How to Lose Weight and Increase Stamina when Running

As a cardiovascular exercise, running is second to none helping you to burn calories, strengthen your muscles and improve the heart’s health. Taking it up, though, can seem like a daunting task for beginners and this feeling of major undertaking often leads to people quitting before they start.

The truth is that we all know the benefits of running and it’s worth getting started to experience these. Planning your new routine and executing it in the right way can help you to get motivated and get the most from your exercise. Losing weight and increasing stamina are two such benefits that are easy to achieve if you approach running in the right way.

Planning

As with every new undertaking, the planning stage is very important. Make sure that you can commit to a set routine with as few interruptions as possible. Research shows that it can take two months to form a habit so definitely plan to start when are sure that you will be able to run regularly for at least this length of time.

Set a schedule and aim to be out running three days per week with a day of rest in between to aid muscle recuperation. On these ‘off’ days you can plan other exercises such as weight training but try to allow time for any stiffness to ease off before taking off again.

These three days should each focus on a different aspect of training; maintenance, speed and distance. On maintenance days you should be focusing on running at a moderate but challenging speed for a normal distance. This should be an easy running day for you allowing you to enjoy the run without pushing yourself.

Speed days are, unsurprisingly, all about speed. On this day you should run no more than your normal distance but should focus on increasing speed in short bursts as often as possible. This will help to burn off calories and increase your stamina.

Distance days should focus on increasing the length of your run. Each week you should aim to run a quarter or half mile longer than the previous week, increasing your endurance as you go along. Make sure you allow enough time for each type of day when setting your schedule.

Execution

Running is excellent exercise but in order to get the most out of it, it is vital that you properly prepare for each session. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself from injury is to take the time to warm up properly before a run.

Warming up involves bringing your heart rate up some and warming the muscles by stretching. This will help to protect your muscles and help you to avoid cramping which can hinder your performance and lead to more severe injuries.

You should also ensure that you have the right gear before your run. Invest in proper footwear and clothing in order to protect the body and get the most out of your run. Never go out for a session without your proper equipment as this can lead to serious injury.