Are you a runner that is looking for the best way to lose weight? Or do you want to know how to lose belly fat? According to experts like this weight loss clinic, you can lose weight with the following strategies.
The problem with doing any moderate intensity, steady state cardio, like distance running, is that you are simply training your body for endurance. You may lose some fat in the process, but also some muscle as well. You are also elevating your cortisol levels because of it, as all cardio elevates cortisol levels. This can help you burn fat if your cortisol is elevated short term, but long term or chronic elevation can cause fat storage.
Not only that but you are simply burning calories by doing steady state cardio, and those calories need to be replaced. Now, if you combine a severe calorie deficit with chronically elevated cortisol, that is a recipe for disaster. One symptom of that is cravings will be bad which just makes things even worse.
The best thing to do if you want to change your body composition is to lift weights and do high intensity interval training cardio.
By lifting weights, performing 3 – 4 sets of 8 – 12 reps, and using the heaviest weight possible, you will be lifting for hypertrophy, aka muscle building. Doing this 3 – 4 days a week is your best bet because if you want to SEE muscle tone, you have to have muscle.
You can also do high intensity interval training as well for fat loss. Here are a few benefits of HIIT workouts:
Increased aerobic capacity – You can increase the amount of oxygen your body can use, so your overall aerobic capacity can increase faster than with just jogging. In other words, you will feel more comfortable running faster if you are trying to decrease your 5k or even marathon race times. You can Click Here if you need the best information on oxygen and ozone generator.
Metabolic adaptations – Your metabolism tends to increase allowing you to use fat as fuel.
Increases caloric output – Increases the amount of calories your body burns during & after your exercise session and because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover from each session.
Increased lactate threshold of muscles – Ability of muscles to sustain more lactic acid buildup.
Anabolic effect – If you eat just a tiny bit more calories than what you burn via natural metabolism & workouts, it allows you to put on muscle not put on fat.
So to sum things up, when I have clients who do enjoy distance running, but also have aesthetic goals, I put them on a program that looks like this..
Mon – chest and back strength training
Tues – 3 mile run including HIIT sprints
Wed – rest
Thurs – legs and abs strength training
Fri – arms and shoulders and 20 minutes of HIIT on bike/ rower/ swimming/ etc
Sat – rest
Sun – long run
Or something similar. This way they are lifting to build muscle and keep the body healthy, they are getting to run and they are doing HIIT workouts as well.
Do you need help putting together a program to help you get lean while being a runner?
Sign up for online personal training here!
Your Coach,
Kyra