Running…your first step to loose weight!

 

Its been little over a year now that i have been sharing my postpartum fitness regime on social media. After loosing about 22 kgs postpartum i weigh 55 kgs today which is 3 kgs down my pre-pregnancy weight.I started with mild to brisk walks & eventually running as my first step towards postpartum fitness. Running , definitely has been the game changer here!

Running – Is the most effective way to loose weight among-st many other exercises. countless people have shred weight by running after all its the most effective cardio exercise, live examples are myself  80 kgs to 55 kgs today & my husband from 110 kgs to 85 kgs ( shall share his story soon).

Why running –

1. Burns calories faster – Running is a high intensity exercise that stimulates more “afterburn” than low-intensity exercise. That is, even when comparing running with walking the same distance, studies find that running will lead to greater weight loss, most likely because your resting energy expenditure stays elevated after you run.Since running is faster then walking you burn more calories faster which is time efficient, especially for a person like me who is always on a clock.
2. works on whole body – Running is aerobic in nature — meaning it challenges your cardiovascular and respiratory system. A good run also counts as weight-bearing activity that improves the health of your bones in your legs and spine. All those miles will build muscle endurance in your legs , it also helps reduce tummy fat, but you need to be do strength training , balancing exercises to work on specific muscles of your body to compliment your workout along with running.
3. Runners HIGH – Runners who will read this will agree, its a high! Its difficult to stick to a workout routine if you don’t enjoy it. I think i had often put this up in my insta stories as well, that running for me is a state of trance, High which is just so motivating to keep going. Do  you know, studies show many runners have experienced on an anecdotal level which means running can actually get you high. Scientists have found links between moderate to intense exercise and morphine-like brain chemicals called endocannabinoids, which suggest endorphins alone aren’t responsible for the occasional flood of euphoria that rushes over you during a hard run.  Often when me & my husband have an argument, he goes out for a run and comes back home happy 🙂
4. Its convenient –  all you need is  pair of running shoes & a pair of head phones , & you are set for a run. You can do it alone. You can do it almost anywhere. it’s cheap, it’s accessible, and there are fewer barriers to maintaining a routine, even while traveling.

Few points & tips to bear in mind for beginners –

1. Go slow – Its very important to begin slow, as your joints, ligaments , muscles are getting used to any form of a workout. There will be some wear & tear of muscle hence its important to start with alternate days. Give some time for your tissues to heal & let your body adapt to the change. You may want to run faster. Resist that urge! It takes weeks for your “structural body” to catch up to your “metabolic body.”
2. Consistency – Once your body get use to running you should take a long-term approach to running. Commit to running regularly—say every other day—for the next three months & not just next three weeks. it will give you a great deal back in many ways. You’ll see improvements in elements as diverse as self-esteem and attitude to practical benefits like more energy during your workday. but to experience that you have to run daily , and not just one run a week.
3. Add variation in your running – When you keep running on same speed daily your body get used to it after a point it will stop showing results, hence its important to follow a walk-run-incline-sprint regime. I will share a program soon. Until then keep a variation eg: walk on the speed of 4 km/hr , Run on a spread of 6 km/Hr for half kilometer and then walk on incline of 3 for another half kilometer then sprint/fast run for a kilometer on the speed of 8Km/hr. Try combinations to feel the burn.
4. Don’t increase your run distance by more then 10 percent a week – By 4 weeks you will be very comfortable running and might happen that you over do by increasing your run distance drastically, This will cause injuries. Hence it is advised to practice 10 percent rule which is a good guideline for sensible running increases.To practice it, simply avoid increasing your total running distance or time by more than 10 percent from one week to the next.
5. Ensure a healthy diet – Since you will be putting in so much effort in loosing weight its important to compliment it with the right diet to see better results. Ensure to have High quality food like – Proteins , protein intake helps repair wear & tear of the muscles, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy oils like olive oil, dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry, unprocessed red meat. Avoid low quality food – quality food such as refined grains ( white rice) , sweets, processed food & fried foods.

Happy Running!

Much love

Sakshi 

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