The women we work with often are seeking weight loss. A frequently asked question we get is – “Is running a good way to lose weight??
The short answer is: probably not.
Running is a high-impact and high-risk exercise, and injury rates (even with professional supervision) run as high as 85%! For most people, you should first lose weight and get in shape in order to run vs. the other way around. We think safety should always be the #1 priority in your training.
Crazy Impact
Imagine coming into our studio for your first personal training session and being told to start by jumping on one leg 1,500 times. No breaks. You would think I was crazy, and you’d be right! However, this is exactly what running (or jogging) a mile entails.
Running is a high-impact exercise. The more you weigh the higher the impact and the greater the danger for your joints. Every mile that you run involves 1,500 single-leg impacts at about 4x your bodyweight.
Extra Calories?
Running 3 miles and walking 3 miles will both burn about the same number of calories. Running takes less time, however your joints can only tolerate running so many miles per week.
Over a long timeline, most people’s knees (feet, back or hips) will not allow them to run enough miles per week to move the scale. Injuries have a profoundly negative impact on one of the most important factors in weight loss and maintenance: NEAT.
Consistent workouts that include work on tissue quality, strength, etc. will help you lay the foundation to prepare your body. (This is what we would include in a workout for you.)
Also, you can’t out train a bad diet, so here is more on that.
If you are looking for lasting weight loss solutions try our 10 Day Personal Training Trial: Click for Info.