Why Running is NOT Helping You Lose Weight!
Are you a runner?
Great. You're doing yourself some cardiovascular good. But you're probably frustrated that your weight loss has plateaued or you're still not happy with the shape of certain body parts (legs, arms, abdominals).
Running has become the most popular method of exercise after walking. And while I definitely consider you better off for running than being a couch potato, it's likely not giving your body the shape you want or burning fat as effectively as you could be.
Running is a long duration cardio exercise and that does not equal effective fat loss. Long duration cardio at the same, steady pace is not only ineffective, but promotes injury. Did you know that statistically 79% of runners will get an injury at least once per year?! I mean, wow.
Shin splints, plantar fasciitis, hamstring strains, IT Band injuries, hip and pelvic pain, low back pain and knee pain. All could be attributed to your running mechanics and beating yourself up with each run.
So, if you’re someone who loves running you will need to also be involved in a compound strength exercise program with multijoint movements just to gain the support your legs, hips and feet need to sustain the repetition that running requires. Think: squats, dead lifts, chin ups, push ups and pull ups - they are all body weight training movements.
What is a more effective way to burn fat while strengthening yourself at the same time without boring, monotonous cardio?! I’m sure you’ve heard of it, it’s called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Runners in particular need to challenge their muscles against resistance to build muscle and in turn burn fat, which they aren’t doing during a run. Running does not strengthen your muscles the way you think it does. It places you in a one-plane movement pattern of forward momentum and lacks dynamic stability or any focus on our core. Dynamic strength means more lean muscle tissue in your body and means you will burn more fat while at rest. Those high intensity training sessions that only need to last 30 minutes will leave your body burning away the fat for the rest of the day. Imagine that!
The Beachbody fitness programs all do a good job of incorporating body weight training in a HIIT style. They also include a yoga or stretch day, which we all tend to skip but shouldn’t.
If you are sick of the lack of results running is giving you, if you’re tired of the monotony, JOIN US!! My fitness challenge group customers have learned how to get in and get out. We maximize our exercise efforts and have stopped feeling like we’re in a cardio rut. We exercise for 30 minutes or less each day. Real people get real results and never look back. The best part - we are STRONG!!! And don’t have to stop training because of an injury anymore.
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