8 Week Running Program for Weight Loss
Just like any cardio session, running is an effective way to lose weight and maintain your overall health. If we ask you how many times you have heard this statement then you won’t even remember.
Yes, no doubt running is one of the best ways to lose weight but only if you follow a plan and are fully committed to sticking to it.
Most people quit running after some time because their weight loss is plateaued if they are following the same running pattern for a long time.
If you want to continue your fat loss journey and get shredded effectively then we bring you this 8-week running plan for weight loss.
Table of Contents
Is an 8-week running plan effective for weight loss?
We live in a fast-paced world due to which we have developed a mindset of getting incredible results fast.
But we should always keep in mind that the best things take time. Especially if we are talking about making some serious body changes then we have to trust the process and be consistent.
An 8-week running plan can be effective for losing some inches of fat from your waist but you have to follow a nutritious diet and make healthy lifestyle choices.
After consistently following an 8-week running plan, you will see positive changes in your body. But, the extent of those changes depends on your condition before the program.
Depending on your physical conditioning when you start an 8-week running program, you can achieve your weight loss goal or get closer to it.
The positive changes in your body will motivate you to stick with running and to take it up as a habit for the rest of your life.
How Running Helps You to Lose Weight
Running is an extremely popular way to exercise to lose weight. In addition, it comes with a variety of other health benefits.
We all know that losing weight requires you to burn calories. Any type of exercise can help in burning calories but as running engages all the muscles in your body, it helps in burning calories at an increased rate.
The evidence behind the effectiveness of losing weight through running is supported by different scientific researches.
Interval running for weight loss is more beneficial than simple running because you continue burning calories even after the exercise.
An intense running session will create an afterburn in your body that forces you to burn calories even when you are resting.
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Burns More Calories Than Most Exercises
Different factors determine at which rate you are burning calories. And, these factors also determine the efficiency of any exercise for weight loss.
Weight of Person:
You will be surprised to know that a person who weighs more burns more calories than a light-weight person.
The reason behind this is that a heavy body needs more energy during exercise as a result it burns more calories to fulfill the energy demand.
The intensity of Exercise:
It’s a quite common phenomenon that the more the intensity of your exercise, the greater will be the calorie burn.
The intensity of exercise can be measured by how quickly it can raise your heart rate.
The Duration of Exercise:
Longer exercise routines are known to burn more calories because your body needs a continuous supply of energy throughout the exercise.
We can adopt different running patterns to fulfill the requirements of intensity and duration of the exercise.
To increase the intensity, we can choose to sprint for a few seconds. And, if you wish to increase duration then a light jog could do the work.
These reasons convince us to agree that running is beneficial in burning more calories than most other exercises.
Running Helps You to Eat Less
Most people struggle with reducing their calorie intake to stay in a calorie deficit and keep losing weight.
You can have a hard time quitting your favorite foods. In most cases, these strategies only increase hunger and cause them to eat even more.
A high-intensity running session can help you to suppress your appetite effectively.
The reason behind reducing hunger is that running increases the production of satiety hormones. These hormones make you feel full even after a light meal.
8-Week Beginner’s Running Plan for Weight Loss
Week One
- Total time: 30 min
- Jog for 1-minute
- Fast walk for 2 min
- Repeat both 10 times
Week Two
- Total Time: 30 min
- Run for 30-sec
- Jog for 30-sec
- Fast Walk for 2 min
- Repeat 10 times
Week Three
- Total Time: 40 min
- Jog for 3 minutes
- Walk for 1 minute
- Repeat 10 times
Week Four
- Total Time: 40 min
- Jog for 2 min
- Run for 1 min
- Walk for 1 min
- Repeat 10 times
Week Five
- Total Time: 40 min
- Jog for 2 min
- Run for 2 min
- Walk for 1 min
- Repeat 8 time
Week Six
- Total Time: 42 min
- Jog for 3 min
- Run for 2 min
- Walk for 2 min
- Repeat 6 times
Week Seven
- Total Time: 50 min
- Run for 3 min
- Walk for 2 min
- Repeat 10 times
Week Eight
- Total Time: 50 min
- Run for 3 min
- Jog for 2 min
- Repeat 10 times
Rest Days:
Take a rest from running every Sunday.
Choose any one day of the week for a light jog or run for 20 minutes only.
Different Running Types (Based on Goals)
There are different types of running patterns based on the difference of goals for each type. Let’s have a look at all major types.
Fat-Burning Run
Run for the indicated time at a pace where your maximum heart rate is 65%. You will have to use a heart rate monitor for that.
If that’s not possible then perceive in mind that you are giving 6/10 of your total effort during the run.
Easy Run
You will be running at an easy pace for about 30-45 min.
Sprint Interval Running
In this type, you will be running at your top speed for a few seconds and then recover by fast walking or jogging.
Then again run at your top speed. Repeat the required number of intervals this way.
Strength Training Exercises
This doesn’t come in the category of running but these exercises are necessary to add to your running schedule for fast weight loss.
In addition, these exercises also help your body to develop muscle mass. So, you can lose weight and build muscles at the same time.
Some of the strength training bodyweight exercises you can try are:
- Squats
- Walking lunges
- Push-ups
- Pull-ups
- Plank
- Burpees
- Crunches
8 Week Weight Loss Running Program for Effective Weight Loss
7 Expert Tips for Running to Lose Weight
1. Adding Variety in Your Running Routine
You need to avoid following the same running routine every day, our body adapts to the same kind of exercises after some time and stops showing results.
Keep surprising your body by increasing and decreasing the intensity or duration of your running session.
2. Keep a Track of Your Diet
If you are running more then it certainly doesn’t mean that you should be eating more. Count your calories and be in a caloric deficit state.
3. Don’t Overdo
Pushing your body above its comfort zone is necessary for losing weight but, you should not force it to work extra.
Continuing to do high-intensity running straight for a week is a sure way to pick up some injuries.
Recoveryis equally important as exercises, make sure that you are focusing on effective recovery sessions after your workout.
4. Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
Alcoholic beverages have a large number of calories. Limit your consumption to once a week only on your rest day.
5. Fuel Yourself Before a Run
Eat simple carbs before going for a run, it will provide continuous energy throughout your running session.
6. Get Yourself a New Gear
Most of us don’t focus on working out in athletic apparel. But, seriously it’s time to upgrade your running apparel with some top-of-the-line workout apparel.
Your running gear should be comfortable and a perfect fit for your body. It will make you feel good and boost your running performance.
7. Focus On Creating Running as a Habit
Don’t wait to be motivated to go for a run, create running as a part of your life. When it becomes a habit then you will be doing it without even thinking that you are doing something out of your routine.
Motivation is temporary and can die after some weeks or months. But, habits stay by your side for the rest of your life.
FAQs
Will running daily together with a healthy diet help with weight loss?
Yes, running can help you with weight loss but a healthy diet is very important with it. If you are running daily but not sticking to a healthy diet plan then running won’t be beneficial.
Can running 4 miles a day help weight loss?
You will start losing weight in the beginning when you start to go for 4 miles run. But, after some weeks weight loss will be plateaued.
To continue your weight loss journey, you need to keep surprising your body by being innovative with your exercises.
Can long-distance running cause muscle loss? How?
If you are on a calorie deficit diet then your body burns fat to provide you energy during long-duration exercises. But your body may start to burn muscle mass to fulfill the energy demand.
To take care of this, you have to take care of your diet, eat a lot of protein, and drink water in small sips during running.
If you simply run a mile a day and eat well, will you lose weight?
Yes, a high-intensity run for a mile is enough to lose some fat if combined with healthy nutrition.
How is running in the morning helpful for your weight loss goal?
A morning run is said to be more helpful for weight loss because your stomach is empty and you are naturally in a fat-burning state.
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