There is absolutely no doubt that running boosts our health in a large number of ways. Running can also help us to lose weight, but only if certain other conditions are right. We’ve asked expert nutritionist Laura Hilton to tell us more and answer our most commonly asked questions.

Just a note here: this article does talk about weight loss. If that’s not for you, please do enjoy some of our other training content instead.

Can I lose weight by running?

To answer this question, we need to explain a bit about energy balance. We measure energy in kilocalories which is normally abbreviated to calories. We expend/burn energy through automatic bodily processes that keep us alive. Think digesting our food, pumping our hearts, breathing etc. We also burn energy by carrying out any activity that is part of our daily lives. Cooking, working, commuting, looking after pets and family, cleaning the house etc. Of course, we also burn energy through any forms of exercise that we do. Plus, we lose body mass when we go to the toilet, sweat and breathe out moisture. We then take energy onboard through the food and drink that we eat.

In order to lose bodyweight we need to be in an energy deficit. That means that we are expending more energy than we are consuming. If we consume the same amount as we expend, our bodyweight will stay the same. If we expend less energy than we burn, we will be in an energy surplus and therefore will gain weight. So if someone is trying to lose weight, running can help them to do that, but only if they are eating and drinking fewer calories than they are burning. If running leads you to eating and drink more, there’s every chance that you will not be in an energy deficit and therefore will not lose weight.

How else can I lose weight?

Exercise has numerous health benefits but on its own it isn’t the most effective way to lose weight. If you’re actively trying to shed pounds, you’ll need to make adjustments to your diet, too.

It’s always important to ask yourself why you’re trying to lose weight. If you’re trying to do this quickly, do speak to a healthcare professional to make sure you’re doing it safely. It’s also worth making yourself aware of disordered eating and exercise addiction.

I have lost some weight through running, but now I’ve plateaued. What now?

Another thing it is important to understand is that our bodies get more efficient at an activity the more that they do it. This means that an activity ‘costs’ us less the more we do it. As an example, imagine that when you are new to running a 5K run would result in a 400 calorie expenditure. A few months down the line, when you have been regularly running 5K, your body is much more efficient at running. Now, therefore, that same run may only see your body burn 300 calories.

If during that time your dietary intake and other forms of expenditure have stayed the same, you are most likely to experience a bit of a weight-loss plateau or even weight gain. The way to increase the amount of calories burned during your run now is either by increasing the distance that you cover, or by taking the intensity up a notch. This can be done by increasing the pace, running on a more challenging terrain or by introducing some speed, hill training or interval sessions to your training programme.

I used Ozempic to lose weight but am now struggling keeping it off no matter how much I run. What do I do?

We asked performance nutritionist Dr Linia Patel for her help on this one. “You’re not alone,” she explains. “Weight regain after stopping GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic is extremely common. Studies show that most people regain a large percentage of the weight they lost once treatment ends. That’s because these medications suppress appetite and change how your body regulates hunger and how full you feel after eating. Once you stop Ozempic, your appetite returns and due to muscle loss, your metabolism may slow down, so without a clear plan the weight can creep back on.”

“GLP-1 medications can blunt hunger signals, so when you stop taking them, it’s common to feel out of sync with your appetite and feelings of fullness. To reconnect, you can take one of two approaches. The first is pinned eating. Have three regular meals at set times to help your body re-establish a good eating regimen so your blood-sugar levels remain stable. The second is intuitive eating. Slow down and notice the difference between true hunger and eating from habit or for emotional reasons. You can use the HALT acronym to ask yourself whether you’re eating because you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Stressed. Both approaches can help you to rebuild trust with your body and find your natural balance again.”

“It’s also worth looking at doing some strength training. Muscle tissue burns more energy even at rest than fat, so protecting it is vital. Add two full-body strength sessions per week using weights, resistance bands or bodyweight exercises to help rebuild lean muscle mass. Pair this with adequate protein intake. Aim for 1.2g to 1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (that’s 80g to 100g for someone weighing 65kg). This will support recovery, increase how full you feel, and helps prevent the loss of muscle that can slow metabolism.”

What other benefits does running offer?

While running can help with weight loss, it also offers so many other benefits:

Physical benefits of running

Running helps to keep the whole body healthy, from your lungs, to your muscles, to your bones, heart, lungs and brain. It boosts longevity partly by helping to prevent diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and certain cancers. It also helps to keep blood pressure at a healthy level. And it can help us sleep better, which in turn improves our wellbeing in myriad ways.

Mental health benefits

As with our physical health, regularly doing things to enhance our mental wellbeing is an important way to live a long, happy and healthy life. Exercise and getting outside are both well known to increase our endorphins and therefore improve our mental wellbeing. If we combine the two therefore, our mental wellbeing receives a significant boost. Those who suffer with mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, have found that running significantly helps them to manage their conditions.

Digestive benefits of running

Moving the body can help to speed up the digestive system, which can be great news for anyone who suffers with constipation. Exercise helps to improve and maintain insulin sensitivity. This means that our bodies can efficiently carry out the process involved in converting the carbohydrates we eat into energy, rather than storing them as body fat. If we become too resistant to the effects of insulin we can go on to develop prediabetes and possibly Type 2 Diabetes.

Social benefits of running

Running with other people adds the emotional  benefits of bonding with others over a common interest and in the pursuit and achievement of a shared goal. Not to mention the joy of finding and maintaining connections with others, which we have been so deprived of over the last few years. If you’d like to run with others, finding a running club is a great place to start.

What is your running ‘why’?

If those around you see you enjoying and reaping the benefits of running, you may well inspire them to try it for themselves. You could, in turn, improve the health of your friends, partners, children and family in a huge variety of ways.

So while running can help someone to lose weight, it offers so many other life-enhancing benefits, that will make every facet of your life healthier and happier for many years to come.

Featured image: iStock.com / FreshSplash