Running is an effective way to lose weight; runners burn calories more quickly than walkers and build muscles that contribute to calorie burn. The simple act of running is not enough to guarantee that you will shed pounds; weight loss is due to a combination of factors, including your diet, lifestyle and metabolic functions.
Metabolic Rate
An important consideration in weight loss is your basal metabolic rate, BMR, or the amount of calories your body needs to function. According to the Mayo Clinic, your BMR is dependent on your body size and composition and your sex and age. Larger people, men and younger people burn more calories. In addition to your BMR, your body burns calories to process food and accomplish basic daily tasks like doing chores, working and moving around. The total number of calories burned is what you require to maintain your current weight.
Calories Burned
According to the Mayo Clinic, one pound is equivalent to about 3500 calories. So, to lose one pound, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat. If you weigh 160 lbs. and require 2,000 calories per day to maintain your current weight, you need to cut 500 calories each day to lose one pound per week. A 160-lb. person burns about 116 calories running a mile at five miles per hour. By running one mile every day, you are creating a calorie deficit of 812 per week, which means it would take over a month to lose one pound.
Diet
To speed weight loss, you can make changes to your diet to cut calories. If you burn about 116 calories running a mile, you would need to cut 384 additional calories from your diet to lose one pound per week. Ensure that you have energy to run by choosing your calories wisely: eat lean protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Workouts
To boost your calorie burn and speed up your weight loss, change up your running workout. If you want to continue running just a mile, running faster may not be the best way to burn calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, a 160-lb. person burns about 116 calories running a mile at five miles per hour and about 123 calories running a mile at eight miles per hour. Instead, work up to longer distances or add an incline to your workout. According to "Women's Health" magazine, you will burn ten percent more calories for each degree of incline. By running a mile at a five percent incline at a pace of five miles per hour, a 160-lb. person will burn 174 calories instead of 116.
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