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Sep 1

Key Strategies for Running to Lose Weight – Verywell

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As one of the most vigorous exercises out there, running is an extremely efficient activity for weight loss. Many runners drop pounds and are able to maintain their weight. However, it is worth noting that others fall victim to common weight loss mistakes. If you're hoping to use running to lose weight, heeding some tried and true advice can help you be successful and stay on track.

If you want to lose weight by running, keep in mind that you'll only shed pounds if you burn more calories than you consume.

To lose a pound, you have to burn, through exercise or life functions, about 3,500 calories. So, you'll need to combine running with a healthy diet.

Runners have special nutrition needs, but the basic principles for healthy eating still apply. Try choosing smaller portions of high-fat and high-calorie foods and eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

One common eating mistake among runners is that they overcompensate for the calories burned by exercise with extra calories from more food and beverages.

Some runners even find that they gain weight or hit a weight loss wall, despite their regular training. The first step to hitting your goal is knowing just how much you're eating. Use this calculator to learn how many caloriesyou need for weight loss.

One way to prevent "stealth calorie" consumption or mindless eating is to write everything you're eating in a journal for a few weeks. Reviewing a record of your food intake will help you see where your diet needs improvement. And, because you know that you'll need to log it later, it may also prompt you to think twice before eating thatchocolate-covered donut, helping you stay on track.

Runners often find that they constantly feel hungry, so you'll want to try to plan your snacks and meals to avoid going overboard. Get ideas for 100-calorie snacks and more tips on how to avoid overeating by controlling your portion sizes.

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Many new runners get started on a treadmill for convenience and safety reasons. Once you improve your endurance and confidence, you may want to transition to outdoor running (weather permitting), but the treadmill is a great place to get started with a running habit.

Consider these pointers to step up your treadmill running routine so that you burn more calories during each session.

Sticking to a training schedule is a simple way to stay motivated to run. You'll know exactly what you need to do every day,andsince each run builds on the nextit will be harder to postpone or skip workouts. Following a schedule can also help you avoid a running injury by not increasing your mileage too quickly. If you're new to running, here are beginner training schedules to check out:

Consistency is key, according to runners who successfully lose weight and keep it off. If you don't want to follow a schedule, you still need to make sure you're running regularly because you won't lose weight by running once a week.

It's best to get some activity every day. But if that's not possible, try to shoot for at least three to four times per week. If you find that your motivation to run is suffering, follow these tips to get inspired. One trick to staying motivated is to give yourself little rewards when you reach a milestone, such as running a specific race or reaching a certain distance. Just make sure that you use non-food rewards, such as a pedicure, massage, or cool running gear.

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Incorporating speed work or interval training (running at a very fast speed for short intervals of time) into your running routine can also help your weight loss efforts. Speed work burns a great amount of calories in a short period of time. You'll also increase your muscle mass and improve your resting metabolism, causing you to burn more calories throughout the day. Try to add fun challenges, such as running a 5k every month for a year, to improve your motivation.

You may also want to consider adding strengthtraining to your routine. Some runners find they can boost their weight loss efforts (and performance) by doing strengthening exercisestwo to three times a week.

Speed Workouts:

Get more tips on how to boost your metabolismand how to burn more calories during your runs.

If you're running regularly and you're training for a long-distance event, proper nutrition is especially critical for your performance. Skipping meals doesn't allow you to train with adequately fueled muscles. You shouldn't skimp on calories before, during (when necessary), and immediately after your very intense and long workouts. These are crucial times when nutrition is important to performance and recovery.

Here are some common questions from runners who want to lose weight by running:

Again, running is a great activity for weight loss. It has a high calorie burn and can be done anywhere with nothing more needed than a good pair of sneakers. That said, if you find that running is not for you, don't give up on your weight loss efforts. Find an exercise that you enjoy. It's more important that you are able to stick with your routine than to choose one particular activity over another.

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Key Strategies for Running to Lose Weight - Verywell

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