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A Guide to Successful Weight Loss By Running

August 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

One of the more easy ways to shed weight is by running. A time-tested technique, running has helped millions shed excess body weight naturally without having to subject oneself to harmful medicines or stressful exercises at the local gymnasium. As a result, running and weight loss have come to share a positive correlation. There are, however, some facts to remember before one starts running in the effort to shed weight.

First, it is absolutely necessary to ensure that one is in a perfectly healthy condition and fit enough to undertake regular running exercises. This is best ascertained with the help of a qualified doctor who can certify if a person is fit enough to do regular running exercises. One must remember that like any other exercise, running involves the burning of calories and one would need to ensure that he or she does not end up putting undue stress on the body. Second, a common mistake many people who aim to lose weight by running make is overeating. Since running leads to the burning of hundreds of calories, lots of people tend to overeat in an effort to make up for the energy loss. However, this has a counterproductive effect since the overeating tends to negate any benefit gained by running.

The key to ensuring that running and fitness go hand in hand is by undertaking a strict regime. There are some key elements of this regime one needs to follow religiously. These elements include:
Controlled Nutrition Intake: One of the most basic rules of losing weight through running is to remember that one loses weight only when the amount of calories burnt is more than that gained by eating. Therefore, the calories lost by running must exceed the calories acquired by eating. As a result, one has to carefully note down the amount of calories that the food intake results in. next, one must calculate the amount of calories that can be burnt through running, and choose a duration that helps exceed the calories gained through food intake. For example, if one’s nutritional intake is 3000 calories per day, he must run for a distance that helps burn more than 3000 calories. Only then will it help in losing weight.

Consistency: Another pillar of losing weight by running is to bring in consistency in the running efforts. So, if one finds that to lose 5000 calories, he needs to run for 5 hours in a week, the key is to run regularly, say an hour everyday, instead of running 5 hours in a single day. This will ensure that the body is not put to an unusually high activity level on one day, while there’s almost no activity on the other days. It requires dedication to maintain a consistent running schedule, and one must beware that it is easy to fall off a set pattern unless one has a lot of will power.

Flexibility: One issue that many runners face is that they need to constantly adjust their bodily routine for best results. The human body is made such that it can adjust to changes very fast. So, if someone runs for 1 mile everyday in an effort to lose weight, the body adjusts such that in a few weeks’ time, the body can easily run a mile without losing sufficient calories. Accordingly, one has to incorporate a degree of flexibility in his routine so as to constantly push himself harder than before.

Filed Under: Benefits, Featured Tagged With: lose weight by running, running and fitness, running and weight, running and weight loss

Training Your Heart for a Healthier Life

August 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

It is a known fact that one of the secrets to a long and healthy life is a healthy heart. Not all of us actually take the pains of doing exercises specifically aimed at improving the condition of our heart. Comparatively, most sportspersons have a natural advantage over those of us who lead a sedentary life because they end up exercising and training their heart much more. Training the heart primarily refers to the ability to control the heart rate. As a result, heart rate training becomes imperative for those who aim at leading a healthy life.
There is a simple correlation between the rate at which the heart beats and the amount of oxygen required by the body. For athletes, measuring the heart rate helps in assessing the strength of the exercise undertaken. There are two main advantages of measuring the level of exercise an athlete undergoes. First, it is helpful in ensuring that sportsmen do only such training exercises that are required for their particular sport. Second, by measuring the exercising sessions that an athlete undergoes, a coach can ensure that they are in good training condition and can track their fitness levels prior to a competition.

All said and done, however, one must take some steps to ensure that they are not suffering from any particular ailment before deciding to go for a heart rate training exercise. There are some groups that cannot undertake these exercises unless expressly permitted by a qualified physician. These groups include people with existing ailments like heart problems, bone problems like arthritis or painful joints, and so on. Additionally, those people who are already under medication prescribed for a serious medical condition should not commit to heart rate trainings. Once one is satisfied he is fully ready for heart rate training, he should understand how and why controlling the heart rate matters. The standard technique for measuring a heart rate range is beats per minute or BPM. A BPM of 70 is common for individuals who are in a sedentary or non mobile condition. The heart rate under such conditions is referred to as the ambient heart rate. Those in good health tend to experience a low BPM, especially sportsmen and athletes. Similarly, the maximum heart rate or MHR measures how fast a heart can beat within a minute. One must remember though that a low or high MHR does not in any way indicate good or bad heart rate training – a number of factors can affect the MHR levels.

Directly linked to the MHR levels are the heart zones that one can refer for deciding the intensity of the exercise regime of an athlete. There are five heart rate training zones, each measured at 10% of one’s MHR. These zones are described in detail below:

Zone 1: In this zone, one exercises at a rate equivalent to somewhere between 50% and 60% of the MHR. Also considered to be one of the safest zones, the Zone 1 can be reached by just walking at a brisk pace.

Zone 2: This zone ranges between 60 and 70% of the MHR and can be reached by slow jogging. The main benefit of this zone is that it helps burn calories, especially useful for those looking to lose weight.

Zone 3: Achieved by running, the Zone 3 heart rate training zone aids in improving the lung and heart size.
In addition to these, Zones 4 and 5 are more strenuous heart rate training regimens that place added exercise to the heart beat.

Filed Under: Benefits, Featured Tagged With: heart rate range, heart rate training, heart rate training zones

Here’s How You Can Benefit From Running

August 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Among the benefits of running, fitness and toning of the body are definitely the things that attract most of us.  As the concept of staying fit and lean is gaining popularity, people continue to explore new exercises that will help them maintain healthy physique. However, you must understand that running is the perfect exercise option that suits people of almost all ages and health conditions.

Running endows you with numerous health benefits. It is the ideal cardio exercise if you are planning to lose weight. Other benefits include lower blood pressure, improved circulation, lower risk of a stroke, better cardio health, stronger bone density and improved lung capacity.
Now here is a detailed look at the amazing benefits offered by regular sessions of running:

  • Guaranteed weight loss
    The most important and obvious of the benefits is that running burns up a lot of calories. That means you simply have to combine light running with a balanced diet to lose running weight. Most people on diet and exercises find it hard to eat less. However, once you take up running, you will notice you are less interested in consuming large servings of food. This loss of appetite when coupled with burning calories creates a powerful solution for guaranteed weight loss. In addition, losing weight will also lead to improved blood circulation and lower blood pressure.
  • Stay young longer!
    Did you know that running can also slow down the aging process? It’s true. When compared to people who run only occasionally or do not run at all, people who run regularly are less prone to lower muscle and bone density. This makes them physically healthier and more active.
  • Better cardiovascular health
    This is one of the most important benefits of running. Those who jog regularly have better cardiovascular health in comparison to people who have not taken up running. Your heart is the most important organ in your body. Running is the best and easiest way to keep the heart conditioned and well toned. Regular jogging in particular will keep your heart strong enough to deal with any problems that may arise.
  • Healthier lungs
    Running not only helps exercise your arms, legs and heart; you are giving a good workout to your lungs too. The lungs will be well-conditioned so that you can breathe deeply.
  • Sense of community
    Setting off for jogging with a buddy or running with your club or a group is an excellent way to foster a sense of community while exercising. This way, you can establish running weight loss targets and accomplish them together. Additionally, having one or more running buddies will motivate you to stick to your running schedule.
  • Feel better!
    If all the above benefits of running were physical ones, here are the mental benefits. Studies have proved that by reducing anxiety and stress, running serves as an excellent method to boost your mental health too. People who jog frequently amidst all that fresh air and sunshine are actually happier and more positive-minded about life. This is because endorphins – or ‘feel good’ enzymes – are released into the body when you exercise, making you feel happier. So even if you are not overweight, it obviously makes sense to put on your running shoes and get jogging!

Running can be an addictive activity. Ask anyone who runs regularly and you discover that everyone has a different reason to continue running. While most people run to lose weight, others run to remain healthy. So if you have never considered running as an exercise, this is the time to do so.

Filed Under: Benefits

Here’s How You Can Avoid Running Injuries For Good

August 18, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Being a high-impact activity, running is often accompanied by running injury and pain. Running injuries can be really painful and can force you to the sidelines for months. Sometimes, running injuries may also put an end to your career. However, if you are alert to the signs provided by your body, it is easy to recognize the symptoms of an impending injury and prevent the worst.

Running injuries are generally caused by a combination of three factors:

  • Incorrect technique
  • Suddenly increasing training volume
  • Bio-mechanical imbalance

The earlier you respond to the pain or soreness in your body, the better will be your chances of preventing an injury or aggravating it.

Common Running Injuries

Although pain is a part of any sport, when the pain is an increasing or recurring one, you may be looking at a running injury. Here are 4 common injuries that runners often face:

  1. Achilles Tendonitis
    Achilles tendonitis is the inflammation of the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. Inflammation of this kind must be taken seriously since the tendon may develop scar tissues and in bad cases even rupture.
  2. Runner’s knee
    Chondromalacia – commonly known as runner’s knee – is caused due to the wearing of the cartilage under the kneecap. It usually happens when the kneecap is incorrectly tracked while running. The symptoms include pain and inflammation of the knee when you run.
  3. Plantar Fasciitis
    Plantar fascia is a group of tissues located at the bottom of the foot from the forefoot to the heel. These tissues absorb the shock of the running motion. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia is subject to scarring and tearing. The symptoms of this running injury include pain while you start to run. An acute case of plantar fascia can make running impossible.
  4. Shin splints
    If you have ever experienced pain on the outside or inside of the shin while running, it was most probably a shin split. Shin splits are most often caused by stepping up the training volume too early or too soon.


Tips On Staying Injury Free

Being careful to prevent running injuries is the best thing you can possibly do for running injury free. Here are some tips you must remember every time you train or compete in running.

  • Listen to your body. Never consider running if you feel extremely tired or have consistent pain or soreness. A few days of rest can save you a good amount in treatment and months limited to the sidelines.
  • It is very easy to over train and ruin your peak levels. Maintain a good running base and never strive to increase your mileage by more than 10 percent a week.
  • Invest in quality running shoes and replace them after every 300 to 500 miles.
  • Do not forget to warm up and cool down during each session. Also include stretching in your workouts to reduce risk of injury.
  • Do not continue running while injured. It will aggravate the injury, strain other parts of the body and adversely affect your performance.
  • For running injury free, practice on medium-hard paths or level grass grounds. Try to avoid concrete and hard asphalt surfaces that can cause excessive pounding of legs.
  • If you train hard one day, go easy the next day by settling for light running. You may also take a day off after a day of strenuous training.

With these tips and by paying close attention to the signs of your body, you can stay injury free and consistently perform at your peak levels.

Filed Under: Health, Injuries