Would you like to lose a few pounds? And you think running is a good way to lose weight? You’re right. By combining running with eating sensibly, without necessarily having to think too much about diet, you can achieve great results! Some of our users have lost 3kg, 5kg and even 10kg! It’s all thanks to our Running for weight loss training programs on the RunMotion Coach app. We will explain how.
Running is a very good way to stay fit and lose weight. However, you need a few tips to get your Running for weight loss training plan off to a good start.
There are often two scenarios. People who are new to running or people who have run or can run for at least 30 minutes without stopping. It is important to take this situation into account because progressivity is vital in running.
In this article we will discuss how to lose weight effectively and sustainably. Because running and nutrition are the key to successful weight loss.
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Running to burn calories
Firstly, you can calculate the number of calories burned during a sporting activity.
How many calories do we burn while running?
When running, you expend about 1kcal per km and per kg. If you weigh about 60kg and you have run 10km, you will have burnt around 600kcal. In general, runners burn around 600 to 800kcal per hour.
How many calories do we burn while walking?
1 hour of leisurely walking burn on average 100 – 150 calories. And so this effort made is immediately canceled out if you drink a glass of soda afterwards.
Everyone has their own pace when losing weight. Some lose 5kg in 1 month, whilst others tone up the first month and then lose weight afterwards.
Adopt good habits to lose weight permanently
It is not wise to go to extremes. And that goes for running and for food.
A week of intense training and then a rest period is fine, but it will not produce beneficial effects in the medium and long term. It is better to schedule a training plan of 2 or 3 days a week to start losing weight. And when you start, it’s advisable to alternate walking and running.
In addition, when you are overweight, you may have physical constraints that increase your impact on the ground. So to avoid the risk of tendinitis, knee pain, or joint injuries, start gradually. You can also replace a running session with cycling or swimming at first.
Should I go on a diet to lose weight?
The same advice applies for food, you cannot radically change your diet overnight. Because otherwise your body will feel completely depleted and inevitably you will give in eventually. Make changes little by little: reduce snacking, replace sodas, or eat fruit for your snacks instead of refined sugar products.
And the most important thing is self-confidence. Losing weight and dieting is often associated with anxiety and stress that make you lose confidence. So the first thing to do is to have confidence in yourself, you will succeed! Visualize your success and what you want to achieve.
The right pace when running to lose weight
Changing paces is the best way to lose weight. It makes training more fun, reduces monotony and works on several physiological aspects.
You can run at an easy pace, this is called fundamental endurance. If you are able to speak fluently this means that you are in fundamental endurance (for some this can even be a brisk walk). This is the most efficient speed because it allows you to burn fat and run for longer. It is from 30 minutes to 50 minutes that you will burn the most fat.
You can also run high-intensity interval workouts once a week. This is a very effective way to lose weight and train your cardiovascular system.
If you want more details on these two methods and the advised training frequency, we suggest you read our article about running paces to adopt for losing weight.
Is it useful to run on an empty stomach?
Some people believe that running on an empty stomach, that is, without having had breakfast, is even more effective for losing weight. This can be interesting, but only when you are accustomed to running because it is more challenging for the body to run on an empty stomach. Additionally, we recommend running on an empty stomach only for basic endurance training.
It’s important to remember to warm up well before any training session to prepare your body and avoid injuries. Also do some gentle stretching after each run to avoid cramps and aches.
Regularity and consistency is the secret: 2 to 3 running training sessions per week adapted to your level of running. With this regularity, your metabolism, even on days when you are not running, will start to burn more calories.
You will quickly be surprised at the progress you’re making 😉.
Lose weight with a healthy and balanced diet
Eating healthily is important for staying in shape. In addition, we often notice that when we play sports we have more desire to eat healthy foods. When you come back from training, you rarely feel the desire to snack on crisps and chocolate bars!
Here are the basics of a healthy diet:
- Eat slowly and chew well. This facilitates digestion, and increases the feeling of satiety.
Hydrate yourself and make sure you eat sufficiently, your body needs it. Don’t make your body feel like it needs to stock up so it doesn’t run out. - Fruits and vegetables provide minerals and vitamins. These are the best foods for weight loss.
- Choose organic, especially for apples. Between an organic apple and an “industrial” apple, the amount of antioxidants can be more than 100 times greater and there are no pesticides.
- Small fish and vegetable oils are rich in omega 3, they increase the body’s ability to transport nutrients to cells. These are good fats.
- Reduce the portions of foods high in saturated fats (deli meats, cheese, meats, fried foods, etc.) or high in fast carbohydrates (white rice, pasta, sweets, white bread, industrial cereals) in your diet.
- Watch your snacking! Avoid sugar! If you are really hungry between meals choose a healthy option (fresh fruit or a small handful of dried fruit…). This is probably the most important tip for losing weight.
- Avoid alcohol… And yes if you want to have toned abs you have to forget sodas and alcohol which tend to swell the stomach. They mostly have high glycemic indexes and cause your blood sugar levels to rise rapidly. Limit alcohol to a maximum of twice a week, or even stop completely if you can.
Toning through strength & conditioning to build abs for a flat stomach
To complete your running training and your healthy eating, you can also do some strength & conditioning training, especially if you want to have a toned stomach or beautiful buttocks! It’s also practical way to exercise when it’s raining outside and you want to stay dry 😄
Running for weight loss training program: the app with your personalised plan
You can find all of these running, healthy nutrition, and muscle-building tips in our Running for Weight Loss programs.
The advantage is that you are guided through your plan every step of the way, with training sessions set at advised and adapted paces, as well as nutritional advice every week. All you have to do is follow the coach’s advice and you will lose weight permanently!
Download the RunMotion Coach app on Android or iPhone, and fill in your running experience and indicate your Well-being goal: Lose weight!