How to Lose Weight Running

Do you need to lose weight and get in shape? Well, running is one of the most ideal activities for that purpose. First of all, it is very hard to get that kind of intense workout doing things such as running or low impact aerobics. In many ways, running is an ideal activity because even if you can get a good workout doing something else, it is a lot easier to keep on creating a challenging workout with running.

Set Weight Loss Goals

Before you set out to create a running plan for weight loss, the first thing you should do is decide what you want to accomplish. Determine how much weight you want to lose and how quickly you want to lose it. This will affect how often you will run and how long each running session will be. The faster, further, and longer you go, the more weight you will lose.

Create a Weight Loss Plan

The next thing to do is to create a running weight loss plan based on your goals. The plan should include your route, how long the route will take, and how long you want to stick with that particular route. If you want to run three or four times a week, a course of around three or four miles should be adequate.

Eat for Weight Loss

You may realize that no that you are running more, your appetite has increased. That is your body’s way of telling you that you need more nutrients in your diet. It is important to eat when you get hungry, otherwise it will harm your metabolism. The important thing to remember is to make good food choices and to not overeat. As long as you are eating a little less than what you need, it will not hurt your metabolism. In fact, you will begin to lose weight because your body will use your extra fat as fuel.

Keep it Challenging

One thing about running is that it is very easy to adapt to your current plan. That is why it is important to keep the workout challenging. One way to do this is to change your route after a few weeks by either lengthening it or choosing something else. Another good way to make your running challenging is to do intervals. Interval training is when you alternate running fast with jogging. You can increase the fast running intervals each time you feel your body begin to adapt.

It is not only possible to lose weight running, but running makes it much easier. Just remember to keep your route challenging and to make sure you eat nutritiously.

Runner’s Question: I haven’t been involved in sports for about 3 years and as a result (among other reasons) I’ve gained about 15-20 lbs of unwanted(!) weight. I am using this half-marathon as an incentive to get myself in shape. I have a training schedule that I found online, but does anyone have recommendations for me? I’d also like to improve my diet, and take healthy supplements. I am currently taking fish oil, vitamin c (just so I don’t get sick), glucosamine (I have bad joints), and a one-a-day multivitamin. Thanks for any help you can offer…

By the way, I start training today – 19-21 miles this week and next week, going up to 32-34 a week, then the lask week is really light before the race. Thanks in advance for your suggestions/help!

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As a personal trainer, I get asked many times about what brand of treadmill to buy. However, from personal experience, I will not buy based on name because there are many more factors to consider. I will also not review any brand in this article. Do not simply walk into a shop and get tempted by “$0 Deposit, 0% interest” deals. An impulsive purchase like that will leave you regretting for many years later.

Before going into the specifics of how to choose a treadmill, you need to sit down and think about the following questions:

1. What is the reason for getting a treadmill? If you want something to do your daily walks at a pace that raises your heart rate, you can opt for a treadmill with a low maximum speed and no incline. However, if you are planning to get in shape for a vacation where you will be hiking and biking, then you should opt for something with higher maximum speed and incline functions.

2. What is your budget? There are many good models you can purchase for $2000 or less. I suggest $2000 because most people cannot afford $3000+ for a treadmill and I know you can get a good treadmill for less. There are great deals online so shop around.

Once you have decided on the reason and budget, you have to do the following before you go shopping for your treadmill.

1. Measure the floor area you have to position your treadmill.

2. If you want a treadmill that folds, measure the storage area you have for the folded treadmill.

3. Measure the weight of the heaviest person that will be using the treadmill. Each treadmill has a maximum weight limit. If you weigh between 45kg – 90kg (99lbs – 198lbs), a treadmill with 100kg (220lbs) weight limit will be sufficient.

Now you are ready to go shopping for a treadmill.

Standard features that should come in a treadmill for your home. These are features that will be important to you.

1. Foldable – As a home user, you never know if one day, you will have visitors to your house or need to move house. A foldable treadmill on wheels will make repositioning the treadmill a breeze.

2. Electronics – Heart Rate monitor, Time read-out, Distance read-out, Speed read-out, Calories burned. An electronic “track” lighting up to show my progress. At least 5 preset programmes and 3 more programmable slots for you to define your own workout routine.

3. Belt – Try out your shortlisted treadmills. Take note of how long and wide it is. Bottom line: you must be able to run comfortably on it.

4. Horse Power – Most people do not pay attention to the horse power of the motor. Look for the term continuous duty rating. Look for something between 1.5 to 2.5 horsepower. Some have horsepower of 3. You do not need one that powerful but if you do not mind the extra cost you pay for a model with a horsepower of 3, that is fine.

5. Make sure the treadmill counts down when starting and the speed increases progressively when you start it. I have been on treadmills that start at the speed I set without counting down and have to immediately lower the speed manually. All treadmills should allow you to change your speed at any time using the arrow keys. Do not buy it if it does not allow you to do that.

6. Water Bottle holder – This should be a standard feature on most models. This is especially important if you do long walks or runs lasting 30 minutes or longer on your treadmill.

7. Speed Range – Look for one that goes up to 15km/h (9mph). An average person will not need more speed than that. A power walker walks at 7km/h to 8km/h (4.3mph to 5 mph). You will be jogging above 8km/h (5mph) and at 12km/h (7.5mph), you will be running.

8. Safety Key – This is a feature that will allow you to stop the treadmill immediately in the case of an emergency.

9. Warranty period – Look for a treadmill with 1 year or longer warranty periods. Do not purchase if the warranty period is less than 1 year. Do not be deceived by “X years warranty on frame”. Ask about the warranty on ALL parts, such as belts and electronics.

Optional Features you may want. These are features that will cost you more but if you feel that they are important to you, please go ahead and choose a model with these features.

1. Incline – Running at an incline, even at 1 degree, allows you to burn more calories as compared to running with no incline. Look for one that inclines at least 10 degrees and if you can afford, go for one that can incline 15 degrees or more.

2. Speakers – New treadmill models now have speakers where you can plug in your Ipod or MP3 player to play music from the built-in speakers while you run.

3. Fan – A few treadmills have a built-in fan. This will limit your choice of treadmills as there are not many models around with this feature.

Before heading down to your nearest fitness store, do your research online so that you do not waste too much time talking to salespeople who will try to sell you their latest models with the highest premiums.

Some precautions to take with a treadmill:

1. Please do not start an exercise programme before checking with your doctor.

2. Remove the safety key when not in use so that kids cannot fiddle around with your treadmill. They may get very hurt if their clothes get caught in the treadmill.

I hope this article has been helpful. Enjoy your machine.

Have you ever had people tell you that you run too fast? You can admit how good that feels.

Are you telling that running buddy of yours to slow down? If you are then I have a few great ways for you to learn how to run fast.

Anybody can learn how to run faster. I don’t mean that you will be setting world records. I mean that you can learn to run your best.

Here are just a few of the ways to run faster: Mechanics, Hills, Treadmills, Tempo Runs, and Stretching.

Stride Mechanics can be one the easiest and hardest parts of running to understand and perfect. Watching the really fast people run is a free way to learn what good stride mechanics looks like. Watch how they lift their legs; hold their arms, how they swing their arms, listen to their breathing, etc. When you run by yourself try and picture what you have seen. By visualizing good running form you will become faster.

Hills will give you the biggest bang for your buck. No other training method will get in you in shape faster or improve your speed like running hills. Running hills once a week for 4 weeks will improve your speed guaranteed. The beauty of hills is the improvements in stride mechanics and speed that you will gain.

Treadmills are a secret weapon that can be used to learn how to run really fast. By setting the treadmill at faster speed than your race pace and running repeats of three to five minutes great performance gains can be made. On a technical note there is a speed difference when using a treadmill. Always set the incline to 1 or 2 % when running your repeats.

Advantages of tempo runs for running faster show up in races longer than the 5k. Distances of 10k through the Marathon are better for tempo runs. The great advantage of Tempo Runs is that you can train longer without the long recovery involved with all out racing. People who use heart rate monitors have a great advantage by being able to zero in on their tempo pace. For those who do not use heart rate monitors remember to run comfortably hard and not all out.

There is a lot of debate about the merits of stretching. I personally stretch each time before I run. I have run for 10 years now without any real serious injuries. I don’t believe in stretching more than a couple minutes at a time. I do just three stretches that take about 3 minutes to complete. My feelings about stretching are that if my stride is longer by even an inch I will cover more ground and I will run faster.

Try these methods for yourself and see how your speed will improve. Don’t expect to go from a snail to a cheetah in one week. Give your mind and body a chance to learn how to run fast. Listen to your body it will tell you when you have trained enough.

Runner’s Question: So I have this friend who wants me to help her get in shape. She told me that she can’t run very well, and that she wants to start out on a treadmill. What’s the best way to start her out? And once she gets better, how should I have her run outdoors?

Thanks!

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