In addition to eating a healthy diet, you must exercise to lose weight. The American College of Sports Medicine's Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines state that 60 to 90 minutes daily of moderate intensity exercise is necessary to lose weight. Running is one exercise that can be used to meet these recommendations. Moderate intensity exercise means that you can carry on a conversation while you run, but your heart rate is elevated and you are sweating.
Step 1
Plan your daily run. Mark it in your daily planner or on your calendar. Plan your route. You are less likely to skip the run if it is part of your daily routine.
Step 2
Eat breakfast before starting your run. MayoClinic.com states that you will have more energy throughout the day and that you will be less likely to overeat if you have a healthy breakfast.
Step 3
Stay hydrated. Your body works optimally when you are hydrated. Drink water before you set out on your run and after your run. If you start to feel thirsty during your run, take time to drink a little water.
Step 4
Stretch your legs before you start your run to minimize the risk of injury. Cool Running suggests hamstring stretches, quadriceps stretches and groin stretches before going on a run.
Step 5
Start slow, as overdoing it can lead to injury, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Instead of trying to run for an hour, run for at least 10 minutes six to nine times per day.
Step 6
Vary your run. You will burn more calories if you run up hills than you will on flat land. You will also burn more calories running on sand or grass than you will if you run on asphalt. You can also interval train, which is when you run at a normal pace for three to five minutes then increase your pace for one minute before going back to the normal pace. Continue to repeat the process throughout the run.
Tips and Warnings
- Lay your clothes out before you go to bed to prevent having to spend unnecessary time finding it before you run. Seeing your clothes waiting for you may also serve as a motivational tool to get you moving.
- Talk to your doctor before starting a running program to lose weight, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition.
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