Running has one of the highest caloric expenditures of any sport. In order to lose weight permanently, you must burn more calories than you consume. After just a few weeks of running you will already start to feel the health benefits of running to lose weight.
The short answer
- The best pace for losing weight is an easy pace: a pace where you can talk, below 70% of your maximum heart rate.
- Aim for 3 sessions a week: 2 easy runs and 1 harder session.
- Start with 30 minutes, alternating walking and running if needed, then build up gradually.
- You burn about 1 kcal per kilogram per kilometre: consistency and diet matter more than speed.
Contents
How does running lead to weight loss?
Whatever pace you run, a good estimate is 1 calorie burned per kilogram of body weight, per kilometre run (Margaria et al., 1963). I.e., if you weigh 70kg and jog 10km, you will burn 700 calories. The figure often quoted is around 7,700 kcal to lose 1 kg, or nearly 110 km of running for a 70 kg person. It is only an order of magnitude: the deficit you actually need depends on your starting body fat (Hall, 2008).
Fortunately, running often goes hand in hand with better habits, better sleep and more activity in your daily life. Find out how to calculate the calories you burn while running.
However, when losing weight, exercise and running is only part of the process. Indeed, it’s advisable to adopt good eating habits, principally reducing your consumption of sugars. If you only have one nutritional focus point, it should be to reduce your consumption of sugars.
Added sugars bring a lot of calories without filling you up, which makes it harder to eat to your appetite without overdoing it. Water is the best thing to drink, whilst fruit juice and fizzy drinks should be kept as an occasional treat. Fruit juices (even fresh ones) contain as much sugar as sodas and the vitamins that are present are often simply not assimilated by the body…
Cereal bars are also often made up of more than 40% sugar. Instead fruit, or almonds or other nuts should be favoured as they are composed of good fats, Omega 3 and 6.
Running slowly to focus on weight loss?
To burn fat while running, the most effective way is to run at an easy pace. This pace is rather slow, you should not be out of breath and you should be able to talk. If you are breathing too hard, you are going too fast, and you should not be afraid to slow down.
For some people, their fundamental endurance zone is actually a brisk walk. The ideal duration is around 30 minutes, and you shouldn’t hesitate to alternate walking and running initially. Obviously, the longer you can run/walk, the more calories you burn.
You can also replace running with another “cardio” sport like cycling or swimming. This is a great way to start gradually.
Running fast to lose weight?
High-intensity interval sessions once a week are also a very effective way to lose weight and work on your cardiovascular system. Interval sessions alternate fast running and recovery. The body mainly consumes sugars during these intervals.
An example of an interval session: 10 x 30 seconds fast (but not a sprint) with 30 seconds of recovery between each fast interval. Start with a 10 to 15 minute easy jog/walk at a low intensity to warm up the body.
An alternative to a running interval session is to do a similar workout on a stationary bike in the gym, alternating high and low intensities in the same way.
How long should you run to lose weight?
There is no magic duration. What counts is your weekly total and your consistency over several months. To start, 3 runs of 30 minutes a week is a good goal. After a few weeks, extend one of them towards 45 minutes to 1 hour, always at an easy pace.
To give you an idea: a 70 kg person who runs 3 × 5 km a week burns around 1,050 extra kcal a week. Combined with a balanced diet, that is enough to lose weight gradually, without a strict diet.
The best time of day to run
The best time is the one you can stick to every week. Morning, lunchtime or evening, you burn the same amount. Pick the slot that fits your schedule best: consistency is what makes the difference.
Starting running to lose weight
If you are getting back into exercise, start by alternating walking and running: for example 1 minute of running and 1 minute of walking, repeated 10 times. Each week, lengthen the running phases a little. In 6 to 8 weeks, most beginners can run 30 minutes without stopping. If running is still hard at first, brisk walking is already very effective: we compare the two in our article on running vs walking for weight loss. For a week-by-week plan, see our running for weight loss training program.
Is running on an empty stomach effective for burning more calories?
Running on an empty stomach makes you burn slightly more fat during the session, but studies show no greater weight loss over several weeks when energy expenditure and diet are the same (Schoenfeld et al., 2014; Hackett and Hagstrom, 2017). Fasted running can feel quite tough. And therefore we recommend that beginners avoid running on an empty stomach because the effort of a training session is already significant enough.
Pace for weight loss: frequently asked questions
Should I run slowly to lose weight?
Yes, most of the time. An easy pace lets you run longer and more often without excessive fatigue. One faster session a week rounds out the program well.
How many kilometres do I need to run to lose 1 kg?
As a rough guide, a 70 kg person burns about 70 kcal per kilometre. It would take nearly 110 km to burn the equivalent of one kilo without changing your diet. That is why running and nutrition go together.
How many times a week should I run to lose weight?
Three times a week is a good rhythm: enough to progress and burn energy, with rest days to recover.
Does running 30 minutes a day help you lose weight?
Running regularly increases your energy expenditure, but running every day is not necessary at first and raises the risk of injury. Better to do 3 to 4 well-spaced sessions, and walk on the other days.
With a low-intensity aerobic activity twice a week, a more intense activity once a week, and by limiting your consumption of sugars, you will succeed in losing weight sustainably! To help along the way, the RunMotion Coach app is there for you. And in the app, you can find a special “weight loss” program with your personalised running training program, with nutrition advice every week.
Sources
- Margaria R. et al. (1963). Energy cost of running. Journal of Applied Physiology, 18(2), 367-370. DOI : 10.1152/jappl.1963.18.2.367
- Hall K.D. (2008). What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? International Journal of Obesity, 32(3), 573-576. DOI : 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803720
- Schoenfeld B.J. et al. (2014). Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise. JISSN, 11, 54. DOI : 10.1186/s12970-014-0054-7
- Hackett D., Hagstrom A.D. (2017). Effect of overnight fasted exercise on weight loss and body composition: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol., 2(4), 43. DOI : 10.3390/jfmk2040043
