Most people pick up running because it’s what they’ve always been told helps them lose weight fast.
It’s easy for most people to gravitate toward running because it’s relatively simple to do and it doesn’t take much thought to accomplish, you just lace up the tennis shoes and hit the road or treadmill. The problem is, excessive jogging can actually usher in a list of potentially negative effects. So the big question is, will running actually make you fat? If you’re trying to lose unwanted pounds and picked up jogging as your exercise, you’re about to make it much harder to not only lose weight but keep it off.
Logging all those miles as you prepare for your next 10k is probably doing your body more harm than good.
You see, along with risking pain and injury, such as inflammation of the tendons and ligaments, tendon tears, severe cartridge irritation, tendonitis, and stress fractures (just to name a few), by repetitively stressing the bones and joints of the feet, legs, and back, you’re increasing the cortisol hormone that’s responsible for unwanted weight gain and belly fat. Not to mention one of your primary energy sources while you run at that steady pace for extended periods of time ends up being muscle, not fat. When you burn up muscle, you can prematurely age your body by lowering strength, losing bone density, and in turn, lowering your metabolism. If your goal is to burn fat, you might realize you’re doing quite the opposite. You might burn a little fat but in the process, you’re setting your body up for far more fat storage in the future. It’s been said that cardio is like working for minimum wage; it’s very hard to keep up but it’s nearly impossible to get ahead.
Walking, especially at a pace where it would be easier to break into a light jog, will burn more calories than jogging. See, when you jog, it becomes a “throw and catch” game with your body, which is your body’s way of accomplishing a task with less effort (i.e. making it easy). Too many people are looking for the “easy” way out. You could be disappointed to know that the “easy” way is usually not the best way. If you’re serious about losing weight and cardio is your preferred method, then I recommend you going about it in a smart way by challenging yourself. Try walking at an uncomfortable pace, maybe even uphill or into the wind. Now, If you really want to super-charge your results, consider exploring the world of resistance training – you might be pleasantly surprised at the rapid response in your body. Until then, don’t forget to stay focused, work hard, and have fun.
