If your goal is to lose weight through running and/or exercise, remember two very important points: Start gradually (especially if you haven't been exercising much lately) and choose an activity you will stick with. The keys to weight loss are consistent physical activity, and, of course, a healthy diet. If you commit to running, you've made a good choice, as running burns more calories than almost any other activity. No matter what running or exercise program you start, you'll see much faster results if you combine it with an eating plan that has you consuming fewer calories than you are now.
Go the Distance
While running faster will burn more calories per minute than running slower, a more intense running regimen is harder to maintain over a period of time. Best-Running-Tips.com instead suggests that you sacrifice speed for endurance, because you'll ultimately burn more calories and lose more weight if you spend more time on the track, treadmill or running trail, even at a slower pace. Simply put, according to the website, your philosophy should be: "Cover distance, and don't be afraid to run slow!"
Pick a Sport
Your body doesn't care what activity you choose to help burn calories and lose weight. So if running just isn't your thing, but basketball is, for example, then build a workout plan around your favorite sport. At least 30 minutes a day (if possible) of a sport, such as basketball, racquetball, tennis or swimming, will help you lose weight and improve your cardiovascular health. But be sure to work up a sweat. A lazy basketball shoot-around or casually trading ground strokes in tennis won't do the trick like a fast-paced game of full-court, five-on-five basketball or a tennis match with an opponent who will get you moving side to side and all over the court.
Rope jumping
You jumped rope as a kid for fun, so why not relive those carefree moments again, knowing that you're burning more than 1,000 calories an hour (according to a Mayo Clinic chart of exercises and their calorie-burning rates). Because rope jumping can wear you out in a hurry, treat it like a boxing match (boxers jump rope, too, right?). Jump for a three-minute "round" and then rest a minute before starting another round. Try four or five rounds to start and see, not only the pounds melt away, but your leg and arm muscles regain some tone, too.
Mix It Up
Exercise experts, such as those at the Runners Guide, agree that to maintain weight loss over a period of time, you need to mix up your exercise routines because your body will learn to efficiently burn fewer calories with the same activities repeated over and over again. If you run every other day, mix in a longer distance run once or twice a week, along with a day devoted to several shorter, but faster runs. In addition, combine your running with other, different forms of exercise, such as biking, aerobics, martial arts, swimming and even dancing.
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