When you set out to lose weight, the first thing that hits your mind is, does running burn fat? Well, whether your goal is to make your body a bit leaner or to trim your belly fat, running can help you achieve all your future goals. But to get the best results out of running, you need to ensure that you are at the proper distance, pace, and amount to maximize your weight loss. This article shall help you explore how you can lose weight by running.
Does Running Burn Fat?
You might be shocked to note that every activity you perform burns fat. Burning fat is a process the human body uses to create energy for various life activities like digestion of food and breathing. But the main question which constantly hits the mind is whether running makes your body burn more fat or not. When talking about weight loss, you will hear people talking about two types of things. These are:
- Burning fat and
- Burning calories
The human body makes use of both glycogen and fat to create energy. You burn more fat while sitting idle or while moving with a low intensity because the human brain uses oxygen for burning fat. You become out of breath when you start to jog or perform a high-intensity workout. Hence, your brain starts to focus on creating more energy with the help of carbohydrates. So, when you move at a high pace, you tend to burn more fat.
Is Running Best For Burning Fat?
It is important to note that when you wish to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Your primary focus should not be on the question: does running burn fat or not? According to research, an average adult shall burn 26% more calories while running than walking.
You can get more substantial results if you maintain a high metabolism after 15 minutes of running. But if you slow down your speed after 10 minutes of workout, you shall see the results, but there would be no hype. In the former case, you shall experience a 43% increase in the burning of calories in 30 minutes.
Aerobic exercises significantly result in weight loss compared to weight lifting. So, if you are focusing on weight loss, aerobic exercises, running, or walking can statistically help in burning fat. A combination of weight lifting with high-intensity exercises can help you witness the best results. This combination is best for people looking to tone their body physique and build strength.
How To Lose Weight Through Running?
The ultimate way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit. You must burn more fat than you consume regularly. To ensure this, you must ensure that you consume foods that give fuel to your running process. The most idyllic way to do this is to know how many calories each food item contains, which you consume regularly. According to this, match the number of calories you burn every day. There are many running gadgets available that show the exact amount of calories you burn each day. Hence, whenever you think of the question: does running burn fat? Remember that fat is not the only way to lose weight; the most important factor is your calorie intake.
Three Best Running Workouts For Weight Loss
You might often wonder which workout is effective to perform while running to lose weight. Let us tell you that you don’t need to lose weight only by running. You also need to perform some activities and exercises to burn fat and calories. These are as follows:
HIIT Running
If you think of the question: does running burn fat? The most straightforward answer is the HIIT workout. This workout is speedy and improves your body composition by running long distances. In this, all you need to do is run hard for 30 seconds and then take a rest for 60 seconds. After this, again run for 30 seconds and continue the same process about 15 to 20 times.
6-Day Workout Plan
A 6-day workout plan is best to lose extra weight (if you have any) and burn excess fat and calories to stay fit. Here is the 6-day running workout regimen you can incorporate into your daily life.
Monday: sprints and intervals (approximately 2 miles)
Tuesday: lower body strength exercises (nearly 40 minutes)
Wednesday: cardio training exercises like hiking, rowing machine, elliptical, and bike.
Thursday: upper body strength exercises (nearly 40 minutes)
Friday: rest
Saturday: long distance running (up to 6 miles)
Multi-Training Workout Routine
Merely running might not be practical for every person intending to lose weight. In such scenarios, when you think of the question: does running burn fat, you must go for a multi-training workout regimen. Here, you incorporate other training workouts to complement your running routine.
How Does Running Burn Fat?
Fats need oxygen to burn. Rhythmic and cardio exercises are the best ways to tap into your fat stores. While performing cardio exercises, your body falls short of breath. As a result, the body needs more oxygen—further, your breathing rate increases which automatically increases the burning capacity of calories of fats.
Here are some cardio exercises you can perform to increase the pace of calorie-burning activity in your body.
- Cycling
- Jogging
- Moderate running
- HIIT training with sustainable levels of intensity
The Bottom Line
Fats are notoriously tricky to remove. It takes a wholesome amount of dedication, perseverance, and motivation to follow a strict diet and maintain a proper physical workout routine. When you think of the question: does running burn fat? Then you must know that running is incredibly effective in losing weight and burning calories and fats.
If you’re a regular runner, then be mindful of what you consume regularly. You must eat foods which give you energy for running and other intense training exercises. Moreover, a combination of running workouts with other training exercises shall give you the best-desired results in less time.