Running to Lose Weight (Part 1)

People start running for various reasons. There are who do it just because they want to stay in shape. Others may do it because they have a health condition where running plays a major role in curing it. Running is also a good way for some people to prevent many unwanted conditions like blood pressure. However, most people approach this useful activity from a weight loss perspective. While it is considered as one of the most effective ways to lose weight, more men as well as women are realizing this truth and by that making it as a necessary part of their lives. If you have some extra pounds that you want to shed, here are three tips to do so:

1- Stay on your diet:

Before you start running, you should first check with your doctor if he or she approves it. If you are good to go, then your doctor will give you some guidelines to help you eat low-calorie foods. You should keep in mind that if you want to lose weight, then you really need to burn more calories than what you eat. While the average human body needs around 2000 calories a day to maintain its functions, you can burn 100 calories just by running 1 mile. The rest really depends on what you are about to put in the table. I've seen many people who complain about their inability to lose weight, but the first thing I check is their food. If you are considering losing weight seriously, then you should know that nothing ruins your running effort like unhealthy foods.

2- Stay consistent:

I don't mean to intimidate you or something, but believe me when I say that losing weight is very hard to do. It requires time, a lot of effort, dedication and a bunch or other things. The reason behind many people giving up isn't because they like being over weight, it's because they couldn't stay on their tough running schedule. I'm pretty sure that you are going to think about quitting as soon as you feel that you are not motivated enough, but it really helps if you run in a group to keep yourself dedicated.

3- Start now:

It's really easy to gain weight as you just have to eat and do nothing. However, if you want to lose it, then it will be a completely different story. When gaining weight, we really don't feel that anything is happening until we hit that red line. When trying to lose weight, we want to lose it as soon as possible by setting unrealistic expectations. If you want my advice, go and start running today and keep doing it for the rest of your life (even if you've lost enough weight).

Chris is a running enthusiast. He likes teaching people how to run. For more information, check out: sprinting workouts AND running gear for women