Common myths about running and weight loss
▶️Many people view running as an exercise that leads to weight loss. Sadly, this isn’t always true. In fact, in most cases, it’s not true. Of course, running has its benefits, but weight loss is low on that list.
Here are some of the most common myths about running.
Myth #1 Running will help you lose weight
Exercise physiology and nutrition expert Rachele Pojednic, Ph.D., says “relying on running alone isn't the best way to lose weight because it burns relatively few calories for the time invested.” Without creating a daily calorie deficit, you won’t see
much change on the scale. What you eat is always the main factor when it comes to fat loss.
Myth #2 Running will improve your shape
If you’re only running and not strength training, running might cause you to lose muscle. In turn, your figure could look soft, instead of strong and lean.
Myth #3 Running burns a lot of calories
Although running has the potential to burn many calories, running also gives people a false sense of how many calories they burned. In other words, they can end up eating two to three times more calories after a run (than normal for them), because they
feel they’ve burned the equivalent amount. Studies show that people often overestimate the number of calories burned after a run by three to four times.
Another factor with running is the high potential for injury. I usually tell people to get in
shape before running, rather than start running to get in shape. Often, people start off way too fast and that can lead to injury and other
problems.
If you plan to run, you must also have a strength program in place. Walking is a great place to start and we'll get into that in a future newsletter. But, for those of you ready for more intense training, well-planned-out HIIT workouts are
ideal.
We plan our HIIT workouts to get the cardio benefit without using a boring treadmill or having to run. And we do it in a way where you'll become stronger, more flexible, and improve mobility in a 45
min.