LOSE WEIGHT RUNNING

Fat Loss Facts: How Much Running to Lose Weight

Taren Gesell

Last Updated:

If you're trying to lose weight running, you've almost definitely thought, "How much running do I need to do to lose weight?". As someone who has lost 65 pounds through running and endurance sports, I get it. Losing weight can have a huge positive effect on your life, so you want to know how long you should run to lose weight, how many days a week you should run, and overall how much running is needed to lose weight.

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This is my before and after shot. Before I took up running and endurance sports, I couldn't even jog to the end of the block. I hated every step! Slowly but surely, with persistence and consistency, running became an everyday activity for me, one that I love to do.

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We'll dive deep into the world of running for weight loss and provide guidance on the mileage you need to do and strategies you need to use to set yourself up for the best chance of success. Let's demystify the journey together and find out just how much running it takes to meet your weight loss goals.

The amount of running required to lose weight effectively is influenced by various factors, including your current weight, diet, lifestyle, and even genetics. Don't worry; whether you're a seasoned marathoner or a total beginner runner, there's a running routine out there that will get you to your goals.

Key Takeaways you'll get in this article:

Running is an effective method to lose weight but requires the right workouts and overall plan.
The number of miles needed to lose weight varies for everyone, but a plan that allows you to run consistently with varying effort levels and paces is the key.
Different types of running (HIIT and interval runs) can help you lose weight more effectively than strictly steady-state running.
To lose weight effectively, consider both calories burned while running and the calories you eat.
Weight loss through running is a gradual process, requiring patience and dedication.
Combining running with strength training can enhance overall weight loss and health.

How Much Do You Need to Run to Lose Weight Running?

How Many Miles a Day Do You Need to Run to Lose Weight

The daily mileage needed for weight loss is not a one-size-fits-all figure. When you're just starting, almost any running will help if you want to lose some pounds. The key when you're starting is to start at a slow pace and gradually increase the distance as your body adapts.

We don't recommend running every day because running is very high-impact and hard on the body; even our marathon training plans don't have athletes running every day. Running three to five times a week, for just 30 minutes per run, amounts to just 9-15 miles a week and has been shown in studies to be more than enough to create weight loss.

Even if you're really motivated and want to workout every single day, you'll be better off running no more than five times a week and using the extra days for additional strength training or cross-training.

How Much Running Do You Need Weekly to Help You Lose Weight

How Much Running you need to lose weight is actually far less than you think. One study actually saw over 10 pounds of body fat being lost in subjects who ran just 5k (a little over three miles) each week and made diet improvements over one year. Most people will lose more weight if they start with a very small amount of running and then gradually increase their weekly mileage by no more than 8-10% each week.

Increasing your weekly mileage and making small dietary changes very gradually will prevent your body from overcompensating and drastically slowing down your metabolism, making weight loss almost impossible. Studies have shown that sudden extreme increases in exercise paired with major diet changes can cause much more weight than was lost to come back and stay back due to metabolic damage.

How Many Calories Do You Burn Running a Mile

Exactly how many calories you burn per mile varies significantly among individuals, but the average person burns about 100 calories per mile. However, this figure can fluctuate based on several factors, such as weight, age, gender, running efficiency, pace, and terrain.

It's also important to consider that as you lose weight and become more efficient at running, you might burn fewer calories for the same distance over time. You can use our running calorie calculator below to determine approximately how many calories you burn running a mile.

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How Much Do You Need to Run to Burn to Lose One Pound

To lose one pound, a deficit of approximately 3500 calories is needed. If you're burning an average of 100 calories per mile, this translates to about 35 miles of running. However, this is a simplistic view, as the actual number might vary based on individual metabolic rates, the body's adaptation to increased physical activity, and any dietary changes you've made.

The table below lays out a more balanced approach to losing one pound each week that includes a moderate amount of running and a small amount of calorie restriction:


Daily calorie deficit of 250 calories x 7 days	1700 calorie deficit
18 miles of running x 100 calories per mile	1800 calorie deficit
TOTAL CALORIE DEFICIT	3500 calories deficit = 1 pound lost

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However, in my experience, most people tend to lose one pound per week very easily at the start of a weight loss journey. So beginner runners tend not to need to restrict calories as much, or run as often, to lose weight in the first year of running.

Running doesn't have to be a solo sport, just ask MOTTIV app users Brian and Keena Turner who train and race together. If you're thinking of taking up running to lose weight, ask a friend to join you in your journey. Or, join a beginner's running group in your area.

How Long Will It Take to Lose Weight and See Results from Running?

A healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is typically considered to be 1-2 pounds per week. However, this rate can fluctuate based on factors such as:

Starting weight
Running plan
Diet
Lifestyle
Overall health

Patience is essential in the weight loss journey. Initially, you might see quicker results as your body responds to the new activity. Over time, weight loss might slow down as your body adapts. It's important to stay motivated and perhaps mix up your routine to continue challenging your body. Remember, weight loss is not just about the number on the scale but also about improvements in endurance, strength, and overall well-being.

How Long Should I Run to Lose Weight in Each Workout?

The question about how long a workout should take to get to your ideal body weight is a great question. Should you focus on long-distance running to burn a huge number of calories, or should you do just 30 minutes of running that's really intense? Any good plan to lose weight will have days with slow runs of long distances mixed with other days of intense interval running for 30 minutes up to 75 minutes.

Let's compare how many calories are burned by a 180-pound runner down a long slow distance run vs an intense interval run:

	30 Minute HIIT Interval Run	1 Hour Long Easy Run
Calories Burned in Workout	540 calories	810 calories
Calories Burned After Workout from *EPOC "Afterburn Effect"	66 calories	0 calories
TOTAL CALORIES BURNED	606 calories	810 calories

‍*EPOC "Afterburn Effect"

Looking at that table, you might think the additional calories burned throughout long and slow running will make it easier to lose weight and achieve your body weight goals. But why, then, have researchers found over and over again that HIIT training was more effective for weight loss and fat reduction?

One study looked into this, and while they didn't come to any specific conclusions, they speculated that high-intensity interval training was better for weight loss because of the additional calories burned after exercise, suppressed appetite caused by HIIT workouts, intense workouts lowering insulin resistance, and increased ability for skeletal muscle to burn fatty acids.

So, the answer about how long you should run for maximum fat loss in a single workout is 30-75 minutes because this is about as much really intense cardio as someone can tolerate in one session. However, because it's so challenging on the body, runners should only perform one really intense cardio HIIT workout per week. Other runs during the week can be longer but much less intense.

You can see a sample weekly workout schedule from our app for an athlete training for a half-marathon. Only one of their three workouts per week is HIIT, while the other runs are a tempo run, a low intensity long run, and there's one strength session to round it out.

This is one week in a half marathon training plan, approximately 7-weeks away from the race.

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Workout Strategies to Successfully Lose Weight With Running

High-Intensity Interval Running Can Help You Lose Belly Fat

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a versatile and efficient way to lose belly fat and improve overall fitness. This technique involves alternating between high-intensity sprints of 15 seconds to 8 minutes and low-intensity recovery periods of 1-4 minutes.

HIIT training has been found to likely be better at weight loss and even possibly at losing belly fat than steady-state running. The beauty of HIIT lies in its ability to keep your body burning calories long after the workout is over, a phenomenon known as the afterburn effect or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

However, HIIT is extremely high-impact and should only be performed once per week for beginners, up to a maximum of twice per week for advanced runners.

Strength Training Is a Great Way to Lose Fat Consistently

The amount of calories you burn at rest and during exercise is highly linked to how much muscle mass you have. Runners who don't perform any strength training and have experienced weight loss will likely have lost a lot of muscle mass, making continued weight loss more difficult.

Many organizations go so far as to recommend that strength training should always be included in a good run training plan. We actually include 30 minute, guided video strength workouts in all of our training plans.

Long Slow Running and Weight Loss

Endurance-building runs, often called "long slow distance or LSD runs," are another effective strategy for those looking to lose weight. These runs are typically done at a conversational pace, meaning you should be able to speak in full sentences without gasping for air. The advantage of long, slow runs is that they burn a significant number of calories over time and improve your body's ability to utilize fat as a fuel source.

While the calorie burn per minute might be lower compared to high-intensity running, the longer duration means the total calorie expenditure can be quite substantial. One long run per week is a great rule of thumb.

Running Plan for Weight Loss

Below is a running plan for weight loss that will teach you how to start running and how to run with good technique, and it'll gradually build you up over six months.

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Week 1: Start training/Learn to run (2:10hrs)
Monday: Walk/Run Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 30 seconds running with 2 minutes walking recovery
Begin each running interval with a dynamic start, performing stationary butt kicks whilst slowly leaning into your running stride and setting off with good form
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Sprint Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 10 seconds of max effort sprinting with 4 minutes walking recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Long Hike (40mins)
Hit the trails and hike at a steady but hard effort
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 2: Adapt to consistent training (2:15hrs)
Monday: Walk/Run Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 45 seconds running with 1:45 minutes walking recovery
Begin each running interval with a dynamic start, performing stationary butt kicks whilst slowly leaning into your running stride and setting off with good form
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Sprint Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 15 seconds of max effort sprinting with 3:30 minutes walking recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Long Hike (45mins)
Hit the trails and hike at a steady but hard effort
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 3: Build Speed & Endurance (2:20hrs)
Monday: Walk/Run Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 1 minute running with 1:30 minutes walking recovery
Begin each running interval with a dynamic start, performing stationary butt kicks whilst slowly leaning into your running stride and setting off with good form
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Sprint Workout (30mins)
Alternate between 20 seconds of max effort sprinting with 3:00 minutes walking recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Long Hike (50mins)
Hit the trails and hike at a steady but hard effort
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 4: Recovery & Testing (3:20hrs)
Monday: Walk/Run Workout (25mins)
Alternate between 1:15 minutes running with 1:15 minutes walking recovery
Begin each running interval with a dynamic start, performing stationary butt kicks whilst slowly leaning into your running stride and setting off with good form
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Sprint Workout (25mins)
Alternate between 30 seconds of max effort sprinting with 2:00 minutes walking recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Long Hike (40mins)
Hit the trails and hike at a steady but hard effort
Sunday: Steady 5k time trial
Run 5 kilometres continuously at a steady effort and record the time it takes
Week 5: Begin endurance focused training (2:30hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 1 minute running at a hard effort with 1 minute of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 5 minutes of running and 5 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (40mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 6: Build endurance & speed (2:35hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 1:15 minute running at a hard effort with 1:15 minute of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 5 minutes of running and 5 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (45mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 7: Build endurance & speed (2:40hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 1:30 minute running at a hard effort with 1:30 minute of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 6 minutes of running and 6 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (50mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 8: Recovery Week (1:45hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (25mins)
Alternate 1:45 minute running at a hard effort with 1:45 minute of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (25mins)
Alternate between 6 minutes of running and 6 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (20mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (35mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 9: Build endurance & speed (2:50hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 2 minutes running at a hard effort with 2 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 7 minutes of running and 7 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (60mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 10: Build endurance & speed (2:55hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 2:15 minutes running at a hard effort with 2:15 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 7 minutes of running and 7 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (65mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 11: Build endurance & speed (3:00hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 2:30 minutes running at a hard effort with 2:30 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 8 minutes of running and 8 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (70mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 12: Recovery week (1:55hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (25mins)
Alternate 2:45 minutes running at a hard effort with 2:45 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (25mins)
Alternate between 8 minutes of running and 8 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (20mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (45mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 13: Build endurance & speed (3:10hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 3 minutes running at a hard effort with 3 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 9 minutes of running and 9 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (80mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 14: Build endurance & speed (3:15hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 3:30 minutes running at a hard effort with 3:30 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 9:30 minutes of running and 9:30 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (85mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 15: Build endurance & speed (3:20hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (40mins)
Alternate 3:45 minutes running at a hard effort with 3:45 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (40mins)
Alternate between 10 minutes of running and 10 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (90mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 16: Recovery week (2:15hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (25mins)
Alternate 4 minutes running at a hard effort with 4 minutes of walking recovery
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (25mins)
Alternate between 10 minutes of running and 10 minutes of walking at a steady tempo effort
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (55mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Week 17: Begin final marathon build (4:00hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 2 minutes at a hard effort with 1 minute of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 8 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 2 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (90mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 18: Build endurance & speed (4:10hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 2:30 minutes at a hard effort with 1:15 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 10 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 2:30 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (100mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 19: Build endurance & speed (4:20hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 3 minutes at a hard effort with 1:30 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 12 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 3 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (110mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Week 20: Recovery Week (4:00hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (45mins)
Alternate between 4 minutes at a hard effort with 2 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (45mins)
Alternate between 14 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 3:30 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (120mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 21: Peak marathon training (4:40hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 4:30 minutes at a hard effort with 2:15 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 16 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 4 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (130mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 22: Peak marathon training (4:50hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 5 minutes at a hard effort with 2:30 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 18 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 4:30 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (140mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Week 23: Final peak training week (5:00hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 6 minutes at a hard effort with 3 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 20 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 5 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Friday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Saturday: Trail Run (150mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Sunday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Week 24: Taper week (4:30hrs)
Monday: Interval Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 4:00 minutes at a hard effort with 2 minutes of easy recovery between
Tuesday: Strength Workout (30mins)
Perform a strength workout of your choice, using whatever exercises and equipment work best for you
Wednesday: Tempo Workout (60mins)
Alternate between 14 minutes at a steady tempo effort with 3:30 minutes easy recovery
Thursday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Friday: Trail Run (120mins)
Easy trail jogging at a Zone 2 effort and/or heart rate
Saturday: Rest Day
Take the day off and rest up for the training to come
Sunday: Race Day

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FAQ Common Questions About How Much Running to Lose Weight

Q: How much running is needed to lose weight?

A: The amount of running needed to lose weight depends on various factors, such as your body weight, caloric intake, and the number of calories you burn while running. Generally, running three to five times a week, for 30-60 minutes per run, is a great target that can help in weight loss.

Q: How many miles should I run per day to lose weight?

A: If you want to run daily, running 3 miles a day is a nice short run that can help burn calories and contribute to weight loss. However, the exact number of miles needed to lose weight varies for each individual based on their body weight and other factors.

Q: What is the ideal duration for running workouts for weight loss?

A: The ideal duration for running workouts for weight loss is at least 30 minutes per session and shorter than 60 minutes per workout. However, the duration may vary based on individual fitness levels, weight loss goals, and the stage of the training plan.

Q: How many calories do I need to burn to lose one pound of fat?

A: To lose one pound of fat, you typically need to burn around 3500 more calories than you consume. Running can be an effective way to create the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss.

Q: How can I plan a running routine to lose weight quickly?

A: To plan a running routine for quick weight loss, you should include a weekly interval run, a weekly long slow distance run, one strength training session, and as many other short low-intensity runs as possible, keeping in mind that you should build up very gradually.

Q: Can running 1 mile a day help in losing weight?

A: Running 1 mile a day can absolutely contribute to weight loss, especially when combined with a balanced diet and other physical activities. It can help in burning calories and gradually lead to weight loss.

Q: How can I ensure that I burn enough calories through running to lose weight?

A: To ensure that you burn enough calories through running to lose weight, you need to monitor how many calories you consume, how many calories you're burning, and how your weight is changing. What gets measured gets managed, so simply tracking all these metrics will make weight loss much easier.

Conclusion

Embarking on a running journey to lose weight is an awesome and achievable goal! To succeed, you'll need a plan designed to create weight loss, consistency, ideally some strength training, and a diet that gradually improves. Weight loss won't happen easily or quickly; with determination, it's almost guaranteed.

Remember, every mile you run is a step closer to your weight loss goals. So, tie those laces, hit the pavement with confidence, and let the transformation begin. Here's to a healthier, happier you!