When it comes to expanding their training, running enthusiasts sometimes get very creative. There is hardly any continuous trotting anymore; instead, the running units are expanded to include triple running, lunges and sprints and park benches are used for strength training purposes.
But is that really necessary when going through this Jog want to lose weight? Two experts clarify.
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Losing weight while jogging – is that possible?
When jogging, you can expect to burn around 60 calories per kilometer run, explains American doctor Elizabeth Lowden.
Even though this value can vary depending on your personal fitness level, running pace and condition of the route – for example if there are a lot of inclines – it still shows that you have to run for a fairly long time in order to burn any significant calories.
For this reason, Dr. Lowden: “Running as the only means of losing weight is not nearly as effective as changing your eating habits at the same time.”
What is desirable is not only a certain calorie deficit, which is a fundamental condition for losing weight, but also the right choice of food.
Lowden therefore recommends choosing less processed products and instead choosing whole foods (e.g. whole grain foods, fresh fruit and vegetables) more often.
It is important to have enough protein and fiber as well as enough water – even more so if you go jogging.
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Intervals and more intensity
When asked about the ideal length of running sessions for maximum fat burning effect, exercise physiologist Chris McGreer has an answer: “In my running training, I have found that short and fast interval runs are the most effective for weight loss.”
With such high-intensity interval training (HIIT), you go full throttle for a few minutes, then take a short break and then repeat the exercise phase – always alternating and no longer than 30 minutes in total.
McGreer notes that the high heart rate during this form of training not only puts the body into the fat-burning zone more quickly, but also increases the so-called EPOC effect.
EPOC stands for “Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption” and describes a state after training in which the body takes in more oxygen to recover. This leads to the so-called afterburn effect – the body then burns calories even after the training has already been completed.
Nevertheless, McGreer warns that jogging should be taken slowly at first: “Running is an incredibly strenuous activity for which the body must first be prepared.”
If you push yourself too quickly, you increase the risk of getting injured. This in turn leads to a loss of training – and is completely counterproductive for burning fat.
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