How Running Helps you Lose Weight

An estimated 63% of UK adults are currently overweight. With these statistics increasing every year more and more people are being encouraged to lose weight.
There are many reasons why a person might want to lose weight, and healthy weight loss can have so many benefits.

Benefits of Weight Loss:

• Improves heart health.
• Decreased risk of developing certain health conditions -Type 2 diabetes, Stroke, Cancer, Sleep Apnea.
• Increased energy.
• Improved mood & confidence.

Why Running?

If you’re looking to lose weight to improve your health, then running is one of the best ways to do so, here’s why:

Calorie Burn:

• Running is a high impact cardio exercise that burns more calories than most forms of exercise- particularly HIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).
• The number of calories burned while running can vary person to person depending on body weight- someone who weighs 120 pounds will usually burn 11.4 calories per minute, whilst someone who weighs 180 pounds could burn up to 17 calories per minute.

Boosts Metabolism:

• Regular aerobic activity, like running can help speed up your metabolism, helping your body to burn more calories.
• Your metabolism can stay elevated for 15 minutes-48 hours after running.

Appetite & Food choices:

• Running decreases your appetite, due to changes in hormone levels.
• If you’re exercising burning calories but not consuming anymore than you usually would, this is when you will start to lose weight.
• It is unknown exactly why, but studies have shown that regularly exercising can lead people to make healthier food choices- eating a balanced diet is key for weight loss.

Long-term Solution:

• Running isn’t just a short-term solution to weight loss. It can be a sustainable way to maintain a healthy weight after initial weight loss.
• Running long-term will benefit you in so many ways both physically and mentally- we have discussed before How Running Helps Your Mental Health.

Other benefits of running:

As well as the benefits to physical health, here are some other reasons you should consider taking up running:

Improved Mental Health: Exercise in general triggers the release of endorphins which make us feel good and promote a more positive state of mind. Rhythmic exercise like running is also proved to have a calming effect on the body which can reduce symptoms of anxiety.

Better sleep: Most of us know Why Sleep is Important but running can help you get better quality sleep.

It’s Easy (sort of): Running can be done anywhere and you don’t need any fancy equipment to get started.

Spending time outside: Running is a great way to get outside and enjoy your surroundings.

Socialising: Running can be a great social activity. Many runners chose to join running clubs where they can meet and run with likeminded people- this seems especially popular in cities at the moment.

Tips for Beginners:

Start Slow: If you’re new to running then it’s okay to start slow and gradually increase pace and intensity. The best thing you can do in the beginning is stay consistent- building a consistent routine will be very important to maintaining your weight loss journey.

Variety: Try rotating between various routes, this will keep you engaged in the run and you are less likely to get bored.

Take a Friend: Starting any new form of exercise can be quite daunting. Having a friend to run with you can help keep you motivated and hold each other accountable so you are less likely to skip a run. It’s also more fun!

Patience: It can take a while to feel comfortable when starting a new form of exercise, and weight loss doesn’t happen overnight. This is why it’s so important to be patient. If you are consistent and stick to your routine then you will start to see results, but just know it can take time.

In summary, running regularly and maintaining a healthy balanced diet is one of the best ways to lose weight. You can learn more about nutrition for running with our Nutrition Guides.

It is also important to note that athletes often have increased vitamin needs, for more information on this you can read our Ultimate Vitamin Supplements Guide for Sports Nutrition.

If you’ve just started out on your running weight-loss journey then keep going, we know you won’t regret it!