How to run to lose weight?

Author: Konstantin Vorontsov - athletic coach.
2017-12-17

Running is known to be the most accessible form of physical activity at any age, helping to reduce excess weight. But how can you organize running workouts to achieve significantly better results? How can you make the weight loss process more effective? I will try to answer these questions in this material.

First, let's start with the theory behind this topic. It is recognized that the universal substance for energy production in the body is the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Its resynthesis occurs in the presence of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the body. Notably, the oxidation of carbohydrates and proteins releases half the energy compared to the breakdown of fats, or lipids as they are also called. While liver and skeletal muscle glycogen can provide about 2000 kcal, fat reserves in human tissues can supply around 70,000 kcal. For comparison, 1 g of fat contains 9.0 kcal, while 1 g of protein or carbohydrates contains 4.0 kcal.

Conditions for Burning Fat

So why does our body store lipids instead of trying to expend them? The fact is that a number of conditions must be met for the process of fat oxidation to unfold.

1. The training load should be performed in a moderate power zone with a high amount of oxygen molecules present. It is necessary to work at 60 - 70% of VO2 max (maximum oxygen consumption) or about 65 - 75% of the maximum heart rate (HR).

2. The breakdown of lipids occurs after a significant decrease in blood glucose concentration, approximately 30-40 minutes after starting aerobic work in the indicated power zone.

3. The rate of energy extraction from lipids depends on the level of physical fitness. Research has shown that the active use of triglycerides (TG) in muscle cells occurs after regular 12-week endurance training. An untrained individual can use only 20% of TG, while a trained individual can use it twice as much.

4. High utilization of TG is noted in fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic fibers (type IIa). Average energy metabolism occurs in slow-twitch oxidative fibers (type I).

Therefore, to achieve the desired results, it is essential to determine a number of parameters that will allow you to use running workouts most effectively:

1. To perform prolonged aerobic running (50-60 minutes or longer), it is necessary to prepare the musculoskeletal system for impact-mechanical loads (reinforce muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints).

2. Coordinate your daily routine and nutrition with a specialist, developing a balanced diet in accordance with your body’s energy expenditure.

3. By increasing muscle mass through strength exercises, you can accelerate metabolic processes in your tissues and organs. This allows the muscles to actively utilize glucose for their functioning even at rest and gradually increases the proportion of lipid usage during endurance work.

Recommendations for Running

Within the proposed scheme, everyone interested can perform a series of the following recommendations:

1. When performing independent long-duration workouts, it is not recommended to conduct training sessions in the morning on an empty stomach. During sleep, the body actively uses glucose for recovery processes, thermoregulation, and the functioning of internal organs, so its concentration is low upon waking. Running in these conditions can lead to the use of protein compounds for energy production and the destruction of muscle structures. Be sure to eat food rich in carbohydrates one to one and a half hours before your workout.

2. Before the main load, you should walk for a few minutes or jog at a slow pace, then perform a simple set of gymnastic exercises.

3. If you live in a city, choose locations for your workouts away from roads and heavy traffic. Use parks and squares where the oxygen content is significantly higher than on busy highways. This rule applies not only to planning running workouts but also to organizing other health training sessions.

4. At the initial stage, run or alternate running with walking two to three times a week, gradually increasing the duration of the workouts and then the number of sessions. Be sure to include strength exercises in your training. Don't try to accomplish everything in one or two sessions; remember that the first results will appear after two to three months of training.

Health-oriented running is a universal training tool that allows everyone engaged in it to feel invigorated, healthy, and energetic. However, to achieve your goals, you must gradually increase your training load, approach the organization of your independent workouts creatively, and treat your body with care. Only then will your body become strong and healthy.