Why do people run? The responses I get from this question continues to fascinate me.
Have you ever heard someone say “I need to go for a run” after eating a bunch of unhealthy foods?
We’ve all heard that at some point. But, here’s the crazy part about that statement.
Running is terrible for fat loss.
Give me a chance to explain.
If you LOVE running, I’m not here to tell you to stop running. It can provide some amazing health benefits. However, years of research show that it’s a terrible option for long-term fat loss.
Here’s 3 Reasons Explaining Why!
- Hormonal Factors
Steady-state, longer duration cardio (like running) results in hormonal shifts that favor more to muscle breakdown, rather than fat. Remember, the goal of exercise for most people should be to preserve muscle, and burn fat. Breaking down muscle instead of fat will have a negative impact on our ability to burn fat. This is why running as your ONLY source of exercise is NOT a good idea.
2. Calories Burned
In order to burn fat and lose weight, your body must be in a Caloric Deficit. Normally, the recommended amount is a 500 calorie deficit from your maintenance amount. So, if running is your only source of exercise throughout the day, that means you need to burn AT LEAST 500 calories from your run. To do this, most people would need to run for at least 45 minutes, and do it every single day. And for most, that’s just unrealistic.
3. Injury
If you are running to lose weight, you probably consider yourself a bit overweight. If you are overweight, you will be running with extra load, which will increase the compressive stress on your load bearing joints and bones in the lower body. Just imagine running down the street with 20lb dumbbells in each hand. Your body would be screaming at you to stop!
More load equals greater likelihood of overuse injuries such as Achilles Tendonitis, Shin Splints, Plantar Fasciitis and many other debilitating injuries. When starting an exercise journey, the last thing you need is to get injured and put a pause on your exercise routine.
If fat loss is your main goal, than you need to read this article ASAP: When Will I Start Losing Weight?
To recap, if you love running, please continue to run. It will provide you amazing health benefits. But, fat loss is likely not going to be one of those benefits. Take your runs, and add in 2-3 strength training sessions per week, and a caloric deficit. This would be an amazing plan and will yield incredible results.
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Have a great day!