Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIs Running Good for Weight Loss?How Much to RunRunning Plan for Weight LossSafety and Preventing InjuryBalancing Food and Activity
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Is Running Good for Weight Loss?
How Much to Run
Running Plan for Weight Loss
Safety and Preventing Injury
Balancing Food and Activity
Running has been shown to be effective for weight loss. It’s a good physical activity for people who want to lose weight.Runningis easily accessible and can have a positive effect onbody compositionand overall health.
Regular physical activity, such as running, can prevent obesity,lower body fat percentage, and prevent diseases such astype 2 diabetesand cardiovascular disease.
This article will discuss how running can be good for weight loss, balancing food and activity levels, choosing a running plan, and safety concerns.
ljubaphoto / Getty Images
Although regular physical activity has been shown to improve health and lower weight, many people remain inactive.
Often, cost and time prohibit people from engaging in physical activity. Running is a good physical activity for weight loss because it is easily accessible. It is low-cost, has few equipment needs, can be done solo, and doesn’t require a gym, team, or trainer to get started.
Engaging in a physical activity like running has other benefits as well, such as:
How Much Do You Need to Run to Lose Weight?
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week and two weekly strength training sessions to maintain good health.
Most people need about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity weekly to maintain their current weight.
Running 5 miles per hour (mph) or faster (12 minutes per mile or less) is generally classified as vigorous-intensity physical activity.An easyjog(less than 4 miles per hour or more than 15 minutes per mile) may be a moderate-intensity activity, similar to a brisk walk.
To lose weight, the time and intensity of weekly activity must increase. This means you may need to exercise more a week or perform some of your activities more vigorously, such as increasing the pace of runs, to lose weight.
One factor in weight loss is thought to be acalorie deficit, when you consume fewer calories than you burn. This can be achieved through activity, diet, or both.
Although the amount of activity needed to lose weight varies among individuals, if you are new to running, working up to 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week is a great place to start.
You can use an activity tracker, app, or online calculator to determine how many calories your body burns during a running session. These take into consideration your weight, the intensity of the exercise session, and the time you run to determine how many calories are burned.
Once calories burned is determined, you can decide whether to run longer or more intensely or adjust your diet.
Weight Loss ExpectationsOne target for weight loss is to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week through increased activity and decreasedfoodintake. This may produce steady weight loss, which is more likely to result in maintaining weight loss than losing weight quickly.A safe daily food calorie target for weight loss is1,200to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories for men. Do not go below 800 food calories per day without medical supervision.
Weight Loss Expectations
One target for weight loss is to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week through increased activity and decreasedfoodintake. This may produce steady weight loss, which is more likely to result in maintaining weight loss than losing weight quickly.A safe daily food calorie target for weight loss is1,200to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories for men. Do not go below 800 food calories per day without medical supervision.
One target for weight loss is to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week through increased activity and decreasedfoodintake. This may produce steady weight loss, which is more likely to result in maintaining weight loss than losing weight quickly.
A safe daily food calorie target for weight loss is1,200to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories for men. Do not go below 800 food calories per day without medical supervision.
What to Eat After a Workout (and What to Avoid)
A Running Plan for Weight Loss
Whether you are a beginning runner or you have been running for a long time, you can add running to your weekly physical activity in different ways to aid in weight loss.
While the recommendations are to get at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week, not everyone will be able to run for that amount of time every week.
If you are just starting to run, you may need to build your strength and endurance before you can run for longer periods of time. Some people find that alternating walking with running can help increase running time.
You may also add running into your routine of other activities that you already enjoy to intensify your weekly physical activity.
As you become accustomed to running, you will be able to run farther, longer, and at a higher intensity, all of which will help with weight loss.
Running: How to Start and Reach Your Goals
Beginners Plan
When beginning a running plan, it’s best to start small and build running time incrementally.
After warming up with a brisk walk, try running for five to 10 minutes, then return to walking. If you can manage more in your first session, try another session of running for five to 10 minutes.
Repeat this until you reach your activity goal for the day. If a second or third attempt isn’t doable that day, continue walking as briskly as you can until you reach your goal.
Continue the pattern of either adding time to your running or increasing the number of running sessions until you have built up to running for 30 minutes a day, five or more days a week.
15 Drinks and Foods to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
Intermediate to Advanced Plan
For people already running, increasing the time running, intensity, and the number of days per week running can all help with weight loss. Varying your workouts throughout the week can be a great way to advance your runs.
To add time to your existing running routine, slowly add five or 10 minutes to each session, or add an extra session of running to your week.
To increase the intensity and the number of calories burned, try running on a hill or a treadmill incline, or add intervals of fast pace alternating with a moderate pace.
Another way to intensify activity level is to add muscle-strengthening exercises to your running routine. Muscle strengthening can improve endurance and running abilities, increasing speed and allowing you to run for longer periods.
What’s the Average Time to Run a Mile?
Is Running Better Than Walking for Weight Loss?One activity isnot necessarily better than the other. Instead, the best weight loss activity for you is the one you can stick with for longer periods of time and at higher intensity. This may mean a combination of walking and running or only doing one or the other.You might find you enjoy a brisk 30-minute walk each day, while running isn’t as appealing. You won’t get benefits from exercise you avoid, so maximize the activities you like best.
Is Running Better Than Walking for Weight Loss?
One activity isnot necessarily better than the other. Instead, the best weight loss activity for you is the one you can stick with for longer periods of time and at higher intensity. This may mean a combination of walking and running or only doing one or the other.You might find you enjoy a brisk 30-minute walk each day, while running isn’t as appealing. You won’t get benefits from exercise you avoid, so maximize the activities you like best.
One activity isnot necessarily better than the other. Instead, the best weight loss activity for you is the one you can stick with for longer periods of time and at higher intensity. This may mean a combination of walking and running or only doing one or the other.
You might find you enjoy a brisk 30-minute walk each day, while running isn’t as appealing. You won’t get benefits from exercise you avoid, so maximize the activities you like best.
Safety and injury prevention measures are important factors to consider for any exercise you choose. No program can help with weight loss if you’re injured.
People who have existing conditions should check with a healthcare provider before starting a running program. A healthcare provider can help you determine the right activities for your age, health, and fitness level.
To run safely and help prevent injury, consider the following:
The Role of Support in Weight Loss
Balancing Physical Activity and Food
While running can be good for weight loss, if food isn’t considered in the equation weight loss can be slow or nonexistent. It’s important tobalance calories in and calories outto create a calorie deficit while still getting the healthy nutrients your body needs.
If you are getting the recommended physical activity but not seeing the scale move, you may need to track the food you are eating to determine what adjustments are needed.
While it may not be necessary to track every calorie you eat, getting a baseline understanding of what you consume daily can help you identify whether you are consuming more than you burn or the same amount as you burn.
Once you determine this, you can plan to reduce the calories consumed. Often, this can be as simple as cutting a few hundred calories a day, which may be just one snack.
To lose weight, it is not necessary to cut out entire food groups but to be conscious of your overall consumption in conjunction with your daily activity levels.
A Word From VerywellRunning can be difficult at first, but building up time or mileage slowly improves fitness, which then makes running easier and generally more enjoyable. It is also very gratifying to know that you can do hard things (like running).—JOSEPHINE HESSERT, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Running can be difficult at first, but building up time or mileage slowly improves fitness, which then makes running easier and generally more enjoyable. It is also very gratifying to know that you can do hard things (like running).—JOSEPHINE HESSERT, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Running can be difficult at first, but building up time or mileage slowly improves fitness, which then makes running easier and generally more enjoyable. It is also very gratifying to know that you can do hard things (like running).
—JOSEPHINE HESSERT, DO, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Summary
An activity tracker, app, or online calculator can help determine how many calories you burn while running to determine how much you need to run to lose weight. Overall, people need to consume fewer calories than they burn to lose weight.
To get started running, it’s best to begin slowly and gradually increase time and intensity. For people who are intermediate or advanced runners, adding time and intensity can increase calorie burn and support weight loss.
Safety and injury prevention are important factors to consider while running. These include getting a proper warm-up, cross-training, increasing intensity incrementally, and being aware of your surroundings.
Balancing physical activity and food can also help with weight loss.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kutac P, Bunc V, Buzga M, Krajcigr M, Sigmund M.The effect of regular running on body weight and fat tissue of individuals aged 18 to 65.J Physiol Anthropol. 2023;42(1):28. doi:10.1186/s40101-023-00348-x
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benefits of physical activity.
Lu Y, Wiltshire HD, Baker JS, Wang Q.The effects of running compared with functional high-intensity interval training on body composition and aerobic fitness in female university students.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(21):11312. doi:10.3390/ijerph182111312
Cox CE.Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance.Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(3):157-160. doi:10.2337/ds17-0013
Park HJ, Rhie SJ, Shim I.The effects of physical exercise therapy on weight control: its regulation of adipocyte physiology and metabolic capacity.J Exerc Rehabil. 2023;19(3):141-148. doi:10.12965/jer.2346232.116
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity for a healthy weight.
Koliaki C, Spinos T, Spinou Μ, Brinia ΜE, Mitsopoulou D, Katsilambros N.Defining the optimal dietary approach for safe, effective and sustainable weight loss in overweight and obese adults.Healthcare(Basel). 2018;6(3):73. doi:10.3390/healthcare6030073
Ace Fit.Physical activity calorie counter.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy weight loss.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Healthy eating plan.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get started.
Prieto-González P, Sedlacek J.Effects of running-specific strength training, endurance training, and concurrent training on recreational endurance athletes' performance and selected anthropometric parameters.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):10773. doi:10.3390/ijerph191710773
Vincent HK, Brownstein M, Vincent KR.Injury prevention, safe training techniques, rehabilitation, and return to sport in trail runners.Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2022;4(1):e151-e162. doi:10.1016/j.asmr.2021.09.032
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Achieve your weight goals.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
