Is jogging really effective for weight loss?

Losing weight is not really "my" topic because of my tendency to lose weight and I am constantly trying to build shape rather than lose extra pounds.

However, a large number of people flee because of the desire to lose weight. Some are enough for a month, others run a marathon, and still others run all their lives, once they want to lose weight. This is great because wellness also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.

I found it interesting:

• How effective is running for weight loss?
• Which running exercises burn the most calories?
• What physiological processes are behind this?
• What does research say on this issue?

And since I've been running for a few years and I've noticed some changes in my weight and appearance, I will share my experience.

Running as a way to lose weight is shrouded in many myths. The fact is that not everyone loses weight by running. Or lose weight, but not just by running. The question of weight loss is more complicated than it seems at first glance.

Needless to say, the benefits of running?

In addition to the obvious benefits (including large muscle groups, improved cardiovascular function, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), at least one study is worth mentioning. More than 55, 000 people have participated in it in 15 years.

What conclusion did the authors of the study reach?

• the risk of death for any reason in people who run regularly is reduced by 30%
• the risk of death from cardiovascular disease is reduced by 45%
• life expectancy increases by an average of 3 years

And the fact that running does not require additional equipment, expensive equipment and high costs makes it one of the most popular sports in the world. If you can afford even a cheap pair of sneakers, you are in business.

Weight loss factors

It does not matter what sport you do, there are factors that directly affect how quickly and intensely you lose weight.

Between them:

• Age. . . The older the person, the less work is recommended and therefore the result will be less significant. In addition, muscles contract and become weaker with age;
• Body composition. . . If you have more muscle mass than fat, you will burn more calories while running;
• Training intensity. . . Literally everything matters: activity, frequency, pace, distance, etc . ;
• Floor.Men burn calories faster than women. The University of Copenhagen, along with eight other institutes, conducted a study in which 2, 500 people with diabetes and obesity received a strict eight-week calorie-controlled diet. Remaining in exactly the same conditions, men have lost more extra pounds than women;
• Total daily activity. . . Even a 10-minute charge is effective if you are stuck;
• The weight. . . The more weight, the more calories will be burned in the beginning.

The basic and unshakable formula for losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume.

How much can you reset in one cycle?

First, it is worth clarifying: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, on a street or stadium?

It may not seem like a difference, but it's not. Functionally, the load changes slightly, but the mechanics are completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to push hard from the surface, while the track, due to the constantly moving belt, pulls your legs back and you spend less physical effort.

In addition, the treadmill significantly shortens the stride and impedes movement.

Why not trust the lost calories shown on the machine's display? It takes into account the speed and duration of the workout, as well as the average data for the runner, which often has nothing to do with reality. In addition, the machine tends to overestimate the numbers to motivate them to keep training.

For one hour on a treadmill running at a speed of 10-12 km / h, you can lose 550-750 calories. It all depends on the incline, running pace, heart rate, body temperature, etc.

1 kilogram of fat = approximately 7500-8250 calories

There are many indicators to keep in mind when running outdoors. For example, a report from Harvard University shows that a 30-minute workout for people of different intensity and weight gives different results:

• A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 370 calories in half an hour while running at a speed of 6: 12 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate, he loses 300 calories.
• A man weighing 70 kg. can burn 539 calories in half an hour of running at a speed of 4: 20 / km. And a man weighing 56 kg. at the same time and at the same rate, she loses 435 calories.

When you run slowly, calories are consumed mainly from fat. At an intense rate, glycogen stores in the muscles and liver become a source of calories. By the way, after training they still "burn" (EPOC -effect, for him - below).

Compared to other sports, the indicators are on average as follows:

Activity	Burn calories in 30 minutes
Swimming (freestyle) at an active pace	370
Running at a speed of 8 km / h (6: 12 / km)	300
Beach volleyball	297
Cycling at a speed of 20 km / h	295
Roller skating	260
Aerobics	240
Basketball	220
Badminton game	167

How many days a week do you have to run to lose weight?

If you are just starting your running journey, then you should not set a goal to run every day or run for an hour in any way.

Your training plan should be gradual. Start by alternating between brisk walking and slow jogging. The normal pace of running is what you can talk about. It will be difficult at first, so you can move on to the step if needed.

Start with the fact that training should be at least 3 every 7 days. There must be enough time for the body to have time to get rid of the excess and recover.

Once you understand each other, you can do different types of running workouts to pump your body more universally and burn calories more efficiently. Remember, however, that basic training will keep your body running smoothly and minimize the chances of injury.

High-intensity running training

One meta-study found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns an average of 30% more fat than other types of exercise.

Thus, HIIT training is a more effective way to reduce body fat. High-intensity running workouts include interval running and fartlek.

Intense exercise creates excess oxygen consumption after exercise, the so-called effect of oxygen debt.EPOC (excessive post-workout oxygen consumption). . . This promotes the oxidation of fats for a shorter period of time and provokes the so-called "burning effect". In addition, the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormone (according to one study, up to 450%) within 24 hours after the end of HIIT.

In addition to weight loss, this type of cardio has a number of other benefits:

• improved endurance
• blood sugar control
• muscle strengthening
• strengthening the immune system
• relief of stress and anxiety, etc.

However, with all the advantages, interval training has a number of contraindications, as there is an active load on the cardiovascular system.(CCC). Before you start this type of running, you need to make sure that you have no contraindications to CCC.

At what time of day is it better to exercise to lose weight?

According to recent studies, people who train in the morning perform better than those who train in the evening. During the experiment, the researchers divided 48 women into two groups: the first did aerobic exercise in the morning for six weeks, the other preferred to exercise in the evening. During the specified period, they record each meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helps to reduce the amount of high-calorie food during the day, which allows them to lose weight more.

Other studies show that fasting before breakfast burns more fat than post-meal exercise.However, if you are running on an empty stomach, it is worth taking a shorter and easier route, as your body may not be ready for it.

There is much controversy about which time is most effective. It is believed that our physical performance increases when the body reaches its maximum temperature for the day. For most people, this is between 16: 00 and 17: 00, although some experts extend this time to 19: 00.

A possible monthly training plan for beginners

Before you can show results, especially if you have been stuck before, you need to prepare your body and speed up your metabolism.

Please keep in mind thatonly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training regime for youbecause when choosing a plan, your goals and body condition will be taken into account.

The plan is designed to immerse you in your workouts as smoothly as possible; this is achieved by alternating walking and running:

Week 1	Monday - walk for 20 minutes Tuesday - rest or cardio for 20 minutes (swimming, cycling) Wednesday - walk at a fast pace for 20 minutes Thursday - rest Friday - alternating brisk walking (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) 4 times Saturday - rest Sunday - Walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes
2 weeks	Monday - alternate 5 fast steps (4 minutes) and run (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternating brisk walking (3 minutes) and intense jogging (1 minute) 6 times Thursday - rest Friday - repeat 7 times, alternating brisk walking (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - 20 minutes brisk walk or cycling up to 30 minutes Sunday - rest
3 weeks	Monday - repeat 7 times, alternating brisk walking (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Tuesday - rest Wednesday - alternate 9 times of brisk walking (1 minute) and jogging (2 minutes) Thursday - rest or cycling for 30 minutes Friday - repeat 7 times, alternating brisk walking (3 minutes) and running (1 minute) Saturday - active walk for 25 minutes Sunday - rest
4 weeks	Monday - alternate 6 times brisk steps for 1 minute and jogging for 4 minutes Tuesday - rest or swimming / cycling (30 minutes) Wednesday - Alternate 5 minutes of brisk walking, jogging for 20 minutes and finish with another 5 minutes of brisk walking Thursday - rest Friday - continuous running for 25 minutes Saturday - cycling or walking at a fast pace of 30 minutes Sunday - rest

Universal training plan for beginners. There are hundreds of such plans on the Internet

As you move on to the second month of your training plan, gradually increase your jogging time by minimizing your walking intervals. When 30 minutes of running is normal for you, you can add 4 days for a full load.

It is important to monitor your heart rate.

The fat burning area is considered to be 50-70% of the maximum heart rate. It is calculated depending on the age of the person.Very averagethat's about 115-130 strokes for a 30-year-old or 110-125 strokes for a 40-year-old. You can measure the exact areas of the heart rate using special functional diagnostics. This will help you train more effectively.

When you run in the fat burning area, your body learns to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you should not expect that running in this particular area will lead to greater weight loss: low intensity burns fewer calories than running in a high intensity area.

What helps maintain the result?

To track your progress and have an idea of your heart rate during a workout, you can't do without assistive devices:

• Fitness bracelets.Paired with your phone, they help you keep track of your steps, mileage and speed and time. In most fitness bracelets, the heart rate monitor only works in quiet areas and in low-stress areas. I can not say that this is true for absolutely all fitness bracelets, some do well with this task.
• Sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't have to run with your phone. Sportswear brands' watches (and Apple Watch) tend to have a relatively accurate heart rate monitor, but still not as accurate as chest straps. The accuracy of the heart rate monitor depends on the model and technology used to implement it, so it is best to review the reviews of a particular gadget in advance.
• Chest heart rate monitors.The most accurate heart rate measurements.

Why do I run but not lose weight?

The reasons can be many:

1. Wrong motivation.Very often you can hear from people who run that they work with a burger they ate, or cut circles in the stadium to win chocolate in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian; food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn to compare calories consumed and consumed and eat well. If you run for an hour a day, but eat another 500 calories a day, you should not rely on weight loss.
2. Weight control.A safe and reasonable weight loss rate is up to 1 pound per week. If you run regularly and do strength training at the same time, keep in mind that along with losing weight, muscles build. In this case, it is more advisable not to look at the arrows on the scales, but to measure your body regularly (waist, hips, leg circumference, arms, etc. ). This method of tracking progress would be more revealing.
3. Getting used to loads. . . In the first few weeks you can see the result, but then it became less pronounced. Why? Because the body was initially stressed and actively used protein and carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves and building materials to rebuild muscles. Over time, the body adapts to stress and stops perceiving them as an irritant. In this case, it is enough to alternate different types of training: to run on uneven terrain, to find other routes, to combine the pace, to add strength training, etc.
4. Difficult diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more you lose weight. In fact, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts the body under stress, it begins to accumulate reserves when possible, as well as retain water to repair damaged muscle fibers and deliver glycogen to working muscles. As a result, it often leads to emotional breakdowns and overeating.

5 myths about running

Stretch before running

Surely each of us has heard that you need to stretch and warm your muscles before running. You will be surprised, but scientists do not have a consensus on this result. Rather, they agree that the benefit can only come from dynamic stretching (attacks, bends, swinging legs and arms, etc. ).

What is wrong with the static shape of the section?

• A 2013 study found that it can reduce productivity, not increase it.
• Another study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons found that stretching before running did not prevent injuries.

Another recent study found that static stretching can impair muscle performance for up to 24 hours.

Static stretching refers to exercises such as a fold or butterfly, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15-60 seconds during peak muscle lengthening.

But warming up will definitely not hurt you.

The more workouts, the better

There is a common mistake among beginner runners - the desire to increase the pace of running and the volume of loads as quickly as possible. In the first days, enthusiasm and motivation prevail and it seems that running 2-3 km is too little and a shame. Better only 10 and up the hill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, there is no time to recover and sports performance falls before it appears.

This leads to prolonged cessation of training, general loss of strength and exhaustion. Muscle swelling or weakness can sometimes be seen, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, this leads to "emotional" overeating, and sometimes to trauma that completely discourages the desire to run again.

Be patient and think long term, do not drain your body. Even with the most intense workouts, you will still not lose weight in 2 weeks. The process must be approached systematically and the workload must be divided into stages.

Runners do not need strength training

There are many studies looking at the effect of strength training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprints. It states that power, power and velocity are inextricably linked, as they are all the result of the same functional system.

Strength training significantly improves endurance and running. For example, the gluteus maximus is thought to be the most important contributor to maximum running speed. Needless to say, it must be pumped? Running alone cannot do that.

In addition, the stronger the muscles, the more elastic and resilient the body will be as you run.

Dress warmly to lose more

A big misconception for beginner runners who want to lose those extra pounds. Some girls even wrap themselves under their clothes with stretch film to achieve the maximum result according to them.

Why is this method ineffective? Because sweating has nothing to do with weight loss. With the help of sweat, the body cools, removes fluids and toxins. Extra clothing interferes with cooling, which can lead to overheating and even loss of consciousness.

Running with weights will definitely help you lose weight

This is not the best method for beginners. Running in itself is a powerful burden on the body if there has been a sedentary lifestyle before. And being overweight is already a means of weighing.

As a rule, this method is used by athletes with experience in developing speed and strength abilities. Heavy long-distance running can increase the risk of injury to an inexperienced runner.

Running and increased appetite

When your body learns to adapt to the new regime and exercise, you burn fewer calories. Also, when weight is lost, the body needs less energy to function. In this way, the basic metabolism (the energy that the body burns at rest) actually begins to decrease.

Running at a moderate pace is thought to increase appetite, especially for novice runners. The body wants to return to its previous mass and produces more intense hormones that make you feel hungry. But several studies have found that running at high intensity has the opposite effect - it suppresses ghrelin (hunger hormone) levels and reduces appetite.

I can say for myself that I have never won as much as when I was preparing for a marathon. My maximum monthly mileage was just over 200 kilometers and I ate so much that I couldn't believe I was capable of it. There was no point in losing weight, but the appetite was strong.

Can you lose weight just by running?

It is possible, but for this several conditions must be met: proper nutrition, alternation of loads, their gradual increase. If you want to lose weight by doing regular but short workouts (for example, 20 minutes a day) at the same pace, then this is unlikely to bring you closer to your desired goal. Much depends on the initial parameters.

You can achieve the result by running long or hard. Ideally, to lose weight, you should alternate interval training with slow and long jogging. This will prevent the body from adapting to the level of stress. Why is it important? Because you may encounter a phenomenon that physiologists call a plateau state, when physical condition and weight stabilize and it becomes very difficult to move them off the ground. We need to "surprise" the body and experience unusual loads that become irritating to it. New approaches also help to avoid the burnout that can result from such a routine.

You can achieve what you want faster by combining aerobic and anaerobic exercise (cardio and strength). But do not forget about the side (and in fact - the main) effect of running. Along with losing extra calories, you will bring huge benefits to the body as a whole.