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Running for Weight Loss
by Patrick Austin
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In my experience, running for weight loss has been the most effective
exercise in keeping the extra pounds at bay. I’ve a number
of different exercises including riding a bike, roller blading,
and elipitcising but none of them were as effective as running.
If you are interested in running for weight loss, be sure to
start of slow. Trying to run to too fast in the beginning can
hurt you rather than help. I remember when I first starting running,
I tried to basically sprint for my entire workout. This caused
me to get sick about half way through. My muscles were also terribly
sore after the workout. After that, I realized that taking it
slow was the better approach.
If you plan on running for weight loss, you have to be consistent.
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t run very far or very
fast in the beginning. Your body needs to time to build endurance.
For me it took about a week for my body to start adjusting to
the routine. I was then able to run longer without getting tired,
or feel ill.
Another key to running for weight loss is to never stay at your
current pace or travel distance for too long. What I mean is,
if you’re running two miles a day at a pace of six miles
an hour, you need to increase your distance and how fast you run
the next time you exercise. You should always be challenging yourself
to do more. If you get complacent, you could wind up hitting a
weight loss plateau, which I talk about in this article.
In order to optimize the running for weight loss, remember to
stretch. Your muscles need to be loose so they can handle the
stress that is put on them while running. A good rule of thumb
is to stretch for at least fifteen minutes before doing any rigorous
exercise routine. This applies to all exercises, not just running.
While you’re running, you will probably start to get winded
at some point during the exercise. Don’t quit! Keep your
mind focused on the fact that you’re running for weight loss.
Doing the exercise is making you a healthier person. You will
eventually get a second wind and that painful feeling in your
stomach and chest will disappear.
If you’d like more information about running for weight
loss, check out these sites:
Mr. Austin is a freelance writer who covers sports and health for a number of web sites including RealGM.com, Hoopsworld.com, and Fanstop.com. He currently also covers entertainment and sports for Vainquer magazine.
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