Weight loss and running: The best cardio exercise to get in shape, fast!
This article deals with weight loss and running; it explains why running is the best cardio exercise to lose weight and how you can start running to quickly lose weight.
What makes running the best cardio exercise for weight loss?
Running is an ideal exercise for weight loss. But what is it about running that makes it so ideal?
Well, there are mainly two things that happen when you run:
- You use a lot of oxygen when you do the activity; you need oxygen to burn fat.
- You perform an intense activity, which not only burns energy during the activity, but also 20-30 minutes after the activity.
Both of these things work in favor of your weight loss goals.
Running is one of the hardest cardiovascular activities you can do for weight loss, but it is also one that produces fast weight loss results, especially if you combine running with a proper diet.
Weight loss and running vs. weight loss and walking
While running is one of the best exercises for weight loss, it can be hard on your joints.
If you are seriously overweight, it might be best to choose a lower impact exercise such as walking or biking when you start an exercise program and then gently switch to the walking-running routine I’ll talk about later, until you can afford to put the amount of stress on your body and heart that running produces.
Before you start running for weight loss, do this…
Get yourself a good heart rate monitor. You know, one of those devices where you wear a watch, but also have to wear a band around your torso?
You might be thinking that such devices are only for top athletes and because you’re not a top athlete, they’re not for you. But trust me, those types of heart rate monitors are the best ones to use for running.
I use and prefer to use Polar watches (I own an old Polar Coach watch, which I’ve been using for over a decade), but there are other heart rate monitor brands on the market you can buy that can do the same thing Polar heart rate monitors do.
The most important thing you need on a heart rate monitor is the option to set the boundaries for your heart rate. You must be able to set a minimum and maximum heart rate. All other fancy stuff such as the amount of calories you burn while exercising, registering the fluctuations of your heart rate during your workout, etc. etc., are not essential.
The next step, once you’ve bought yourself a good and accurate heart rate monitor, is to calculate your target heart rate zone. You want your target heart rate to stay between 60% and 80% of your maximum heart rate while you are running. This zone produces the best results for burning fat and for the combination of weight loss and running.
Once you’ve calculated your target heart rate zone, you can enter these numbers into your heart rate monitor watch, put on the chest band, and go out for a run.
How to gently ease into running for weight loss
Start your running routine walking. Yes, you read that right. Walking!
You need to give your body at least 10 minutes to adjust to the exercise you are going to do. This is called warming up.
During the warm-up, your heart will slowly start to beat faster. Keep a close eye on your watch to see what it is telling you about how fast your heart is beating. If you are in a terrible shape, you will reach the bottom or even the top end of the range for your target heart rate zone just by walking! Don’t worry. The goal is not to run at this point in time, but to stay within your target zone.
If you go past the top end of your target heart rate zone, adjust your walking pace by walking slower until you get back into the 60-80% range. Continue adjusting your pace to stay within the zone.
After the 10 minutes of warming up, you can try to start to run. But if this causes your heart rate to go past the maximum for your zone, start walking again and continue walking until your heart rate comes back down, but do not allow it to go below the minimum for your zone.
If you walk during the entire exercise session, that’s okay. As you progress and become fitter, you’ll notice that it will become harder and harder for you to stay within the zone. As you get in shape, your resting heart rate will drop, and you will have to increase the intensity of your running sessions to get within your target heart rate zone. This also means that you can then switch from walking to actually running.
But it does not stop there. When you start to run, you will still reach a point where you’ll go past the top end of your zone. At that point, you have to reduce the intensity again by walking instead of running. When you have walked for a few minutes, you will notice your heart rate dropping below the lower end of your zone. Then it is time for you to start running again. Continue alternating between walking and running, while trying to stay in the zone during your running session.
After a few weeks or months of doing this walking-running routine, you’ll not only notice a weight loss – if you have kept your total daily caloric intake the same – but you’ll also notice that you’ll be running more than that you are walking to be able to stay within your target zone.
Yet more months down the road, you’ll only be running. And when you get so fit that your heart rate remains low during your running session, you’ll have to incorporate sprinting in between your running to stay within your zone. It takes a long while, though, before you get to that point.
Final words
Run for at least 20 minutes (plus 10 minutes warm-up), 3 days a week. When you get fitter, increase your running sessions to anywhere between 40 and 60 minutes for 4-5 days a week. This will really burn fat!
Whenever you’re done running, cool down for 10 minutes by first walking and then stretching your leg muscles, lower back, and calves.
I’ve successfully used the running routine I’ve outlined in this article to get in shape whenever I’ve gotten out of shape; it is my secret weapon to lose weight whenever I want to.
