Running For Weight Loss
Many female runners use running to kick start weight loss, to help with a diet or as a tool to maintain a healthy weight. Here’s how real women do it.
We speak to hundreds of women on a weekly basis, from beginner runners to elite athletes. Most of them say that running is one of the tools they use to either lose weight or keep it off. But how else do real female runners use nutrition, fitness and lifestyle tips and tricks to help with running for weight loss?
Good Nutrition
As the saying goes. “you can’t out-train a bad diet”. Meaning that, no matter how far (or fast) you run, if you eat the too much, too little, or simply the wrong things, you won’t get the physique you want. So, combine running for weight loss with eating a healthy diet of unprocessed, healthy meals and snacks based around natural ingredients. Combine protein, healthy fat and unprocessed carbohydrates, cut back on sugar (in all forms), margarine and sunflower oil, fast-food, junk food and anything which has a hefty ingredients list or comes in a packet. Nature knows best, and if you fill your diet with one-ingredient foods you can’t go far wrong.
Keeping Active
Running may be key for weight loss but there’s a limit to how much you can do. So make sure you stay active during the rest of your waking hours. Walk as often as you can, either to run errands or local chores, or by doing longer walks as active recovery. Grab the dog, the kids, the husband or some friends, or take time to stride out by yourself. Walking is a wonderful activity for the body and mind. You could also choose other activities you enjoy, such as swimming, cycling, fitness classes, gym work or yoga. Just be careful not to over train and remember that your body does need to recover.
Long Walks
Regular long walks of 45 minutes or more are key to keeping a check on your weight in the long-term. If you have a dog, it’s easy to walk every day. If not, you need to set time aside for walking, but it’s still well worth doing. How about trying for one or two 45-60 minute walks during the week (morning, lunch time or early evening perhaps?) and one longer walk on a Saturday or Sunday.
Switching Up Workouts
The female runners we speak to just love variety, and feel that it’s key to helping them use running for weight loss. You lot don’t just run: you’re out there on your bikes, doing yoga, using kettlebells, in the gym and even trying forms of exercise like Olympic Lifting and CrossFit. Go you!
Running In The Morning…
Lots of you report that running in the morning works best for you when using running for weight loss, as you feel it helps boost your metabolism for the day (and helps manage hunger too). Of course, for some busy women, morning is the best part of the day to grab some me-time before life takes over!
…Or Whenever Works For Your Routine
The best time of day to run? Whenever works for you. If you can only run at lunchtime, then lunch time runs are the best runs for your particular set of circumstances. When running for weight loss, don’t sweat the small stuff. Fit running around your life and just make sure you get it done, consistently and regularly.
Fitness For Life
More than anything, running works as a weight loss and weight management tool when it’s just one part of a lifestyle approach to health and wellness. It’s not about quick-fixes or jumping on a diet plan for a few weeks. It’s not about products, pills and potions which cost money and aren’t sustainable in the long-term. It’s about changing habits, mindsets and lifestyle. From the sound of it, you ladies have it all under control!
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