The whole truth about running and losing weight
'21.03.2018'
Many people start running with understandable motivation - to lose weight. I myself was like this after the birth of my third child.
I remember in some show episode, when a girl runs on a treadmill, summing up the calculation of calories burned in her mind: "Soooo, I burned the cake" and suddenly stops shouting: "Oh, I almost burned the cottage cheese."
It would be fun, but it doesn't work that way. But as?
Calorie consumption is ambiguous
The number of calories burned while running, as with any other workout, in principle, depends on a number of factors, for example, on the person's weight, on how trained he is, and what his body composition (the ratio of fat and muscle mass), on the intensity of the training itself ... In general, the more trained a person is and the more muscle fibers he has, the more calories he will burn in the same time at the same intensity. So, muscles are not just a “valuable nut” and shape, but above all an investment in health (including joints) and a luxurious metabolism.
Therefore, you do not need to blindly believe the calorie counters on exercise equipment and energy consumption tables - they are very average for a person weighing 70 kg. Not to mention that the ratio of calories burned from fat to carbohydrates (including glycogen) will be different at different intensities and heart rates.
The fact that running is one of the most effective fat burners is undeniable
Firstly, during the run (like any other cardio, but only in aerobic !!! pulse zone) fat oxidation occurs with the participation of oxygen.
Secondly, when running (all in the same aerobic zone, on the pulse - an average of 120-140 beats per minute), there is an increase in the number of mitochondria, power plants in the muscles, in which fat is oxidized. The more mitochondria, the more fat is oxidized, which in human language means "burned".
But there is one BUT - running does NOT mean automatic weight loss.
If you have a goal to lose weight, then here is a list of what NOT to do:
- You should NOT blindly believe calorie counters and be in the illusion that you are spending so many calories to eat (read to eat without measure) - nobody canceled the energy balance. Even with an hour's jogging, the calorie consumption of a 60 kg girl is very modest, in contrast to the desire to reward herself for her efforts.
This, by the way, is one of the most common traps - to arrange for yourself a “moral” indulgence - something like “I was good”, I deserve it. Q: why is food measured against merit? And how does that relate to the goal? This is not a question of morality, right / wrong, it is just a matter of goals.
- Do not strive to run as fast as possible, especially at the initial stage. Speed and paced training are held on a different pulse, and pursue completely different goals (NOT losing weight).
More than half of all runs, even in long-distance training programs, are light-paced and low-heart rate runs.
Do not run alone, or do not focus only on cardio
- First, see item 1 - not so many calories are burned and they are burned while you run / pedal / and so on.
- Secondly, it is the strength exercises that invest in your muscles, which means in calorie expenditure between workouts. Muscles require energy, even at rest. Yes, and the proportions have not been canceled, and this is also achieved by strength exercises.
Thirdly, our body is an amazing system that can adapt to everything, and, accordingly, only with aerobic exercise metabolism is rebuilt over time. And all would be fine as long as cardio is regular, but it is worth taking a break, as the extra pounds can return, which can be avoided if you diversify your training schedule. A variety of loads is a guarantee of harmony and happiness in a healthy life.
And finally, even if now losing weight is the only reason why you are ready to start running or playing sports, shifting the focus outside your own ass can make this process much more fun, which means that there will be more motivation to continue. And there, as they say, who knows!
Polina Maximova, a running psychologist and a body-builder: teleotvuyu and run around the world.
