Is jogging really effective for weight loss?

Losing weight isn't really a "me" topic because of my tendency to lose weight and I, on the other hand, are constantly trying to get into shape instead of losing extra pounds.

However, a large number of people come on the run through the desire to lose weight. Some people have enough for a month, others run marathons, and others have been running all their lives, once wanting to lose weight. This is great because running also improves metabolism and cardiovascular function.

It became interesting to me:

  • How effective is running for weight loss?
  • Which running exercise burns the most calories?
  • What is the physiological process behind this?
  • What does research say about this?

And since I've been running for a few years now and have noticed some changes in my weight and appearance, I'm going to share my experience.

Running as a way to lose weight is shrouded in myth. The fact is that not everyone loses weight by running. Or lose weight, but not just from running. The problem of losing weight is more complex than it seems at first glance.

Needless to say, the benefits of running?

In addition to the obvious advantages (involves large muscle groups, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, metabolism; there is a separate article on the benefits of running), it is worth mentioning at least one study. More than 55, 000 people took part in it for 15 years.

What conclusion did the writer get from this research?

  • risk of death from any cause in people who regularly run reduced by 30%
  • reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
  • life expectancy increased by an average of 3 years

And the fact that running requires no additional equipment, expensive equipment and high costs makes it one of the most popular sports in the world. If you can afford a cheap pair of running shoes, you're in business.

Weight loss factor

No matter what sport you play, there are factors that directly affect how quickly and intensely you lose weight.

Among them:

  • Age. . . The older a person is, the less work is recommended and, therefore, the results will be less significant. In addition, muscles shrink and become weaker with age;
  • Body composition. . . If you have more muscle mass than fat, you will burn more calories while running;
  • Exercise intensity. . . Literally everything matters: activity, frequency, pace, distance, etc. ;
  • Floor.Men burn calories faster than women. The University of Copenhagen, along with eight other institutions, conducted a study in which 2, 500 people with diabetes and obesity received a strict calorie-controlled diet for eight weeks. Staying in exactly the same condition, men lose more extra pounds than women;
  • General daily activities. . . Even a 10-minute charge is effective if you're not moving around much;
  • weight. . . The more weight you have, the more calories you will burn initially.

The ultimate and unwavering formula for weight loss is to spend more calories than you take in.

How much can you reset in one go?

how many calories can you burn in one run

First, it needs to be explained: is it about running on a treadmill or, for example, on the street or the stadium?

There doesn't seem to be a difference, but it really isn't. Functionally, the load changes slightly, but the mechanism is completely different. When running on asphalt, it is necessary to push intensively 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 strides and hinders movement.

Why not trust the lost calories displayed on the machine screen? It takes into account the speed and duration of the workout, as well as average data on runners, which often has little to do with reality. In addition, machines tend to overestimate the numbers to motivate them to keep exercising.

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

1 kilogram of fat = about 7, 500-8250 calories

There are many metrics to consider when running outdoors. For example, a report from Harvard University showed that 30 minutes of exercise for people of different intensities and weights gave different results:

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

When you run slowly, calories are consumed mainly from fat. At high speed, muscle and liver glycogen stores become a source of calories. By the way, after training they still "burn" (the EPOC effect, about it - below).

When compared to other sports, the average indicators are as follows:

Activity Calories burned in 30 minutes
Swim (freestyle) at an active speed 370
Run at 8 km/h (6: 12/km) 300
Beach volleyball 297
Cycling at a speed of 20 km / h 295
Skates 260
Aerobics 240
Basketball 220
Playing badminton 167

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

If you're just starting out on your running track, then you shouldn't set a goal to run every day or run for an hour by all means.

Your training plan should be gradual. Start by alternating between brisk walking and slow jogging. Normal running speed is the speed at which you can speak. It will be difficult at first, so you can move on to the steps if necessary.

Start from the fact that exercise should be at least 3 in 7 days. There should be enough time for the body to get rid of the excess and recover.

Once you get the hang of it, you can do different types of running exercises to pump your body more flexibly and burn calories more efficiently. However, remember that basic exercises will keep your body running smoothly and minimize the chance of injury.

High-intensity running

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

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

Intense exercise creates excess oxygen consumption after exercise, which is called the oxygen debt effect.EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). . . This promotes fat oxidation in a shorter time and triggers the so-called "afterburning effect". In addition, the body produces more adrenaline and growth hormone (according to one study, up to 450%) within 24 hours of ending HIIT.

Apart from losing weight, this type of cardio has a number of other benefits:

  • increase endurance
  • blood sugar control
  • strengthen muscles
  • boost immune system
  • relieve stress and anxiety, etc.

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

What time is better to train to lose weight?

what time to run to lose weight

According to recent research, people who exercise in the morning perform better than those who exercise in the evening. During the experiment, scientists divided 48 women into two groups: the first did aerobic exercise in the morning for six weeks, the other preferred to do the exercise in the evening. Over a period of time, they recorded every meal. As a result, it was concluded that morning exercise helped reduce the amount of high-calorie food intake during the day, allowing them to lose more weight.

Other studies have shown that exercising on an empty stomach before breakfast burns more fat than exercising after eating.However, if you're running on an empty stomach, it's a good idea to take the shorter and easier route as your body may not be ready for it yet.

There is a lot of controversy about which timing is most effective. It is believed that our physical performance improves 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.

One possible monthly beginner running training plan

running workout for beginners

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

Please note thatonly a personal trainer can choose the optimal training regime for you, because when choosing a plan, your goals and state of the body will be taken into account.

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





week 1
Monday - Walk for 20 minutes
Tuesday - rest or do 20 minutes of cardio (swimming, cycling)
Wednesday - walk at a brisk pace of 20 minutes
Thursday - rest
Friday - alternation of fast pace (4 minutes) and running (1 minute) 4 times
Saturday - rest
Sunday - Walk at a brisk pace for 20 minutes






2 weeks
Monday - alternating 5 brisk steps (4 minutes) and running (1 minute)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - alternating fast pace (3 minutes) and intense jogging (1 minute) 6 times
Thursday - rest
Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast pace (3 minutes) and running (1 minute)
Saturday - 20 minutes brisk walk or up to 30 minutes cycling
Sunday - rest






3 weeks
Monday - repeat 7 times alternating brisk pace (3 minutes) and running (1 minute)
Tuesday - rest
Wednesday - alternating 9 brisk steps (1 minute) and jogging (2 minutes)
Thursday - rest or cycle for 30 minutes
Friday - repeat 7 times alternating fast pace (3 minutes) and running (1 minute)
Saturday - active walk for 25 minutes
Sunday - rest





4 weeks
Monday - alternating 6 brisk steps for 1 minute and jogging for 4 minutes
Tuesday - rest or swimming/cycling (30 minutes)
Wednesday - Alternative 5 minutes of brisk pace, jogging for 20 minutes and complete with another 5 minutes of fast pace
Thursday - rest
Friday - continuous run for 25 minutes
Saturday - cycling or walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes
Sunday - rest

Versatile workout plan for beginners. There are hundreds of similar packages on the Internet

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

It is important to monitor your heart rate.

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

When you run in the fat burning zone, your body learns to burn fat as efficiently as possible. However, you shouldn't expect that running in this particular zone will result in more weight loss: because of the low intensity, fewer calories are burned than when running in the high intensity zone.

What helps maintain the results?

Why a heart rate monitor is important when running

To track your progress and find out your heart rate during training, you can't do without the following tools:

  • Fitness bracelet.Paired with your phone, they help you track steps, kilometers, and track your pace and time. In most fitness bands, the heart rate monitor works accurately only in calm zones and low stress zones. I can't say that this really applies to all fitness bracelets, some do a great job with this task.
  • Sports watch.Since most sports watches have a built-in GPS sensor, you don't need to run with your phone either. Sportswear brand watches (and Apple Watch) tend to have relatively accurate heart rate monitors, but still not as accurate as chest straps. The accuracy of a heart rate monitor depends on the model and technology used to implement it, so it's a good idea to check specific gadget reviews first.
  • Chest heart rate monitor.The most accurate heart rate measurement.

Why am I running but not losing weight?

There are many reasons:

  1. Wrong motivation.Very often you can hear from people running around that they are working on the burger they have eaten or cutting circles in the stadium for a bar of chocolate in the evening. This weight loss option is utopian; food should not be a goal or a reward. Learn to correlate calories consumed and consumed and eat well. If you run for an hour a day, but eat 500 calories more per day, you shouldn't count on weight loss.
  2. Weight control.A safe and reasonable rate of weight loss is up to 1 kilogram per week. If you regularly run and do strength training at the same time, then keep in mind that along with weight loss, muscle is being built. In this case, it is better not to look at the arrows of the scales, but to measure your body regularly (waist, hips, leg circumference, arms, etc. ). This method for tracking progress will be more open.
  3. Getting used to the load. . . In the first few weeks, you can see results, but then it becomes less obvious. Why? Because the body is initially stressed and actively uses protein and carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves and building materials for muscle recovery. Over time, the body adapts to stress and stops seeing it as an irritant. In this case, it is enough to alternate between different types of training: running on rough terrain, finding other routes, combining speed, increasing strength loads, etc.
  4. Difficult diet.It seems that the less you eat, the more you lose weight. In reality, things are a little different. Severe malnutrition puts the body under stress, it begins to accumulate reserves whenever possible, as well as retain water to repair damaged muscle fibers and deliver glycogen to working muscles. As a result, this often leads to emotional upset and overeating.

5 myths about running

Stretch before running

Of course, each of us has heard that before running you need to stretch and warm up your muscles. You'd be surprised, but scientists don't have a consensus on this score. Instead, they agree that benefits can only be derived from dynamic stretching (knee bends, bends, swinging legs and arms, etc. ).

What's wrong with the static form of stretching?

  • 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 injury.

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

Static stretching refers to exercises such as folds or butterflies, when it is necessary to freeze in one position for 15-60 seconds at the time of peak muscle lengthening.

But the articular warm-up will definitely not hurt you.

The more practice the better

There is a common mistake among beginner runners - the desire to increase running speed and load volume as quickly as possible. In the early days, enthusiasm and motivation flooded in, and it seemed that running 2-3 km was too little and embarrassing. Better just 10 and up the hill. As a result, the body is exposed to stress, does not have time to recover and sports performance drops before it appears.

This entails prolonged cessation of training, loss of strength and general fatigue. Sometimes swelling or muscle weakness may be observed, which in most cases is a symptom of overtraining. As a result, this leads to "emotional" overeating, and sometimes injuries, which in no way encourage the urge to run again.

Be patient and think long term, don't drain your body. Even with the most intense workouts, you still won't lose weight in 2 weeks. The process should be approached systematically and the load should be divided into stages.

Runners don't need strength training

There are many studies looking at the effects of strength training on running performance. One of them is dedicated to sprints. It states that force, power, and velocity are inherently related to each other, because they are all the result of the same functional system.

Strength training significantly improves endurance and running performance. For example, the gluteus maximus is believed to be the most important contributor to maximum speed while running. Needless to say that it should be pumped without fail? Running alone cannot do this.

Also, the stronger the muscles, the more elastic and resilient your body will be when you run.

Dress warmly to lose more

A big misunderstanding for beginner runners looking to lose that extra weight. Some girls even wrap themselves in clothes with cling film to achieve maximum results 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 down, excreting 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 itself is a strong burden on the body, if previously there was a sedentary lifestyle. And being overweight has become a weighting agent.

As a rule, this method is used by athletes with experience to develop speed-strength abilities. Heavy over long distances can increase the risk of injury for inexperienced runners.

Run and increase appetite

load carbohydrates while running

As your body learns to adjust to a new regimen and exercise, you burn fewer calories. Also, when you lose weight, your body needs less energy to function. Thus, the basic metabolism (the energy the body burns at rest) actually begins to decrease.

It is believed that running at a moderate pace increases appetite, especially for novice runners. The body wants to return to its original mass and more intensively produces hormones that make you feel hungry. But some studies have found that high-intensity running has the opposite effect - suppressing levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and reducing appetite.

From myself, I can say that I never gained as much when I was preparing for a marathon. My maximum monthly run is just over 200 kilometers and I eat so much I can't believe I'm capable of it. There is no goal to lose weight, but the appetite is very 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 (for example, 20 minutes a day) exercise at the same pace, then this will not get you any closer to your desired goal. Much depends on the initial parameters.

You can achieve results by running either for a long time or intensively. Ideally, to lose weight, you should replace interval training with slow, long jogging. This will prevent the body from adapting to the stress level. Why is that important? Because you can face a phenomenon that physiologists call the plateau state, when the physical condition and body weight stabilize and it becomes very difficult to move it off the ground. We have to "shock" the body and try an unusual load that irritates it. The new approach also helps avoid the fatigue that can arise from a similar routine.

You can achieve what you want faster by combining aerobic and anaerobic (cardio and strength) weights. But don't forget about the side effects (and actually - the main) of running. Along with the loss of extra calories, you will bring tremendous benefits to the body as a whole.