Running is a great form of exercise that will help you lose weight. Best of all you can do it anytime, anywhere.
“You just need a pair of decent shoes, some creativity, and maybe a friend or two to develop a walking or running plan,” Daniel O’Connor, Ph. D., professor of health and human performance at the University of Houston, told a news portal. Adding, "It's less expensive than joining a gym or having a personal trainer."
However, while running is an effective workout, you need strategies that combine various elements with it in order to really shed those pounds.
Here's how to optimize running for weight loss, according to the experts.
1. Watch your diet: The benefits of running to lose weight are immense. But that doesn't mean you don't watch what you eat. You need to fuel your body with the right foods so you have the stamina to run well."Weight loss is about creating a caloric imbalance, where you’re using slightly more calories than you’re consuming, say 200 calories per day," O’Connor told a news portal. Therefore it is important to keep your sweet cravings in check in order to stick to your weight loss goal.
2. Go as far as you can: If you are a beginner, start slow. You don't need to push yourself to run like a hardcore athlete. "When it comes to weight loss, moving and burning calories are what matters," O’Connor told a news portal. Adding, "If you like sprints, which have a higher rate of calories burned per minute, then have at it; but if you prefer walking or slower jogging, you’ll just need to spend more time to burn those calories."
3. Strength training: Experts say cross-training helps runners to build strength and reduce the risk of injuries. It also helps to build your muscles which will our burn more calories.
