Is Jogging Really Effective For Losing Weight?

Losing weight is not really "my" topic because of my tendency to lose weight, and I try to gain shape all the time rather than shedding extra pounds.

However, a large number of people are fleeing from the desire to lose weight. Someone is enough for a month, others run a marathon and still others have been running their entire lives and wanted to lose weight once. That's great, because running wellness also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.

It got interesting for me:

• How Effective Is Running For Weight Loss?
• Which running workout burns the most calories?
• What are the physiological processes behind it?
• What does research say about it?

And since I've been running for several years and have seen some changes in weight and appearance, I share my experience.

Running as a means of losing weight is surrounded by many myths. The fact is, not everyone loses weight while running. Or lose weight, but not just from running. The subject of weight loss is more complex than it seems at first glance.

Needless to say, the benefits of running?

In addition to the obvious benefits (involvement of large muscle groups, improved cardiovascular system function, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), at least one study is worth mentioning. More than 55 thousand people took part for 15 years.

What was the conclusion of the study authors?

• the risk of dying from any cause in people who run regularly is reduced by 30%
• the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases 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 even afford a cheap pair of running shoes, you're in business.

Weight loss factors

It doesn't matter what sport you do, there are factors that directly affect how fast and how hard you lose weight.

Among them:

• age. . . The older the person, the less work is recommended and therefore the result will be less meaningful. In addition, the muscles shrink and get weaker with age;
• Body composition. . . If you have more muscle than fat, you 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, together 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. Under exactly the same conditions, men have lost more extra pounds than women;
• General daily activity. . . Even a 10 minute load is effective when seated;
• The weight. . . The more weight, the more calories are initially burned.

The most important and unwavering formula for losing weight is consuming more calories than you are consuming.

How much can you set back in one run?

First of all, it is important to clarify: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, on a street or a stadium?

It may seem like there is no difference, but it is not. Functionally, the load changes little, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to push yourself off the ground intensively, while the running track pulls your leg backwards thanks to the continuously moving belt and you use less effort.

In addition, the treadmill significantly shortens the stride length and hinders movement.

Why not trust the lost calories shown on the device's display? It takes into account the speed and duration of the training, as well as the average data about the runner, which often have little to do with reality. Also, the device tends to overestimate the numbers to motivate them to keep exercising.

For an hour on a treadmill at a speed 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 = approx. 7, 500-8250 calories

There are many metrics to consider when running outdoors. For example, a report from Harvard University suggests that a 30-minute workout will produce different results for people of different intensities and weights:

• A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 370 calories in half an hour while running at 6: 12 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. in the same time and at the same pace he loses 300 calories.
• A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 539 calories in half an hour when running at 4: 20 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. in the same time and at the same pace it loses 435 calories.

When you run slowly, calories are mainly ingested from fat. At an intense pace, muscle and liver glycogen stores become a source of calories. By the way, they still "burn out" after training (EPOC effect, above - below).

In comparison with other sports, the indicators are, on average, as follows:

activity	Calorie consumption 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
Cycling at 20 km / h	295
Roller skating	260
aerobics	240
basketball	220
play badminton	167

How many days a week do you have to run to lose weight?

If you're just starting out on your running path, you shouldn't necessarily set yourself a goal of running every day or running for an hour.

Your training plan should be gradual. Start by alternating between brisk walking and slow jogging. A normal walking pace is one at which you can speak. It will be difficult at first, so you can move on to a step if necessary.

Start with the fact that the workouts should be at least 3 in 7 days. The body should have enough time to reduce excess and recover.

Once you get the hang of it, there are several types of running workouts you can do to get your body pumping more versatile and burning calories more efficiently. However, remember that basic training will keep your body running smoothly and minimize the risk of injury.

High intensity running training

A meta-study found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burned an average of 30% more fat than other types of exercise.

Hence, HIIT training is a more effective way to reduce body fat. High-intensity running workouts include interval runs and fartlek.

Intensive training results in excessive oxygen consumption after training, the so-called oxygen debt effect.EPOC (excess oxygen consumption after exercise). . . This promotes the oxidation of fats in a shorter time and provokes the so-called "afterburn effect". In addition, the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormones (up to 450% according to a study) within 24 hours of the end of HIIT.

In addition to weight loss, this type of cardio has a number of other benefits:

• improved endurance
• Blood sugar control
• Strengthening the muscles
• Strengthening the immune system
• Relieve stress and anxiety, etc.

Despite all the advantages, interval training has a number of contraindications, as the cardiovascular system is actively stressed. (CCC). Before starting this type of running, it is important to make sure that you have no contraindications to the CCC.

What time of the day is it better to exercise for weight loss?

Recent studies have shown that people who exercise in the morning do better than those who exercise in the evening. 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 in the evening. During the specified time period, they recorded every meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helped reduce the amount of high-calorie food intake during the day, which enabled them to lose more weight.

Other studies have shown that exercising on an empty stomach before breakfast burns more fat than exercising after you eat.However, if you are running on an empty stomach it is worth taking a shorter and easier route as your body may not be prepared for it.

There is a lot of controversy about which time is most effective. It is believed that our physical performance increases when the body reaches its maximum daily temperature. For most people, this is between 4: 00 p. m. and 5: 00 p. m. , although some experts extend this time to 7: 00 p. m.

A possible monthly running training plan for beginners

Before you can show results, especially if you have previously been sedentary, it is necessary to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.

Please note thatOnly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training program for youbecause choosing a plan will take into account your goals and body condition.

The plan is designed so that you can immerse yourself in your workout as smoothly as possible. this is achieved by alternating walking and running:

week 1	Monday - go for 20 minutes Tuesday - 20 minutes of rest or cardio (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - Walk at a brisk 20 minute pace Thursday - rest Friday - change from brisk step (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) 4 times Saturday - rest Sunday - Walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes
2 weeks	Monday - alternating step 5 times faster (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating a brisk step (3 minutes) and intensive jogging (1 minute) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - repeat quick steps (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) alternately 7 times Saturday - 20 minute brisk walk or bike ride up to 30 minutes Sunday - rest
3 weeks	Monday - repeat 7 times alternating fast steps (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating 9 times brisk step (1 minute) and jogging (2 minutes) Thursday - 30 minutes of rest or cycling Friday - repeat quick steps (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) alternately 7 times Saturday - 25 minutes of active walk Sunday - rest
4 weeks	Monday - alternating 6 quick steps for 1 minute and jogging for 4 minutes Tuesday - rest or swimming / bike (30 minutes) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk pace, 20 minutes of jogging and finish with another 5 minutes of brisk pace Thursday - rest Friday - continuous run for 25 minutes Saturday - biking or hiking at a brisk 30-minute pace Sunday - rest

A versatile training plan for beginners. There are hundreds of similar plans on the internet

As you move on to the second month of your exercise plan, gradually increase your jogging time and keep your walking intervals to a minimum. If 30 minutes of running is normal for you, you can add 4 days for a full running load.

It is important to monitor your heart rate.

The fat burning heart rate zone is considered to be 50-70% of the maximum heart rate. It is calculated based on the age of the person. Very averagethat's about 115-130 strokes for the age of 30 or 110-125 strokes for the age of 40. With special functional diagnostics, you can measure the exact heart rate zones. This will help you exercise 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 to keep the result?

In order to track your progress and to have an idea of your heart rate during exercise, you cannot do without tools:

• Fitness bracelets.Coupled with your phone, they help you keep track of your steps, kilometers, and your speed and time. With most fitness bracelets, the heart rate monitor only works accurately in quiet zones and in zones with low stress. Can't say this goes for absolutely all fitness bracelets, some do this job well.
• Sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't have to walk with your phone too. Sportswear brand watches (and the Apple Watch) usually 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 technology with which it was implemented, so it is best to look at the reviews of a particular device in advance.
• Heart rate monitors for the chest.The most accurate heart rate measurements.

Why am I running but not losing weight?

This can have many reasons:

1. Wrong motivation.Very often you hear from people running around that they are working off a burger they have eaten or cutting circles in the stadium to earn a bar of chocolate in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian; Eating shouldn't be a goal or a reward. Learn to correlate calories burned and calories burned and learn to eat well. If you run for an hour a day but eat 500 more calories a day, you shouldn't expect any weight loss.
2. Weight control.Safe and sensible weight loss is up to 1 kilogram per week. If you run regularly and do weight training at the same time, keep in mind that muscle will be built at the same time as you lose weight. In this case, it is more advisable not to look at the arrows on the scales, but to regularly measure your body (waist, hips, leg circumference, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress would be more revealing.
3. Getting used to loads. . . You could see the result for the first few weeks, 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 regeneration. Over time, the body adapted to the stress and no longer perceived it as irritating. In this case, it is enough to switch between different types of training: running over rough terrain, finding other routes, combining the pace, adding strength loads, etc.
4. A tough diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more you lose weight. In reality, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts the body under stress, starting to accumulate reserves and hold water whenever possible to repair damaged muscle fibers and deliver glycogen to working muscles. As a result, this often leads to emotional breakdowns and overeating.

5 myths about running

Stretch before running

Surely each of us has heard that you have to stretch and warm up your muscles before running. You will be surprised, but scientists disagree on this point. Rather, they all agree that only dynamic stretches (lunges, bends, swinging legs and arms, etc. ) can be of benefit.

What's wrong with the static form of stretching?

• A 2013 study found it could reduce productivity, not increase it.
• Another study from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that stretching before running did not prevent injury.

And another recent study found that static stretching can affect muscle performance for up to 24 hours.

Static stretching refers to exercises like a fold or a butterfly that require freezing in one position for 15-60 seconds at the time of maximum muscle elongation.

But warming up the joints is definitely not going to hurt you.

The more workouts the better

There is one common mistake made by novice runners - the desire to increase the running pace and exercise volume as quickly as possible. In the beginning, enthusiasm and motivation are overwhelming and it seems that running 2-3 km is too little and too good. Better just 10 and up the hill. This exposes the body to stress, does not have time to recover, and athletic performance deteriorates before it shows up.

This leads to prolonged interruption of training, general loss of strength and exhaustion. Muscle swelling or weakness may sometimes be seen, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. This leads to "emotional" overeating and sometimes injuries that completely discourage the desire to walk again.

Be patient and think long term, do not empty 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 burden divided into stages.

Runners don't need weight training

There are many studies exploring the effects of weight training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprints. It states that power, performance and speed are inherently linked as they are all the result of the same functional systems.

Strength training significantly improves endurance and running performance. For example, it is believed that the gluteus maximus is the most important contributor to maximum speed when running. Needless to say, it absolutely needs to be pumped? You can't walk alone.

The stronger the muscles, the more elastic and resilient the body becomes when running.

Dress warmly to lose more

A big misconception for beginners looking to shed those extra pounds. Some girls even wrap themselves under their clothes with cling film to get the maximum result in their opinion.

Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with weight loss. With the help of sweat, the body cools down, removes fluids and toxins. Additional clothing interferes with cooling, which can lead to overheating and even loss of consciousness.

Running with weights will definitely help you lose weight

This is not the best method for beginners. Running in itself is a heavy burden on the body if you previously lived a sedentary lifestyle. And being overweight is already a weighting tool.

Typically, this method is used by experienced athletes to develop speed strength strength skills. Heavy over long distances can increase the risk of injury to an inexperienced runner.

Walking and increased appetite

As your body learns to adapt to the new regime and workout, you burn fewer calories. Plus, when you lose weight, your body needs less energy to function. Thus, the basic metabolism (the energy that the body burns at rest) actually begins to decrease.

Running at a moderate pace is believed to increase appetite, especially among beginners. The body wants to return to its old mass and produces more intense hormones that trigger feelings of hunger. However, several studies have shown that high-intensity running has the opposite effect - suppressing ghrelin levels (the hunger hormone) and reducing appetite.

From my own point of view, I can say that I've never gained as much weight as when preparing for a marathon. My maximum monthly mileage was just over 200 kilometers and I ate so much that I couldn't believe I was able to. There was no goal to lose weight, but the appetite was strong.

Can you lose weight just by walking?

It is possible, but several conditions must be met for this: proper nutrition, load changes, gradual increase. If you want to lose weight at the same pace through regular but short exercise (say 20 minutes a day), this is unlikely to get you any closer to your desired goal. Much depends on the initial parameters.

You can get the result by running either long or hard. Ideally, you should alternate interval training with slow and long jogging to lose weight. This prevents the body from adapting to the stress level. Why is it important? This is because you can face what physiologists call a plateau state when your physical condition and weight are stabilized and it becomes very difficult to get them off the ground. We have to "surprise" the body and try unusual loads that irritate it. New approaches also help avoid burnout that can result from a similar routine.

By combining aerobic and anaerobic exercise (cardio and strength), you can achieve what you want faster. But don't forget the side effect (and indeed the main effect) of running. Along with the loss of extra calories, you bring tremendous benefits to the body as a whole.