How To Start Running For Weight Loss: Your Way To Success in 2020

Being called obese, fat, and having out of shape body, not feeling good about ourselves in any way, we all have been in that kind situation, at some point in our life.

You all have been trying to find all the different methods, to lose your excess fat and shed those extra pounds from around waist area. You even tried many workouts, went to the gym, purchased fancy pieces of equipment.

If you had stayed consistent with any one of those exercises, maybe you have lost weight. Many people consider running for weight loss as the best exercise.

History has shown that our body is built to run genetically, we have evolved ourselves from being wild to a normal human being.

Also See https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/running-health-even-little-bit-good-little-probably-better-201407307310

But the same old problem, not being able to remain consistent, therefore here we tried to cover how you can make a running habit and benefit from it, to remain fit, strong and lose that excess fat.

Running As An Exercise

Running is a form of cardio and considered to be the best exercise for weight loss and strength in your whole body. Blood circulation during running increases which results in the heart pumping a lot faster.

It is a form of both of the anaerobic exercise and aerobic exercise. Running is a very complex and coordinated process that involves our whole body muscles and tissue.

Running as an exercise can be started if you really want to lose weight fast. Proper warming is always important for your body before running.

So you can start with walking move on to jogging and then after 10 minutes you can start increasing your speed.

The most common hurdle in running is being consistent, as it requires a tremendous amount of practice, stamina, and patience to follow it.

Now, let’s move to different types of running…

Best-Type of Running to lose weight 

Running as an exercise can be part of our workouts if you want instant results but building stamina is an important factor for continuing it. This is not the case because running can be tough because it demands a lot of energy to sustain it.

Here we will see besttype of running to lose weight which you can follow-

Recovery Run

It is a type of short-run in which you can start running from 3-4 miles daily in the beginning and later on, once you have, build your stamina and strength you can increase your distance and speed also.

The pace in this run is relatively slow and easy. Since you are just starting, take it slow, and then progress and increase your speed.

Base Run

This is a short to moderate level run where you can go up to 5-6 miles at a natural speed. Initially run 4-5 days a week for better results, in this way your body will get the proper rest.

Long Run

A long-run where you run up to 10-15 miles depending on stamina and strength and this run makes you exhausted.

Natural speed should be maintained throughout this run.

Progression Run

A pro-level running, where first 5 miles run at natural speed but after that, increase your speed to marathon level-race for 1 mile,

and then like a half marathon for next 1 mile.

You have to increase your speed in the last stretch of the run. It is advanced level running, if you are a beginner then this is not for you.

Instead focus on the above running types to maintain your fitness level.

You can progress to this type of running after you have build stamina and are likely to go marathon race.

Fartlek

Fartlek (Swedish Word) (Meaning- “Speed Play”) a great way to improve your running, basically, a type of variation in speed during running which brings variety also.

A freestyle type of interval session, in which within your run, you change pace according to your need, and environment. And is a great refreshment for the body and mind.

You get the physiological benefit, the same satisfaction, as when running for a target or a time trial race.

This workout doesn’t require any set plan you can make yours and follow it and change according to your need. You can practice this workout for a 40-minute run and break it down at 10 minutes warm-up.

Then 20 minutes of fartlek running, then again 10 minutes warm-up. Not for beginners but if you are a Base runner or Long runner you can try it.

Hill Repeats

This is a great running exercise, which strengthens lower body muscles like calves, hips, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, core muscles.

There are cardiovascular benefits also like heart-rate really goes highs which are good for your lungs. As you are running at a Hill it makes you tired quickly, so you have to keep changing your speed.

It should be a combination of jogging and running, slowing down for few minutes and breath, to reach your target.

Go for it after you have increased your stamina for 10-15 miles running.

Tempo Run

Also known as lactate threshold or anaerobic threshold, a run, where you can run 60 minutes or for an hour in a race type of situation.

And the pace can be between 10k race or half-marathon race pace.

If you competed in a half-marathon race than you are more than qualified to perform tempo run.

Intervals

If you developed physical strength and stamina by running long distances then, you can go for Intervals training.

You don’t have to be a pro-level runner for this, if you can run for 30 minutes at a moderate to semi-fast pace then you can do it. This exercise improves our fitness and increases our running speed.

This is a great training exercise in which you can lose weight in a short duration.

In this exercise, you run at a fast pace for a short duration then start jogging for a few minutes. And again go for a fast pace running.

These are all the types of running you can find, lets see what are the benefits running…

Also See :-https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a20852351/whats-the-difference-between-fartlek-tempo-and-interval-runs/#

Physical benefits of running

This is the part which most people care about the “benefits” of running, well let’s find out then.

Running is tough for most, as you are not used to it, once you start running the physical benefits of running are unbelievable. It is also a form of aerobic exercise.

  • Helps in building strong muscles and gives strength to the whole body.
  • Builds strong legs and core muscles.
  • It is also great cardiovascular exercise which is helpful in the long run.
  • Many hearts related and lungs related problems can be prevented by this running.
  • Also considered great for weight loss, as it burns a large number of calories in a short time.
  • This exercise is great for overall body development and helps build strong bones.
  • Depression can be controlled by running as it helps our brain to work on its full potential.

Moving on….

Running benefits body shape

So are you ready to know the body shape benefits of running, aren’t you excited!

The effects are positive, though if you have an injury in legs, it’s better to consult a doctor before starting.

Let’s find out what is running benefits body shape to solve your weight loss and running issues-

  • According to many fitness experts running actually strengthens knees, but contrary, many believe running affects knees as you get older.
  • Old people feel energized, and it also improves young people’s sleep, the mental state also enhances, improves their focus.
  • Another benefit of running, it helps in improving your mind and any age-related problem can be reduced by it.
  • Also improves focus and memory capacity in older people.
  • It helps improve brain capacity, maintain stress level, and reduces the chance of any kind of sudden death or stroke.

Now in next section lets find out what a beginner should do…

Running for weight loss beginners 

Losing weight by running has always been rated as the best method, but it is not always easy to perform. A lot of other factors are involved while losing weight, a perfect combination of both diet and exercise is necessary.

But people believe that running is sufficient to lose weight because obese men and women don’t get the desired result while running, because their diet was not proper. 

Also See :-https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/think-running-is-not-for-you-try-this-2020041519529

Let’s understand running for weight loss beginners on how to start it-

  1. Start running initially for 20 minutes 3 times a week and first start walking, after 5 minutes start jogging. For the last 10 minutes run at a very slow speed.
  2. Never try to fast initially always start with walking and then gradually progress to running. As your bones and muscles are not used to that amount of stress.
  3. Increase your pace and distance gradually on weekly basis, don’t jump straight into a fast pace running or increasing distance.
  4. You can increase your running timing by 20 minutes weekly and speed also.
  5. If you are highly motivated and build your stamina then you can run for 60 minutes 5 days a week.
  6. Supplement your running with a healthy diet plan which will give you result in 2-3 weeks time.

Running to lose fat in the stomach

You all have always felt that excess fat around the waist area or around your stomach is just unbearable.

And you desperately want to get rid of it!

Most of the people dream of having perfect abdomen muscle or a 6 pack abs. Running to lose fat in the stomach can be very helpful and will solve your problem.

running to lose fat in stomach

It is a great exercise to shed excess fat around your abdomen muscles, if running regularly then you will burn more calories.

Which means that you will lose more fat around your abdomen muscles. Wow..! Is that true?

If you are really passionate about it, then you will get the desired result. Just believe in yourself and no one can stop you from achieving your result.

Initially, it will be tough for but don’t overthink and just focus on the process. Only concentrate on running don’t think about weight loss or losing fat etc. 

Running to lose weight quickly

Well, you may be excited a lot now! but, hey just take a deep breath and try to focus on what is your goal. It’s very difficult to process which can be tough initially.

Running to lose weight quickly should be your goal to start running because that thought can go away very quickly. We don’t have any magic-wand as Harry Potter had! But what we have is time and patience.

Its the key to achieve your goal in a short time, you can do it but you have to work hard and smart. Running burns maximum calories as compared to swimming, riding a bicycle, or anything else.

That’s why it is considered as the best exercise for weight loss and improving cardiovascular fitness. Just start running and just follow a set pattern for 3 weeks and then you will see your stamina, strength, and leg muscles are getting stronger.

Eventually you will gain the confidence to go for all the different kinds of running styles. That will benefit you in losing weight.

So, lets take some of the frequently asked questions on web…

Running For Weight Loss: FAQ

Can you lose weight just by running?

Well, running is considered to be the best weight loss exercise but it is not the only factor involved if you want to change your body weight.

There are many different factors are involved like proper diet, proper rest, running regularly and proper warm-up before start running.

All these need to be supplemented with running then you will see the change in your body weight.

Can I lose weight by running 30 minutes a day?

Yes, you can! but that depends on many factors like, If you are a beginner and started running, then the first step you need to do is to make sure you go very slow in the beginning.

Don’t rush into running fast, build your stamina first, and increase your muscle strength. Start with 15-20 minutes of running initially and gradually move to long-distance running.

You will see the results after 3-4 weeks that you have build stamina and muscle strength has increased, running 30-40 minutes per day is great for losing weight.

Which running is best for weight loss?

There is no one type of running which is considered to be perfect for weight loss. It all boils down to the individual, which type of running is he comfortable in, or what running type he has mastered.

There are basically 8 types of running which can be useful in weight loss-

  1. Recovery run
  2. Base run
  3. Long run
  4. Progression run
  5. Fartlek
  6. Hill repeats
  7. Tempo run
  8. Intervals

All these exercise are really helpful in weight loss, you just have to be regular in running and maintain the same level of intensity in your running thorughout.

Is it better to run longer or faster to lose weight?

Running longer or faster both are different things but it depends on a lot of factors.

First of all, if you have just started running, your main aim should be to build your stamina and keep increasing your leg and hamstrings muscles.

After you are comfortable running for 40 to 50 minutes 5 days a week, then you are already burning a lot of calories. So, it depends on you if you can run fast then go for it, but it will also mean that you will feel fatigued very quickly.

If you are a middle-aged person then running at a moderate pace and for long-distance is beneficial for you. But if you are under 40 then you can go for a fast pace running as it will burn calories faster.

Both modes of running depend on individual health, stamina, and strength level.

Conclusion

So now you must have got a fair idea about running for weight loss exercises, and you must be ready to go out and start your run from today itself, aren’t you excited about it! well, you must be.

Therefore You will be ready for all the challenges which you face in the future, in short, do what you like and keep your health and fitness level up to date.

Less sugar, more fruit. Less soda, more water. Less driving, more walking. Less worry, more sleep. Less words, more action.”

If losing weight is your target, then you are in the right place. If you like our article kindly share it with your family and friends.

And write to us if you have any questions, or you can comment below.

12 thoughts on “How To Start Running For Weight Loss: Your Way To Success in 2020”

  1. Really planning to do this but somehow failed. Soon I will make this habit. Very nice article and got to know many benefits of just running. Great work

    Reply
    • Thanks, lovely failing is not an issue here, but just don’t give up on it. Just keep going and start a routine that you can follow.

      Reply
    • Thanks, Sonam. Do let us know how was your experience running, if you like our article please do share it with your family and friends.

      Reply

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