If you want to shed excess pounds, exercise can help you burn calories. The formula for losing weight is burning more calories than you consume, so eating a nutrient-rich, low-calorie diet can make your exercise program more effective. Long-distance running offers a fast way to burn those calories and lose weight, if you apply some basic running and eating strategies.
Step 1
Get your doctor's approval to begin a running program. You need a clean bill of health, as long-distance running is a vigorous activity that places stress on your body during training. Your doctor can equip you with the advice you need, taking into account any health conditions you may have. Your doctor also can help you determine a healthy weight-loss goal.
Step 2
Set your goal. Once you know how much weight you need to lose, you can track your progress and adjust your running program accordingly. Do not try to lose weight too rapidly, as you may put yourself at risk of malnutrition or gaining the weight back. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises losing 1 to 2 pounds per week for a healthy, sustainable rate of weight loss. You need to burn about 3,500 calories -- or 500 extra calories a day for a week -- to lose 1 pound of body weight.
Step 3
Begin a running program, gradually adding distance to your runs. Keep track of how many miles you run each week and increase your weekly mileage by 10 percent or less each week. If you increase your distance by larger percentages, you put yourself at risk for injuries and burnout.
Step 4
Calculate how many calories you burn running and adjust your diet and running program accordingly. The amount of calories you burn depends on your body weight, running speed and run duration. In general, the more you weigh and the faster you run, the more calories you burn during your runs. Use the HealthStatus Calories Burned Calculator for an estimate of how many calories you burn on your runs.
Step 5
Adjust your running program by adding distance or intensity to your training if you are not seeing the weight loss results you want. Running faster can help you burn more calories during your distance runs. A 200-pound person who runs for an hour at 5 mph -- a 12-minute-mile pace -- burns 728 calories, according to MayoClinic.com. The same person burns 1,229 calories during an hour running at 8 mph -- a 7:30-minute-mile pace. Likewise, adding distance to your runs helps you burn more calories. If you go 10 percent farther on your runs, you burn 10 percent more calories.
Tips and Warnings
- Start out with a run-walk program if your body is not used to running. Alternate four-minute segments of running with two-minute segments of walking and gradually increase your running segments until you can run for your whole workout.
- If you experience any sharp or lasting pain while running, stop and rest. Call your doctor if you feel chest pain or your pain does not subside with rest.
Things You'll Need
- Running shoes
- Running clothes
Member Comments