Series of Myths: You Have to Run to Lose Weight

So this is an interesting myth for me because I really enjoy running, and I will always promote it. However, there are lots of myths associated with running, and this may be the biggest. It is NOT true that if you are serious about losing weight and reducing your fat mass you should to start running.

The jogging phenomenon can be traced back to Arthur Lydiard, an athlete from New Zealand who modernized fitness and conditioning in the 1950s by developing a systematic approach to aerobic conditioning. Prior to this time, "fitness" consisted of a quiet, sedentary life that avoided stress on the heart. (Picture calisthenics in the 1920s.) With his conditioning systems (which are still used today) he propelled New Zealand to the top of the world in middle and long distance running. His methods produced astounding results that were easy and accessible for every man and woman, not just athletes. Thus, jogging was born. It really wasn't until the 70s that the sport caught on with a fever. Everybody was jogging and it was the go-to activity for those wanting to improve their health and body composition.

True, distance running (running sustained for several miles at a time) produces amazing results. It does burn lots of calories and one can definitely lose serious weight by burning calories in this manner. For example, a 160 pound person running at 6 mph on level ground can burn up to 13.0 calories per minute, theoretically. So if he ran for 45 minutes, or 4.5 miles, he would burn ~585 calories. Do this every day, and he could lose about 1 pound a week, which is very good. A smaller person would be burning less at the same speed (120-125lb. person could burn ~10 calories per minute at 6mph) mostly due to the simple fact that it requires less energy to transport a smaller body at the same distance and speed.

So what's the problem? It's not the only option. And, in fact, it's not the best option. To run for a couple miles straight, one cannot maintain a very high intensity otherwise they will fatigue quickly and burnout. It takes a lot of conditioning to be able to maintain a high intensity for long periods of time. So, the average person must maintain a fairly moderate intensity to cover the desired distance. Lower intenstiy = less calorie output. Furthermore, it may appear that you are burning a considerable amount of calories (585 cal in the above example is a lot!), BUT because the majority of the workout was performed at a moderate intensity your body will quickly return to resting levels, including your metabolism. When the majority of the workout is performed at high intensities, you will have greater calorie output AND your metabolism will remain elevated for a period of time after the workout.

Therefore, the good news is that if you're looking to drop some pounds you do not have to pick up running to do it. The best option for losing weight is performing about 5 hours per week of mostly high intensity activity - higher intensity than even jogging. This would include hard strength training performed in a circuit fashion that clearly elevates your heart rate and respiratory rate. You can also perform interval training, which is a series of sprints (can be done running, biking, swimming, etc.) coupled with rest periods. Check out my Intensive Cardio program for some specific guidance. Another fun and productive option is to perform what I like to call "cardio circuits" - performing an intense exercise, like lunge jumps, for a short period like 15 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds, do a different exercise for 15, then rest for 15, et cetera. It's very intense, but very effective. You get a crazy hard workout done in about 20 minutes.

So, throw out all of your prior notions about losing weight and try what current research says works. Spend time distance running if you are training for a run or just really like it. But, if you just want to get in shape and lose weight, YOU DON'T HAVE TO!!