Is jogging really effective for losing weight?

Losing weight isn't really "my" subject because of my tendency to put on weight and I try to build shape consistently rather than lose extra pounds.

However, a large number of people run in the desire to lose weight. Some people run enough for a month, others run marathons, and still others have been running all their lives, wanting to lose weight once. This is great because running wellness also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.

This became interesting to me:

• How effective is running for weight loss?
• Which Running Workout Burns the Most Calories?
• What are the physical processes behind this?
• What does the research say about this?

And since I have been running for many years and I have noticed some changes in weight and my appearance, I will share my experience.

Running as a way to lose weight is shrouded in a lot of myths. The fact is that not everyone loses weight by running. Or lose weight, but not just by running. The issue of weight loss is not as much as at first glance. Seems a lot more complicated than that.

Needless to say, the benefits of running?

In addition to the obvious benefits (involving large muscle groups, improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), it is worth mentioning at least one study. In it for 15 years more than 55 thousandMore people took part.

What conclusion did the study authors come to?

• People who run regularly have a 30% lower risk of dying from any cause
• The risk of death from heart disease is reduced by 45%
• Life expectancy increases by 3 years on average

And the fact that running doesn't require extra equipment, expensive equipment, and high costs makes it one of the most popular sports in the world. If you can afford even an inexpensive pair of running shoes, you're in business. are in.

weight loss factors

No matter what sport you play, there are factors that directly affect how quickly and intensely you lose weight.

from them:

• Ages. . . the older the person, the less work will be recommended and, therefore, the result will be less important. In addition, muscles contract and become weaker with age;
• Body composition. . . if you have more muscle mass than fat, you'll burn more calories while running;
• training intensity. . . Virtually everything matters: activity, frequency, speed, distance, etc . ;
• floor.Men burn calories faster than women. The University of Copenhagen conducted a study with eight other institutions in which 2, 500 people with diabetes and obesity received eight weeks of a strict calorie-controlled diet. Staying in the exact same position, men have lost more extra pounds than women;
• normal daily activity. . . a 10-minute charge is also in effect if you are sedentary;
• Burden. . . the more you weigh, the more calories you burn first.

The main and unshakable formula to lose weight is to spend more calories than you consume.

How much can you reset at once?

First of all, it is worth clarifying: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, on a street or stadium?

It may seem that there are no differences, but this is not so. Functionally, the load changes slightly, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to vigorously push off the surface, while the track, constantlyBecause of the moving belt, your leg pulls back and you exert less physical effort.

In addition, the treadmill significantly shortens the stride and impedes the motion.

Why not rely on the lost calories displayed on the machine's display? It takes into account the pace and duration of the workout, as well as average data about the runner, which often has nothing to do with reality. In addition, the machine calculates numbers to motivate them to continue exercising. attaches more importance.

For an hour on a treadmill, working at a speed of 10-12 km / h, you can lose 550-750 calories. It all depends on the inclination, running speed, heart rate, body temperature, etc.

1 kilogram of fat = about 7, 500-8250 calories

There are several metrics to consider when running outside. For example, a report from Harvard University indicated that a 30-minute workout produced different results for people of different intensity and different weights:

• A man weighs 70 kg. Running at a speed of 6 : 12/km can burn 370 calories in half an hour. And a man weighs 56 kg. At the same time and at the same rate, he loses 300 calories.
• A man's weight is 70 kg. Running at a speed of 4: 20/km can burn 539 calories in half an hour. And a man's weight is 56kg. At the same time and at the same rate, it loses 435 caloriesgives.

Calorie consumption comes primarily from fat when you run slowly. At a fast pace, muscle and liver glycogen stores become a source of calories. By the way, they "burn out" (EPOC-effect) even after training. , about it - below).

When compared with other sports, the indicators are on average as follows:

activity	Calorie Burn in 30 Minutes
Active Swimming (Freestyle)	370
running at 8 km/h (6: 12/km)	300
Beach volleyball	297
cycling at 20 km/h	295
roller skating	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 your running route, by all means, you shouldn't set yourself a goal of running or running for an hour every day.

Your training plan should be gradual. Begin by alternating between brisk walking and slow jogging. A normal walking pace is one that you can talk about. It will be difficult at first, so you can try one if necessary. Steps can be taken.

Start with the fact that workouts should be at least 3 in 7 days. There should be enough time for the body to dump the excess and recover.

Once you understand this, you can do a variety of running workouts to give your body a more versatile pump and burn calories more efficiently. However, remember that basic training keeps your body running smoothly. and reduce the chance of injury.

high-intensity running workout

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

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

Intense exercise produces additional oxygen consumption after exercise, the so-called oxygen debt effect.EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). . . it promotes the oxidation of fat in a short time and provokes the so-called "afterburning effect". In addition, within 24 hours after the end of HIIT the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormone (according to one study, 450%up to).

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

• better stamina
• blood sugar control
• strengthen muscles
• boost immune system
• Stress and anxiety relief, etc.

However, with all the advantages, interval training has a number of contraindications, as there is an active load on the cardiovascular system.(CCC). Before starting this type of race, you must make sure that you do not have any differences from CCC.

What time of day is better to train to lose weight?

According to recent studies, people who exercised in the morning performed better than those who exercised in the evening. During the experiment, scientists divided 48 women into two groups: the first was morning aerobic exercise for six weeks. The other preferred to exercise in the evening. During the specified period, they recorded each meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helped reduce the amount of high-calorie food consumed during the day. helped, which allowed him to lose more weight.

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

There is much controversy about which time is most effective. It is believed that our physical performance increases when the body reaches its maximum temperature for the day. For most people, this is 4: 00 pmHappens between 5: 00 PM to 5: 00 PM, although some experts extend this time to 7: 00 PM.

A Potential Monthly Beginner Workout Plan

Before you can show results, especially if you were sedentary before, you need to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.

please note thatOnly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training regime for you, since while choosing a plan, your goals and body condition will be kept in mind.

This plan is designed to immerse you in your workouts as effortlessly as possible; This is achieved by alternating walking and running:

week 1	Monday - 20 minute walk Tuesday - Rest or do 20 minutes of cardio (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - 20 minutes brisk walk Thursday - rest Friday - Option of brisk walking (4 min) and running (1 min) 4 times saturday - rest Sunday - 20 minutes brisk walk
2 week	Monday - Alternate 5 times brisk step (4 min) and run (1 min) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating brisk walking (3 min) and brisk jogging (1 min) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - Repeat 7 times alternating brisk pace (3 min) and running (1 min) Saturday - 20 min brisk walk or 30 min bike ride sunday - rest
3 weeks	Monday - repeat 7 times alternating brisk pace (3 min) and running (1 min) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - 9 times alternating brisk step (1 min) and jog (2 min) Thursday - Rest or bike for 30 minutes Friday - Repeat 7 times alternating brisk pace (3 min) and running (1 min) Saturday - Active walk for 25 minutes sunday - rest
4 weeks	Monday - 6 times brisk walking alternately for 1 minute and jogging for 4 minutes Tuesday - Rest or Swim/Bike (30 min) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk stride, complete with 20 minutes of jogging and 5 minutes of brisk stride Thursday - rest Friday - run continuously for 25 minutes Saturday - Cycling or brisk walking for 30 minutes sunday - rest

A Versatile Workout Plan For Beginners. There Are Hundreds Of Similar Plans On The Internet

As you move into the second month of your training plan, gradually increase your jogging time, keeping your running intervals to a minimum. Can add up to 4 days.

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 depending on the age of the person.very averageThis is about 115-130 beats for a 30 year old or 110-125 beats a 40 year old. You can measure accurate heart rate zones using specialized functional diagnostics. This will help you train more effectively. will help.

When you run in a fat-burning zone, your body learns to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you shouldn't expect that running in this particular zone will result in more weight loss: low-intensity, high-intensity running. Running burns fewer calories than running in the field.

What helps maintain results?

To track your progress and get an idea of the heart rate during training, you can not do without assistive devices:

• fitness bracelet.Paired with your phone, they help you track your steps, kilometers, and track your pace and time. In most fitness bracelets, the heart rate monitor only works accurately in calm areas and low-stress areas. I can not say that this is true for absolutely all fitness bracelets, some do well with this task.
• sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't even need to carry with your phone. Sportswear brand watches (and Apple Watches) have relatively accurate heart rate monitors, but still require chest straps. Kind is not accurate. The accuracy of a heart rate monitor depends on the model and technology used to implement it, so it is best to check reviews of a particular gadget beforehand.
• Monitors chest heart rate.Most accurate heart rate measurement.

Why am I running but not losing weight?

There can be several reasons:

1. wrong motivation.Too often you can hear people running around, eating a burger or cutting circles in the stadium to earn chocolates in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian; Food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn to correlate intake and calories consumed and eat well. If you run an hour a day but eat 500 more calories per day, you shouldn't count on losing weight. needed.
2. weight control.A safe and reasonable rate of weight loss is up to 1 kilogram per week. If you run regularly and do strength training at the same time, keep in mind that muscle building is going along with losing weight. In this case, it is advisable not to look at the arrows of the scales, but to regularly measure your body (waist, hips, circumference of legs, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress is more revealing. Will be
3. getting used to loading. . . In the first few weeks, you could see the result, but then it became less obvious. Why? Because the body was initially stressed and actively used proteins and carbohydrates to replenish energy stores and building materials for muscle recovery. Over time, the body adapted to stress and themceased to be understood as a hitch. In this case, it is enough to alternate between different types of training: running on rough terrain, finding other routes, adding speed, 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 stresses the body, begins to accumulate reserves whenever possible, as well as damagedRetains water to repair muscle fibers and delivers glycogen to working muscles. As a result, this often leads to emotional breakdown and overeating.

5 myths about running

stretch before running

Surely, each of us has heard that before running you need to stretch and warm up your muscles. You will be surprised, but scientists do not have one opinion on this score. Rather, they agree. There are benefits that can only come from dynamic stretching (lunges, bends, swinging legs and arms, etc. ).

What's wrong with the static size of the stretch?

• 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 cause injury.

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

Static stretching refers to exercises such as the fold or butterfly, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15-60 seconds at the time of lengthening the pec muscles.

But the articular warm-up certainly will not harm you.

the more workouts, the better

A common mistake among beginner runners is the desire to increase the running speed and amount of loads as quickly as possible. The excitement and enthusiasm in the early days seems to be too little and a shame to run 2-3kmsIt is better just 10 and up the hill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, does not have time to recover and sports performance drops before it appears.

This includes prolonged discontinuation of training, a general loss of strength and fatigue. Sometimes muscle swelling or weakness may be observed, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, this "emotional" shift toward overeatingfalls, and sometimes hurts, which completely discourages the desire to run again.

Be patient and think for a long time, do not waste your body. Even with the most intense workouts, you will not lose weight in 2 weeks. The process should be approached systematically and divide the load into stagesshould be done.

Runners Don't Need Strength Training

There are several studies looking at the effects of strength training on running performance. One of them is devoted to sprints. It states that force, power and speed are inherently related to each other, as they all share the same functional systems. are results.

Strength training significantly improves endurance and running performance. For example, the gluteus maximus is considered the most important contributor to maximum speed when running. Needless to say, it must be pumped without fail? Running alone cannot do this.

In addition, the stronger the muscles, the more elastic and flexible your body will be during your run.

wear warm clothes to lose more

A big misconception for novice runners to shed those extra pounds. Some girls, in their opinion, wrap themselves under clothes with cling film to achieve maximum results.

Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with weight loss. Sweating helps cool the body, removes fluids and toxins. Excess clothing hinders cooling, which can lead to overheating and even consciousness. damage may also occur.

Running With Weight Will Definitely Help You Lose Weight

For beginners this is not the best way. Running in itself is a powerful load for the body, if before that there was a sedentary lifestyle. And excess weight is already a lifting agent.

As a rule, this method is used by athletes with experience to develop speed-strength abilities. Overweight 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 diet and exercise, you burn fewer calories. Also, when the weight is lost, the body requires less energy to function. Thus, the originalMetabolism (the energy that the body burns at rest) actually starts to decline.

It is believed that running at a moderate pace increases appetite, especially for beginner runners. The body wants to return to its previous mass and more intensely produces hormones that make you feel hungry. But several studies have foundIt is believed that running at high intensity has the opposite effect – reducing ghrelin (the hunger hormone) levels and reducing appetite.

By myself, I can say that I never gained that much when I was preparing for a marathon. My max monthly run was just over 200 kilometers and I ate so much I couldn't believe II am capable of it. There was no goal to lose weight, but the appetite was tremendous.

Can I Lose Weight Just By Running?

It is possible, but for this a number of conditions must be met: proper nutrition, choice of loads, their gradual increase. If you lose weight by doing regular, but short workouts (for example, 20 minutes a day) at the same paceIf you want to do this, it is unlikely to bring you closer to your intended goal. Much depends on the initial parameters.

You can achieve results by running either longer or intensely. Ideally, for weight loss, you should alternate interval training with slower and longer jogging. This will prevent the body from adapting to stress levels. why is it important? Because you may encounter a phenomenon that physiologists call a plateau state, when body position and weight become stable and it becomes very difficult to remove them from the ground. The effort has to be put in for what it takes. New approaches also help avoid the burnout that can result from similar routines.

Combining aerobic and anaerobic loads (cardio and strength) you can achieve what you want faster. But don't forget about the side (and really - the main) effect of running. Along with the loss of extra caloriesYou will bring tremendous benefits to the whole body.