If you're a fan of The Biggest Loser like I am, you know that the participants do a lot of running. Last night's show featured more running than usual because they competed in a half-marathon challenge. (The winner, Sione, snagged $10,000). During a running scene, one of the participants mentioned that trainer Jillian Michaels told her that running was the best exercise for weight loss.
Although I don't recommend running on a treadmill for hours like the contestants do during their "last chance workouts", I do agree that running is an excellent weight loss tool. Just make sure that you don't do too much too soon. Increasing your mileage by no more than 10% each week is a good way to avoid common running injuries. And don't expect or aim for those ridiculous double-digit weight loss numbers that you see each week on The Biggest Loser. A safe weight loss rate is no more than 1-2 pounds per week.
Get weight loss tips here:
I discovered running during the course of losing 60lbs, and quite honestly I felt that while running helped (as did all exercise) what really helped me lose weight was getting my diet straight.
Having said that, I don’t believe I could have kept the weight off without running. It has definitely compensated for many dietary errors.
While running for weight loss might be very true, running is not for everyone.
You have to like it and many heavy weighted people just hate running, despite the fact they could benefit from it.
Still…
some good advice in this post!
When I started running I had lost about 45 pounds, running shaved off another 35. Now I run not just to keep the weight off but I run for the love of running. No way I would have ever believed 5 years ago that I would look forward to going outside at 5:30am for a run! Running is great exercise for both body and soul
Wow, congrats on those incredible weight losses! I agree that running is very good for keeping the weight off, too.
I definitely agree that running is the easiest and most effective cardio for weight loss. And while not everyone may not like running, many of those ideas are from false ideas about running and the lifestyle of a runner. That’s why I blog about it. In fact, I didn’t know anything about running before I got to high school.
Just want you to know that Tara not Sione won the half marathon.
Team Tara
Tara did have the fastest time, but 5 minutes was added to her time (because Helen ate a cookie to penalize her). So Sione ended up winning the challenge and taking home the $10,000. I’m rooting for Tara and wished she had won the money. She deserved it.