Running to Lose Weight – But No Weight Loss
July 11, 2009
Running is a good workout that can be used to lose weight. When done correctly, it offers the best form of workout. Detailed below are some reasons why running does not yield the desired weight loss effect.
Losing fat but gaining muscle: Running may lead to the development of muscle mass. When one commences running, the muscles begin to grow and develop.
This causes weight gain. However, consequently, you begin to lose fat. Fat gets burned and is converted to muscle. While the overall body weight may remain the same, the muscle to fat ratio will change to show an increase in muscle, which is denser than fat.
As a result, it occupies less space and makes for a toned body. Measuring your vital statistics periodically will reveal the muscle mass build up. The body fat to muscle ratio can be measured to check on the progress.
Consumption: The body burns calories and uses energy when running. It is therefore possible to eat more food than is required when a person is running to lose weight.
This negates all the benefits of running and only helps to pile on more pounds. This can be resolved by maintaining a food diary. The daily calorie intake can be noted in the diary and compared over a period of few weeks to ensure optimal caloric intake.
Also, people feel that eating a dessert is a way to treat oneself after a particularly tiring session. This in turn negates the benefit of the exercise.
Inconsistency: It is common for people to be inconsistent with the chosen exercise program. In running, the results are perceived quickly and the fitness and endurance improves.
This increases metabolic activity and burns calories leading to weight loss. It is possible to reach a point of saturation, when the body is no longer challenged by the exercise and the weight loss does not increase- it plateaus.
It is therefore important to keep improving and reinventing new strategies to challenge the body and increase the metabolic activity and weight loss. It almost requires no special fitness equipment. All it needs is the motivation and a pair of walking shoes!
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