.
In addition, the treadmill significantly reduces stride and impedes movement.
Why not trust the lost calories shown on the machine's display? It takes into account the speed and duration of the workout, as well as average runner data, which often has little to do with reality. Also, the machine tends to overestimate the numbers to motivate them to keep exercising.
For an hour on a treadmill, working at a pace 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 kilogram of fat = approximately 7. 500-8250 calories
There are many metrics to consider when running outdoors. For example, a Harvard University report 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 in the same proportion, it loses 300 calories.
- A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 539 calories in half an hour running at a pace of 4: 20/km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate, he loses 435 calories.
When you run slowly, calories are mostly consumed from fat. At an intense pace, muscle and liver glycogen stores become a source of calories. By the way, after training they still "burn" (EPOC effect, about that - below).
When compared to other sports, the indicators are, on average, the following:
| Activity | Calorie burns 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 |
| Riding 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 out on your running trajectory, you shouldn't set a goal of running every day or running for an hour by all means.
Your training plan should be gradual. Start by alternating between brisk walking and slow running. A normal running pace is one you can talk at. It will be difficult at first, so you can move to a step if necessary.
Start with the fact that workouts should be at least every 7 days. There should be enough time for the body to have time to get rid of excess and recover.
Once you get the hang of it, you can do different types of running exercises to pump your body more versatile and burn calories more efficiently. However, remember that basic training will keep your body running smoothly and minimize the chances of injury.
High Intensity Running Training
A meta-study found 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 excessive consumption of oxygen after exercise, called the oxygen debt effect.EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). . . This promotes the oxidation of fats in less time and causes the so-called "afterburning 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 has a number of other benefits:
- improved strength
- blood sugar control
- muscle strengthening
- boosting the immune system
- relieve stress and anxiety, etc.
However, with all the advantages, interval training has a series of contraindications, since there is an active load on the cardiovascular system.(CCC). Before starting this type of race, make sure you have no CCC contraindications.
What time of day is it best to train to lose weight?
According to recent studies, people who exercise in the morning perform better than those who exercise at night. During the experiment, the scientists divided 48 women into two groups: the first did aerobic exercise in the morning for six weeks, the other preferred to exercise at night. During the specified period, they recorded each meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helped to reduce the intake of high-calorie foods during the day, which allowed 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're running on an empty stomach, it's worth taking a shorter and easier route, as your body may not be ready for it.
There is a lot of controversy about which schedule is most effective. It is believed that our physical performance increases when the body reaches its maximum temperature for the day. For most people, it's between 4 pm and 5 pm, although some experts extend this time to 7 pm.
A Possible Monthly Running Training Plan for Beginners
Before you can show results, especially if you were already sedentary, you need to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.
Please note thatonly a personal trainer can choose the right training regimen 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 for 20 minutes Tuesday - rest or do aerobic exercise for 20 minutes (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - walk at a brisk pace of 20 minutes 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 - alternate 5 times the fast pace (4 minutes) and run (1 minute) tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating fast strides (3 minutes) and intense running (1 minute) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast stride (3 minutes) and run (1 minute) Saturday - 20 minutes brisk walk or bike ride up to 30 minutes Sunday - rest |
3 weeks |
Monday - repeat 7 times alternating fast strides (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternate fast pace 9 times (1 minute) and run (2 minutes) Thursday - rest or ride a bike for 30 minutes Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast stride (3 minutes) and run (1 minute) Saturday - active walk for 25 minutes Sunday - rest |
4 weeks |
Monday - alternate 6 times sprinting for 1 minute and running for 4 minutes Tuesday - rest or swimming / cycling (30 minutes) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk walking, running for 20 minutes and complete with another 5 minutes of brisk walking Thursday - rest Friday - continuous run for 25 minutes Saturday - pedaling or walking at a brisk pace of 30 minutes Sunday - rest |
A versatile workout plan for beginners. There are hundreds of similar plans on the Internet.
As you progress into the second month of your training plan, gradually increase your running time, keeping your walking intervals to a minimum. When 30 minutes of running is normal for you, you can add 4 days to a full run charge.
It is important to monitor your heart rate.
The heart rate zone for fat burning is considered to be 50-70% of the maximum heart rate. It is calculated based on the person's age.very averagethis is about 115-130 beats for the age of 30 or 110-125 beats for the age of 40. You can measure the 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 to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you shouldn't expect running in this particular zone to result in more weight loss: because of the low intensity, fewer calories are burned than running in the high intensity zone.
What helps maintain the result?
To track your progress and get a feel for your heart rate during training, you can't be without assistive devices:
- Fitness bracelets.Paired with your phone, they help you track your steps, miles and track your speed and time. In most fitness wristbands, the heart rate monitor works accurately only in quiet and low-stress zones. I can't say this is true of absolutely all fitness wristbands, some do a pretty good job of it.
- Sport watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't need to use the phone either. Sportswear brand watches (and Apple Watch) tend to have a relatively accurate heart rate monitor, but still not as accurate as chest straps. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor depends on the model and the technology used to implement it, so it's best to review the ratings for a particular gadget in advance.
- Thoracic heart rate monitors.The most accurate heart rate measurements.
Why am I running but not losing weight?
There can be many reasons:
- Wrong motivation.You can often hear of people running around who are working on a hamburger they ate or making circles in the stadium to earn a candy bar at night. This weight loss option is utopian; food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn to correlate calories consumed and consumed and eat well. If you run an hour a day but eat 500 more calories a day, you shouldn't expect to lose weight.
- Weight control.A safe and reasonable rate of weight loss is up to 1 kg per week. If you run and strength-train regularly at the same time, remember that as you lose weight, your muscles are strengthening. In this case, it is more advisable not to look at the arrows on the scale, but to regularly measure your body (waist, hips, waist of legs, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress would be more 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 ceased to perceive it as an irritant. In this case, just switch between different types of training: running over rough terrain, finding other courses, matching the pace, adding loads of strength, etc.
- A difficult diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more weight you lose. In reality, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts the body under stress, it begins to build up reserves whenever possible, as well as retaining water to repair damaged muscle fibers and supply glycogen to working muscles. As a result, this often leads to emotional breakdowns and overeating.
5 myths about running
stretch before running
Certainly, each of us has heard that before running, you need to stretch and warm up your muscles. You'll be surprised, but scientists don't have a consensus on this. Instead, they agree that the benefit can only come from dynamic stretching (thrusts, push-ups, swinging legs and arms, etc. ).
What's wrong with the static form of the snippet?
- A 2013 study found that it can reduce productivity, not increase it.
- Another study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that stretching before running did not prevent injuries.
And another recent study found that static stretching can impair muscle performance for up to 24 hours.
Static stretching refers to exercises such as a bend or butterfly, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15-60 seconds at the time of peak muscle stretching.
But joint warming will definitely not hurt you.
The more workouts the better
There is a common mistake among beginning runners - the desire to increase the running pace and volume of loads as quickly as possible. At the start, enthusiasm and motivation dominate, and it seems like running 2-3 km is too little and too bad. Better just 10 and uphill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, has no time to recover and sports performance drops before it appears.
This leads to prolonged interruption of training, general loss of strength and exhaustion. Sometimes muscle swelling or weakness may be seen, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, this leads to "emotional" excesses and sometimes injuries, which completely discourage the desire to run again.
Be patient and think long term, don't drain your body. Even with the most intense workouts, you still won't lose weight in 2 weeks. The process must be approached systematically and the load divided into stages.
Runners don't need strength training
There are many studies examining the effects of strength training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprints. It claims that strength, power, and speed are inherently related to each other, as 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 be the most important contributor to maximum speed during running. Needless to say, it should be pumped flawlessly? Running alone cannot do this.
Also, the stronger your muscles become, the more elastic and resilient your body will be as you run.
dress up to lose more
A big misconception for novice runners looking to lose those extra pounds. Some girls even wrap their clothes in plastic wrap to get the most out of their opinion.
Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with losing weight. With the help of sweat, the body cools, removes fluids and toxins. Extra clothing interferes with cooling, which can cause overheating and even unconsciousness.
Running with weights will definitely help you lose weight
This is not the best method for beginners. Running by itself is a powerful load for the body, if there was a sedentary lifestyle before. And being overweight is already an agent of weight.
As a rule, this method is used by experienced athletes to develop strength-speed capabilities. Heavy 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 regimen and exercise, you burn fewer calories. Also, when weight is lost, the body needs less energy to function. So the basic metabolism (the energy the body burns at rest) actually starts to slow down.
Running at a moderate pace is believed to increase appetite, especially for beginning runners. The body wants to return to its previous mass and produce hormones that make you feel hungry more intensely. But several studies have found that running at high intensity has the opposite effect - suppressing levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and reducing appetite.
From myself, I can say that I never earned as much as when I was preparing for a marathon. My maximum monthly run was just over 200 kilometers and I ate so much I couldn't believe I was capable of it. There was no point in losing weight, but the appetite was powerful.
Can you lose weight just running?
It is possible, but for this, several conditions must be met: adequate power, alternating loads, their gradual increase. If you want to lose weight by exercising regularly, but shortly (for example, 20 minutes a day) at the same pace, this is unlikely to get you any closer to your desired goal. A lot depends on the initial parameters.
You can achieve the result by running for a long time or intensely. Ideally, to lose weight, you should alternate interval training with slow and long running. This will prevent the body from adapting to the stress level. Why is it important? Because you can face a phenomenon that physiologists call the plateau state, when the physical condition and weight are stabilized and it is very difficult to get them off the ground. We have to "surprise" the body and experience unusual charges that become irritating to it. New approaches also help to 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 don't forget about the side effect (and in fact - main) of the race. Along with the loss of extra calories, you will bring tremendous benefits to the body as a whole.