Running to lose weight

Yes. Running will most definitely make you lose weight, however it needs to be combined with a healthy eating plan too or else, what's the point? The reason running will help you lose weight is because it burns tonnes of calories, more than any other sport (except cross country skiing but who wants to do that?). However, if you eat more than you are burning, that excess weight is going nowhere.

Here are some tips for using running to lose weight.



Combine running with a healthy balanced diet

Avoid processed, sugary foods that are high in fat. You should be eating a lot of lean protein and complex carbs. Replace white bread and pasta for wholegrain versions. I would recommend eating 5 smaller meals throughout the day rather than the standard breakfast, lunch and tea. Eating 3 meals a day is not the best way for you to keep yourself fuelled and certainly not the best way to lose weight.

1. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs and curbs over eating.
2. Eating more often keeps your metabolism working quickly so you burn calories more efficiently.
3. Food is also absorbed more efficiently when we eat regularly

(Article source)

Another important bit of advice is to avoid the trap of thinking "well I have ran tonight, therefore I can eat a huge meal and have loads of junk food, I have earned it". Stop right there! Take the donuts out your mouth! Treats are allowed but why not treat yourself with some new running gear, or a trip out somewhere nice, try and get out of the habit of having food treats.

Intervals

Interval training is great for burning calories. If you are unsure what I mean by intervals read my post here. This type of training will use up a lot of calories because of the high intensity. High intensity exercise drains your muscles of their inbuilt energy. Your muscles then need to get this energy back but this can take up to 48 hours. During this time your body has no alternative but to draw and burn up your fat reserves. This is perfect if you want to lose weight.

Keep focused on goals

If loosing weight is your primary goal with running then keep to this and use it as a motivating factor. If you do not enjoy running, and are just doing it for weight loss motivation could be a challenge. Keep focused on the fact it will work, you will feel a lot better about yourself, you will lose weight and be a happier person. What more motivation do you need? Tell friends about it so that you are committing to it, they will ask how you are getting on and if you quit you will be disappointed. Finding a friend with similar goals and running with them is another great way to stay motivated and keep you running.

Don't do too much too soon

If you are wanting to lose weight, don't run yourself in to the ground. You need to be realistic and build up gradually. The couch to 5K programme is a fantastic way to start running, it will get you running to 5k in 8 weeks. I would recommend this if you are a complete beginner. If you want to lose weight quick and do way too much to start, the chances are you will injure yourself and not be able to do any exercise. I would suggest 3 times a week to start. It will be tough and you do need to push yourself, but there is not point killing yourself. You will just be dead and fat.

Me having a rest!

Rest days

The reason running is so good for you is that it uses so many of your muscles, and in turn burns more calories. When you are working your muscles, they actually get microscopic tears in them and this is why you hurt after a long run. These tears need to repair, and when they do this is what makes your muscles stronger. You need to provide you muscles with the right foods (protein, complex carbs etc.) but they also need rest. How cool is that, you can lose weight by doing nothing! great stuff!

Let me know what you think and if you have any tips of your own for loosing weight while running. Running can do so much to make you feel healthy and better about yourself. I would say it is the best and quickest way you can lose weight.

Hydration

Staying hydrated while running is of paramount importance. If you become dehydrated doing any sort of exercise you are putting yourself in risk of some serious side effects (headaches, dizziness, muscle fatigue, disorientation) not exactly what you want to be happening when out on a run. Here are some handy hints on how to stay hydrated while running.


mmm I love water (looks pretty natural eh?)



1. Eat foods that are rich in water.

Iceberg lettuce, watermelon, broccoli, carrots, beets, oranges and apples, tomatoes, radish and loads more. Processed foods will give you nothing in terms of keeping you hydrated, they will in fact take and use up some of the water you have consumed that day. Stay away from processed foods as much as you can. Try for 70 % of your diet to include water rich foods.

2. Drink water all day

This is a good rule whether you are running that day or not. As an athlete you should be drinking water consistently throughout the day, every day of the week. As a runner, it is recommended you drink 2-3 litres of water a day. This will help keep you hydrated, but it will also help with other elements of diet and nutrition. Don't just have a pint of water before your run as this will not be as effective, and you may pee yourself while running.

3. Hydration pack
I have a hydration pack that I wear while running. I don't like running with a bottle, and I am sure some of you are the same, so this is ideal. I run home from work a lot and can put my things in the rucksack, but there is a big tube that comes out the pack that allows you to drink on the move. I would recommend getting one of these, they are cheap to pick up and ideal if you are doing longer runs.

4. Remember to hydrate after your run

While you are running you are sweating an awful lot, which means you are loosing fluids. You need to re-hydrate after you have been running. Everyone will be different, there is a general rule of thumb that you should drink 2 cups of water for every pound lost during running. For this you need to weigh yourself before and after, which is a bit of a faff! My advice would be to have a pint or so when you get home, I couldn't be bothered weighing myself and working all that out but if you can, go for it! Also keep a close eye on your wee (not too close) , if it is darker than normal this means you need more water!

Best Breakfasts for Runners

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, if you read anything about nutrition and fitness this is one of the first things you will come across. Skipping it will set you up poorly for the day, and will mean that the "wall" will hit you much sooner than you'd like when out running.

I have laid out a couple of the best breakfast foods for runners here, with some simple recipes and ideas that I think will help your running.

Porridge

There is a reason that a lot of people eat porridge before doing exercise. Porridge oats are complex carbs, which means that they will slowly release energy and will keep you going for longer. This in turn helps your body stabilise blood sugar levels for the day, meaning that you won't feel the need for a quick sugar fix.

My suggestion would be to have the porridge with some fresh fruit and berries. I would try to stay away from the mutant sachets of porridge though as they have tonnes of sugar and may not be the best thing you are looking for before a big run.

Banana Loaf

Line a loaf tin and preheat your oven to save you waiting around. Mash 4 ripe bananas and mix them together with 225g wholemeal flour, 100g butter, 150g caster sugar, 2 eggs and a pinch of salt. Bake it altogether and then in about 1 -1.5 hours you will have some banana loaf that will taste delightful.

This will be the effect breakfast as it has a nice mix of fast burning energy and slow release energy with the wholemeal flour, so you will feel full. Also great for cooking at the start of the week and then grabbing on your way out the door if your are in a rush.z

Muesli

Muesli is awesome for runners. It's packed with whole grains, nuts and fruits which are all great sources of slow burning energy, and this will keep you fuelled throughout your run.

A great tip - go to your local health food shop and by all the dried fruits, nuts and grains you like - smack them all together in a tupperware and you have just created your own muesli. Make sure you get some bran, barley or oats in there, as they are great wholegrain carbs.

Scrambled Eggs on toast

A great recovery breakfast. Eggs are packed with protein which is what your muscles need to recover, and the whole grain carbs in your bread are need to fuel your recovery, and allow the protein from the eggs to be carried to your muscles.

Why not add some ham and cheese to the mix if your particularly hungry and looking for some extra flavour?

Chocolate Milk after a run

What a wonderful world. Chocolate Milk, a deliciously creamy and sweet drink that has universal appeal (find me someone that doesn't enjoy it) is actually good for you!

There has been a lot of discussion in the running community about the benefits of drinking chocolate milk after running. In the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, a study was published which concluded that the silky smooth beverage that we all know and love is an effective recovery aid after exhausting exercise.

Indiana University Bloomington physiologist Joel Stager supports this by going as far as to say that Chocolate milk is THE BEST thing athletes can drink after exercise. 


Once you are back from a long run your body is screaming out for lost carbs, calories, sodium and some protein to help with muscle recovery. Low fat chocolate milk has a great ratio of all of the above, and in much better quantities than commercial recovery/sports drinks. You will also find that Chocolate Milk is a lot cheaper. 


The nay-sayers believe that water is the best thing after a run and putting Chocolate Milk into your body will upset your stomach. But I think as long as you stay hydrated, and if you don't chug down 2 pints of Chocolate Milk immediately after a run, you will be fine. Have some water and a glass of the good chocolatey stuff and you will feel your body recovering and at the same time your taste buds will be screaming their appreciation. 

Your turn: What do you drink after a run? Have you tried chocolate milk and felt sick? Is there anyone who does not like chocolate milk?

Don't run on empty!

Nutrition is a big part of running and exercise (a bit I clearly need to get better at - I have had 2 bags of crisps today). If you don't give your body the right fuel to perform, you will find yourself hitting the wall much earlier than needs be and you will start to feel pretty crap. This is easily avoidable by eating the right foods and staying hydrated. I just wanted to outline some of my thoughts and suggestions for the best running foods I eat. This is not to say they are the only good foods, just the ones I enjoy.

1. Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is great for runners and athletes. It is a fantastic, cheap, tasty source of protein and calories. If you whap some peanut butter on a slice of wholemeal toast you have a great slow release post workout snack to keep you going.I know some people will say "NOOOOO peanut butter makes you fat" but this is only true if you exceed your calorie intake per day. As part of a balanced diet it is great.

Warning - contains nuts.

2. Wholegrain Pasta and Bread

Runners obviously need to have a lot of Carbs in their diet to fuel the physical exertion. Whole grain foods are (by definition) less processed. Whenever food is processed you are loosing some of the goodness in the nutrients. With wholegrain products such as bread, pasta, cereal, you are getting more nutrients (so they are good carbs) and you are getting more fibre, so you will feel fuller for longer. I know that when you are trying to carb load bread or pasta is an obvious choice, so just as long as you stay away from the white stuff, you will be grand!

3. Bananas

I bloody love bananas. They taste great. They smell great. They are cheap. They are yellow. They are also really good for runners. They make a great pre-workout snack because of the SIMPLE carbs. This means that they can be broken down quickly and released into the bloodstream to give you an almost instant hit.

Also, when you run you sweat, and when you sweat your body looses potassium. Bananas contain the vital potassium to help you reload, which is important as it helps regulate muscle contraction and will mean you don't become crippled with cramp (which really 'cramps' your style when out running).

4. Tuna

Runners need a lot of protein too (between 60-90 grams a day) to help rebuild muscle after gruelling sessions. Tuna is a great source of lean protein, so it makes the perfect post-run dinner. Tuna is also full of the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Some great tuna recipes can be found here.

5. Low fat yogurt

Low fat yoghurt is great. It is a great source of lean protein and carbs. The calcium content is perfect for runners to, because all of that pounding the pavement means that you will become susceptible to stress fractures. It is handy then to have strong bones to lower the risk.

Personally I eat Low fat yoghurt with bananas for breakfast when I am going out for a morning run. Also really nice too add to smoothies to make them a bit more creamy. More ideas can be found here.