Running to lose weight... Sounds like hard work!

Running to lose weight is an excellent idea, if running is something you enjoy. Whilst running is not everyones cup of tea, I know many of you out there love running, and that is great.

Is running to lose weight right for you?

This depends on your current level of health and fitness. If you have quite a lot of weight you need to lose or have not done any physical exercise in a long time, running may not be the right exercise to start with. Perhaps try walking initially.

If you have any concerns or medical conditions, it is very important that you speak with your doctor before engaging in anything as energetic as running.

What kind of shoes should you wear for running?

The choice of footwear is very important when running. My suggestion would be to goto a sports store and get measured. Find some footwear you like and find comfortable. Badly fitting footwear can cause feet problems, especially when running, so take your time when choosing.

Start slowly, then build up

If you are new to running, it is important to start slowly. One option would be to start would be to gently jog a mile for the first few weeks, then slowly increase the speed and distance.

You may get a few aches and pains after running if it is a sudden shock to your body. Don't ignore these, monitor them, they should start to get easier once your body becomes more accustomed to your new regime.

Stretching before and after exertion can be very helpful for helping prevent aches and pains. Stretching can also prevent injuries too. netfit.co.uk has an excellent guide to stretching.

As always remember to make sure you are enjoying it. Do as much as you enjoy doing. This way you will be much less likely to get discouraged and give up. Even a small amount every week, is a lot better than nothing at all.

Yikes, i've been running and I have actually gained weight!

Don't panic, it's not as disastrous as it may seem. If you are new to running, the chances are that your efforts will have resulted in the formation of new muscle, this is a good thing. However, muscle is heavier than fat.

Give it a month or two, you will soon notice the weight begin to fall off. You will also be stronger for it too. A win-win situation.

How many calories does running burn?

As we are running to lose weight, it's good to know how many calories you are burning for your efforts, don't you think?

The exact numbers will be dependent on your weight, but as a general guide 30 minutes of running will burn around 500 calories, whilst gentle jogging will burn around half this amount. Not bad huh? 500 calories almost makes up a full main meal.

How about a Heart Rate Monitor?

Using a heart monitor can be useful for establishing a safe pace for yourself. A general rule of for a safe heart rate whilst running (or anything other physical exercise) is 220 beats per minute minus your age. For example if you are aged 40, a safe rate would be 220-40 which would be 180.

Nowadays heart monitors are easy to get hold of, most pharmacies sell them and some supermarkets. They can also be bought online too. Amazon has quite a selection.

Consider a pedometer

A pedometer is a little device you can wear that tracks your steps and can calculate with considerable accuracy the distance you have jogged or run.

They are inexpensive and can be bought from most pharmacies and supermarkets. They can also be purchased online. Amazon have lots to choose from.

A pedometer may help you to set goals. It may also help you to keep motivated.

How about joining a running club?

Joining a club is an excellent way to keep motivated and you may even make some new friends too. runningintheusa.com is a useful resource for finding running clubs in the USA. roadrunnersclub.org.uk has many running clubs in the UK.

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