Indeed, there are so many sports, activities and techniques for effectively achieving weight loss; however, did you know that running is considered as one of the most effective strategies of losing that excess weight? It may sound so simple and easy, but be prepared, because losing weight means hard work and some tough self-discipline. Here are some helpful tips on how you might just shed off that weight every time you step on that scale!
Find The Great Running Shoes For You
First and foremost, make it a point to get a hold of those great running shoes that you think will hold up your feet very well. Since running shoes are made to cushion and prop up your feet every time they stride off the ground, it is important to find that pair that will really do just that. Otherwise, you will immediately stop wanting to run even before you have warmed up. Warming up before starting to run is a very important step in running.
Consult Your Doctor For Safety
Give high priority to seeing your doctor before you set off planning your exercise program or your running regimen. This is even more important if a runner is overweight or if there are any health problems, medical illness or disorders. This way, you will be able to assess or gauge your capacity to run while giving the utmost precautions for your own health and safety.
Brisk Walk For Five Minutes
Initially, do brisk walking for 5 minutes. Only after those 5 minutes can you run longer distances at a comfortable speed. Make sure you do not jog because excessive bouncy movements may actually wear out a runner's knee cartilage; and thereby, inflicting pain in your knees. This will not be too good, especially for your plans of running since the pain will of course, affect the way you will run. Or worse, the pain might be too excruciating for you that even your manner of waling will be affected.
Do Not Diet And Run
Even if your main objective for running is to lose weight, remember not to diet especially the first time that you will run. Instead, eat healthful food and cut down on your snacks. And equally important is maintaining a good posture while you run. Master the art of relaxing your shoulders, staring ahead of you, never bowing down while running and never clenching your hands into tight fists
Increase Your Water Intake
Drink lots of water regularly to revitalize you since water is a very good source of energy as well. This must be done every hour before and after every run. Obviously, when you run, you will perspire too much letting off lots of fluids from your body. This causes dehydration that is why you need to drink more water than you usually take in to replenish all the lost fluids.
Do Some Strength-Training Exercises
And lastly, it will do you good to increase your strength-training sessions in a week. This part of your running regimen will build more body mass while eliminating unwanted fats in your body. However, this may take longer than what you will expect, because it is more of adding muscles to your body which will make you lose some inches here and there.
Basic Things To Know Before You Do Your Running Training
Before you start running for your running training, it is necessary to first ask yourself why you're running in the first place. People run for so many varied reasons. While others run simply to lose excess weight, there are also some who run to be pro-active against cardio problems and some out of passion to do long distance marathons.
The Secret To Running Training Smart
There is no runner who never wishes to compete in marathon events or fun runs
such as the 3K, 5K or 10K marathons. The reasons for joining may vary and whatever may be a runner's goal in running training, it is best to always be guided by some principles of running training.
And the ultimate principle for running is that of mastering the art of listening what your body dictates. As runner coaches always say, a runner's mastery of putting one foot in front of the other foot is what makes a runner achieve his goals. But this can only be achieved with the practice of the virtue of patience matched with mastering the distance to run.
The Importance Of Patience And Distance
The mere luck of patience is what will kill the career of any runner. Most people who reach the verge of giving up until finally giving up running is simply because they were attempting to run too fast. They fail to recognize the importance of slowing down in order for the body to recover and adjust to his needs.
That is why it is crucial for a runner to get a feel of how he will start off with his running in order to effectively increase the distances of his runs.
And as a runner, you must always bear in mind that you need to increase the distance you run gradually to upgrade your level of running from 3K distances to eventually 5, 10, 20 K distances. Or better yet, you may start running using gym equipment first, such as treadmill. There, you will see al the details of your run, so you will have an idea of how long and how far you have been running. That way, you will have a more solid idea of your capacity to run and at what distance in your future runs.
Create A Running Training Plan
Training is a very indispensable part of running; thus, it is very important to find a good program that will match well with your personality. Running for a 10K is just like running training every other day for 15-20 minutes, and that would already be a good start.
If you have not found a good running training program yet, then just check the Internet for some sites, because it abounds with effective running plans for the 3K, 5K, 10K and other marathon events you may wish to join. But, you must also realize that having a plan is the same as saying you are going to stick with it. Otherwise, if you do not make it a part of your weekly routine, it will not form into a habit, and naturally, you will have a hard time changing levels from 3K to 5K or to 20K.
Find A Good Pair Of Running Shoes
And lastly, it is very important to find yourself a good pair of running shoes if you want to be competitive in your running training without hurting your feet. Finding a no-sweat-wicking shirt will prove to be a good idea, too, especially on hot running days. Remember, arming yourself with the most comfortable running gear is the key to winning a race!
There are many benefits that a runner may get out of this strenuous but fulfilling and enjoyable activity of running. However, you must realize that it is not all fun but it also entails a lot of discipline; discipline not only in terms of religiously abiding by your running schedules and routines, but also as far as dieting is concerned.
Splurging On Eating Because You Are Running?
While some runners get all the reason they can get to justify why they can eat all the sweets they like because they are running and are going to burn the calories anyway, they eat all the high-calories favorite snacks in their "have-long-been-uneaten" list of food, but there are still some who cannot ever call that a benefit.
I would say that the best benefits of running would have to be those of being able to enhance or improve your run, much better than how you did last time while eating a healthful diet which includes nourishing snacks and beneficial foods that will always count.
So, whenever you feel the urge to grab that bag of chips, or that parcel of very chocolaty and sweet cookies in the check-out counter, consider what good it can offer you, if there is any. Here are some healthful tips on what nutritious healthful snacks you may have especially when running.
Apple Slices With Peanut Butter Dip
Ever since we were kids, our parents would always say "an apple a day to keep the doctor away". This stuck on my head and now that I have my own kids, I always tell them the same thing. And now that I am into running, I become a child once more. The healthy afternoon snacks I give my kids are now what I eat when I have some bouts of running to do.
As we all know, eating slices of apple with peanut butter dip is truly a rich source of nutritious fat and protein. But it will be better to go for the peanut butter that is all-natural to keep yourself away from hydrogenated oils as well as the unneeded sugars.
Chewy Cereal Bars
Before you start running, grab some granola or cereal bars and dump them into your pockets. Cereal bars are a very nutritious option; however, you will need to opt for those that contain less fat and sugar, not to mention those that do not have the unwanted additives.
Delicious Yogurt With Banana Toppings
Everybody knows yogurt is a very good source of calcium, potassium as well as protein found in live and dynamic laboratory cultures. Yogurt is very low in fat content while far above the ground in carbohydrates. And basically what runners need in their diet are carbohydrates and proteins for energy and endurance.
Bananas, on one hand, are another excellent source of carbohydrates and potassium and therefore a perfect healthy snack for running people like you. The higher the potassium content in your body, the more your body is able to alleviate conditions of muscle cramps, and thus, more productive bouts of run for you.
What's more, the simple sugars in bananas are very easy and fast to digest which makes them a really excellent pre-run snack. However, make sure you allot one and a half hours for it to go down before running.
Carrot Sticks
Did you know carrots make an excellent snack for running? They fill you up despite having low calorie-content and it can gratify your famine and therefore avoid having to look for something else to eat. With all these tips for having a healthy snack before running, you will surely make an excellent runner!
Saying Bye To Beginner Running, Hello To Full-Fledged Running
How can a runner say he is no longer a beginner in running? And when can he declare he is now ready to say hello to full-fledged running? Well, the answers are these. If you have been a runner running for the first time, then that makes you a beginner in running. However, should you have finished running for a few weeks already, then that already makes you a full-fledged runner. Now, the question is how are you going to maneuver your new career in running?
Improvements From Being A Beginner Runner Onwards
Okay, let's say you have been into running for some weeks now or perhaps, for a number of months already, for sure you have noticed some big changes in you. Runners usually notice their leg and heart muscles getting much stronger, their body getting more oxygen and all the body's waste products eliminated while you run.
On The Tenth Week Of Running
At about the tenth week of training is when the runners can be considered as becoming more and more physically fit. From this week going on for another two or three months of further training, the runner will already be considered a full-fledged runner as he himself will observe. He will see an improvement on his stamina and endurance as well as his speed in running versus the time he finishes. And for every week that you will be running, you will see more and more improvements in all aspects of running. However, you should always be cautious about how you are going too fast. Always take the necessary precautions since you would not want to get into any injuries.
The Time Of Most Injuries
On these two months of running training is when you should be extremely careful because they say a runner's muscles adapt much faster than his bones as well as his joints and so, it becomes s a period of so many injuries happening to beginner runners.
If accident occurs and there is an injury, try leveling off your distance for the meantime; making sure you limit your runs to just about three miles. That way, your injury is not only able to heal wounds but it also gives your connective tissues as well as your bones the opportunity to still catch up. And only after you have felt and noticed that you are back on your running feet again should you increase your distance once more.
Slowly Building Up Your Mileage
Take your running one step at a time. Make sure you are able to control your increase in weekly mileage by making one run much longer than how you did it previously. It should not even be 10% increase every other week as you also need to give your body some time to rest and recover. However, after two weeks you can already increase another of your runs and after a few more weeks of running, consider doing one run each week.
No Longer A Beginner
And after many months of running and training for run events and races, you will have to say goodbye to being a beginner runner. You are now faced with the decision to just simply run for the sake of having an exercise and sweat out; or whether you really are bent on running to improve your performance, endurance and strength as well.
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