Does Running Help You Lose Weight?

A question that a lot of people ask is "Does running really help you lose weight?". This is an excellent question to ask as the answer can be very revealing. Running does burn a lot of calories and there are numerous ways to measure this. When you go to the gym you are able to take your pulse rate with a strap and it will tell you how many calories you have burned during your workout.

An additional way of losing weight is to track your heart rate with a watch. Heart rate tells you how hard you are working so if your heart rate is high then you are working out hard. This can also be measured using a watch. The number of calories you are burning can also be determined by an online site that has a calorie burning calculator.

There are a number of different reasons why you would want to use running as part of your weight loss program. One of the most important is to lose excess body fat as it is easier to do this when your body is leaner. Another health benefits to increasing your activity level is that it strengthens your muscles. Stronger muscles burn more calories and fat and you will find increased energy levels as well as stronger muscles after a good run.

The best way to start a weight loss program is to do long distance running. The minimum distance for which you should be running is about a hundred miles per day. If you are able to do more than this then you are likely in poor health. Increasing your miles per day by about ten percent each week will help you to reach your goal in a reasonable amount of time.

When you are considering purchasing new running shoes, you should be aware that the type of footwear you choose will affect your ability to lose weight. Shoes for low impact are better for runners who are just beginning a training program and have not yet been able to establish a specific plan for weight loss. These shoes will offer the bare minimum in protection and cushioning. However they will also be stiffer than high performance shoes and offer less flexibility. For this same reason you should avoid wearing high performance running shoes in high intensity runs. These shoes offer the maximum amount of cushioning and protection and should be worn in the most intense workouts.

You may be wondering if all running shoes are created equally. There are many different types of running shoes and each has its own purpose. This means that you should spend some time shopping around before you purchase a pair. Not all brands are made the same and some will fit your foot better than others. If you know your personal needs then you will be able to find the running shoes that work best for you.

Along with the right shoes you will need to add some interval training runs to your weight loss program. Interval training has been proven to increase the metabolism so it can burn more calories and fat faster. To do these interval sessions you will want to find a local gym that offers interval training. The runs should be short but very intense. You may want to start with an easy jog two times a week and gradually increase the distance and speed as your fitness level improves. Try to find at least five runs that are at least forty minutes each so that you are working out all muscles in your body during your runs.

Once you have completed your first five miles per session you will then turn the pace down a notch. After completing your first set of interval runs you will want to turn the pace back up to your normal running pace for one complete full cycle. Do not start jogging again until you have completed another five miles per cycle. You should then complete another five miles per cycle and then turn the pace back down a notch to your normal walking pace for one complete cycle.