When we think about exercising to lose weight, running is probably the first exercise that comes to mind.
Even when talking about burning calories, running is often the one that’s brought up in the conversation, “To burn off that donut you’ll have to run a mile!”
It’s been ingrained in our minds that running is the best way to help us lose weight. Well, that’s quite true, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
But first, let’s understand why running is considered one of the best ways to help lose weight.
Running As A Weight Loss Exercise
Running is a great weight loss exercise as it tends to burn much more calories compared to other workouts such as strength training or yoga.
This is because running gets our heart rate up fast due to it being a consistent full body movement. The higher the heart rate, the more calories our body burns.
According to a release by the Department of Public Health of the State of Wisconsin, running for 30 minutes as someone who weighs 190lbs will burn close to 700 calories (That’s more than a McDonald’s triple cheeseburger!)
That sounds great – so how might it cause you to not lose weight?
Running Increases Hunger And That’s Tricky
After burning so many calories, it’s no wonder running makes you hungry, but that usually doesn’t kick in so quickly.
In this research, it’s shown that high or moderate-intensity of running activity actually suppresses hunger for a short amount of time due to the decrease of some hunger hormones in our body. I’m sure many of us have felt that way too.
The trickiest part comes after that though, once your body hormones regulate, you might feel a surge in hunger which causes you to overeat.
Even if you don’t experience that, it’s psychologically easier to think we deserve a good meal after a difficult workout, what some would like to call a “cheat meal” or a “day off”.
Overeating in these 2 scenarios may stray you away from a calorie deficit, the most important thing in a weight loss plan. If you’re not in a caloric deficit, you’ll either stay the same weight, or even worse put on extra pounds.
Tips To Ensure Weight Loss By Running
Running your butt off and not losing weight sucks, so here’s some tips to ensure your hard work is not gone to waste:
- Track your calories burned in the run by using a running app or online estimator
- Be wary of the calories you consume after the run, you should still be in a caloric deficit for the day
- Eat a light snack before your run, it helps to fuel up so you don’t go hungry in the middle of your run
Running was a huge part of my weight loss journey and when done right, it works so well! If you have any questions, leave a comment and I’d be more than happy to help.