Does Running Burn Calories? 

Running’s one of the easiest ways to burn calories and lose weight. You don’t need to join a gym, the whole family can join in, and most importantly, you can take your run anywhere as the only special equipment you need is a good pair of running shoes.

It’s an excellent form of training for most other types of exercise too and you don’t need any special skills to reap the benefits of running. Check out our runner’s guide on how to make every step count.

How Does Running Contribute to Weight Loss?

When you run, you use five major muscle groups. These are your core muscles, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quads. Using all these muscles at the same time, means you burn plenty of calories while running.

What’s more, you continue to burn calories for a while after your workout. Some experts believe that the calorie-burning effects of running can last for up to 72 hours. Others argue that this effect lasts only about an hour.

Given the unique properties of individuals and their running habits, it’s not surprising that opinions vary so widely. You can rest assured that you will continue to burn calories for some time after any exercise.

That’s because your body uses energy both to replenish the energy reserves used by the activity as well as soothe the exertions of your muscle tissues and restore homeostasis in your cells. The downside of this is, as you become fitter, this process happens quicker but, as the body is adaptive your metabolism adjusts with your fitness levels, so you won’t see the same results if you keep doing the same thing repeatedly.

The way to avoid this is by taking regular rest days and mixing up your routine.

Running Tips for Weight Loss

One of the best ways to see maximum calorie burn while running is with high intensity training, like hill repeats and interval runs.

Studies prove that these efforts, involving short bursts of speed interspersed with periods of slower activity, boost calorie burn by 30%.

That’s because the varied nature of these exercises uses more muscles and thus your body burns more calories during the recovery phase.

Another benefit of high intensity training is that it also suppresses your appetite. That’s because it decreases the blood levels of the hormones called Ghrelin and peptide YY.

Studies show that concentrations of these hormones are highest when the stomach’s empty and that these levels decrease after eating. So, it follows that these hormones play a role in feelings of satiation. That’s why you always feel hungrier when you try to lose weight by eating less.

By decreasing blood levels of the hormones associated with hunger, HIIT can also decrease your appetite. It’s important to note that these hormonal changes usually only occur after at least 60 minutes of exertion.

Calorie-Intake Vs Output

Although you’ll use more calories when you engage in a running program, you won’t lose weight if you increase your energy intake to match. 

Your body won’t need to call on its energy reserves i.e., fat stores, if it has an easily accessible supply of calories pouring in. Yet, it’s important to remember that eating less can also negate the appetite-suppressing benefits of training.

For best results, it’s important to consult a specialized nutritionist or running coach regarding the optimum calorie intake for your weight-loss needs vs your exercise routine.

How Does Running Benefit Your Body?

There’s no doubt that running has enormous benefits for your cardiovascular health, but from an aesthetic viewpoint it can affect your body as follows:

Running calls on fat reserves stored in the body and is particularly good for reducing belly fat. Studies show that running can reduce belly fat even when participants don’t change their diet.

A Beginner Runner’s Guide to Getting Started

Bearing in mind that one solution never works equally well for everyone, these are some things to take into consideration when you want to embark on a running program to lose weight.
Here are a few basics you should know before beginning a running workout:

You should aim for no more than three to four days running when you’re starting out. This allows for sufficient recovery time between exertions.

Never neglect to warm up before you head out. Runners are notoriously bad about stretching their muscles after a workout and even worse when it comes to warming them up! 

Warming up your muscles before running is the best way to protect yourself from injury and boost enjoyment. Start with gentle stretching followed by five minutes of walking at an easy pace progressing to a power walk before you start running.

Likewise, after your workout, it’s vital to cool down by walking for five minutes at the end of your workout, decreasing your speed gradually as you go.

Initially, you should aim for around 30 minutes per session, including your warm-up and cool-down phases.

As you become fitter, you can increase the time spent running.

Sticking to Your Goals

It’s difficult to stay motivated when you aren’t seeing results as fast as you’d like. By following the advice in this runner’s guide and changing your routine you’ll find it easier to stay interested and you’ll also burn more calories per outing.

Browse our blog for more helpful tips on becoming fitter, faster, and more fabulous.