Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss

Matt Fitzgerald
by Matt Fitzgerald
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Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss

Running is a great way to lose weight. Countless folks have shed excess pounds and kept them off with the aid of this simple form of exercise. Success is not guaranteed, however. A sensible diet plan is an essential complement to running for weight loss.

Understanding the most effective ways to run for weight loss before you start helps you avoid common mistakes — and get you the results you want.

THE BENEFITS OF RUNNING FOR WEIGHT LOSS

There is a widely held belief that exercise — including running — is not an effective tool for weight loss. This belief comes from studies showing overweight people fail to lose much weight when given a structured exercise program to follow. In a recent review, scientists involved in this line of research concluded: “Unless the overall volume of aerobic exercise training is very high, clinically significant weight loss is unlikely to occur.”

That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for running to lose weight. However, in the real world, the vast majority of people who lose significant amounts of weight and keep it off are exercisers. The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) researched a population whose members have all lost at least 30 pounds and kept the weight off at least one year. Ninety percent of these individuals report exercising regularly, and the average member burns more than 2,600 calories a week in workouts.

If exercise is so ineffective for weight loss, as the scientists say, then why do almost all of those who are most successful at weight loss exercise? The answer appears to be that while exercise is not as effective as dietary changes in stimulating initial weight loss, it is wonderfully effective in preventing weight regain.

As you probably know, most people who lose weight gain it all back. But studies involving NWCR members and others have demonstrated exercisers are much less likely to yo-yo. So unless you are interested only in temporary weight loss, you should change your diet and exercise.

There’s another benefit to combining diet changes with exercise when you’re trying to lose weight. When people lose weight through calorie restriction, but without exercise, they tend to lose muscle along with body fat. But when they change their diet and exercise, they preserve muscle and lose more fat.

Many kinds of exercise can be effective for weight loss, but running is among the most effective. In a 2012 study, Paul Williams of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found runners were leaner and lighter than men and women who did equivalent amounts of any other exercise. The main reason seems to be people typically burn more calories per minute when running than they do when swimming, riding a bike or whatever else.

START ON THE RIGHT FOOT

No matter which exercise you choose, it’s important to ease into your new exercise program. Increase the challenge level of your workouts gradually to lower injury risk and get the best results. This is especially true for running. As a high-impact activity, running causes more overuse injuries than other forms of cardio. Ironically, the risk of injury is greatest for heavier men and women who are likely to run specifically for weight loss.

Experts recommend that overweight men and women use these three rules to start a running program on the right foot:

Walking is less stressful than running to the bones, muscles and joints of the lower extremities, yet it’s stressful enough to stimulate adaptations that make these areas stronger and more resilient. This makes walking a great tool to prepare your body for running.

Your early workouts may consist entirely of walking or a mix of walking and running, depending on how ready your body is for running. As the weeks pass, tip the balance further and further toward running until you are comfortable doing straight runs.

Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss

Bones, muscles and joints need time to recover from and adapt to the stress of running. For most beginners, one day is not enough time for these tissues to come back stronger. So, limit your running to every other day for at least the first several weeks of your program. If you wish to exercise more frequently, do walks or non-impact workouts, such as cycling, between run days.

To continue getting results from your running program, you need to run more. But if you increase your running volume too quickly, you are likely to become injured or overtired. The 10 percent rule is a good guideline for sensible running increases. To practice it, simply avoid increasing your total running distance or time by more than 10% from one week to the next.

Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss

CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT

To lose weight, you must maintain a daily calorie deficit. In other words, you need to burn more calories than you eat each day. There are two ways to do this: Eat less and move more. Running helps you maintain a calorie deficit by increasing the number of calories you burn. You can increase your calorie deficit and your rate of weight loss — at least in theory — by eating less also.

The problem is running, like other forms of exercise, makes it difficult to eat less due to increasing appetite — something known as the compensation effect. This is the primary reason exercise often fails to meet people’s expectations for weight loss.

Individual appetite responses to exercise are varied. Working out has little effect on hunger in some people and makes others ravenous. There’s not much you can do about it either way. If running increases your appetite, you will probably eat more. What you can do to ensure the compensation effect doesn’t stop you from reaching your goals is increase the quality of the foods you eat.

High-quality foods are less energy dense and more satiating than low-quality foods, so they fill you up with fewer calories. By increasing your overall diet quality, you can eat enough to satisfy your heightened appetite without putting the brakes on your weight loss.

Here are lists of high-quality and low-quality foods, given in rough descending order of quality.

Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss

When you start your running program, make a simultaneous effort to eat fewer foods from the right-hand column and more from the left-hand column — especially from the top of the left-hand column. There is proof that it works. Earlier this year, Danish researchers reported new runners seeking weight loss who ran more than 5km (3.1 miles) per week for one year but did not change their diets lost an average of 8.4 pounds. Meanwhile, new runners seeking weight loss who ran more than 5km (3.1 miles) per week for one year and did change their diets lost an average of 12.3 pounds.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FASTER

Even 12.3 pounds of weight loss in one year might not seem like a lot. If your goal is bigger than that, there are two things you can do: Run more and eat less.

While it’s important to progress slowly, you can continue to progress with your running until you are doing as much as you can with the time, energy and motivation you have. If you are highly motivated, consider aiming for a long-term goal of building up to 60 minutes of running per day, six days per week. A 150-pound person who runs 10-minute miles burns more than 4,000 calories per week on this schedule.

These additional increases in running likely stimulate additional increases in appetite and eating. But chances are such compensations won’t cancel out your hard work. Research tells us that the average person eats roughly 3 extra calories for every 10 calories she or he burns through exercise.

As mentioned above, increasing your diet quality minimizes the compensation effect. But if you’re already running as much as you can or wish, and you’ve already improved your diet quality and you’re still not losing weight as fast as you would like, there’s something else you can try: Decrease the size of your meals by about 1/5. Research by Brian Wansink of Cornell University has shown people can eat about 20% less at meals without noticing the difference in terms of satiety. That’s because, in our society, we have been trained to eat beyond our natural satiety level. Just be sure to do this only after you have allowed your food intake to adjust to your increased amount of running.

RUNNING AS REWARD

The compensation effect isn’t all about increased appetite. For some people there’s also a reward effect at play. Too often, runners celebrate the completion of workouts by eating low-quality treats such as cookies and potato chips. In many cases, these treats contain more calories than were burned in the workout.

The best way to avoid this type of self-sabotage is to view your runs themselves as rewards rather than as chores to be gotten through and rewarded. A recent study by Wansink found people ate less than half as many M&M’s offered to them after a walk when they had been told before it that it was a “scenic walk,” compared to when they had been told it was an “exercise walk.”

As this study shows, the mindset you bring to your running program is important. In fact, whatever your weight-loss goal may be, your number 1 goal should be to enjoy running — or learn to enjoy it. That’s because you will only benefit from running if you keep doing it, and you will only keep doing it if you enjoy it.

THE BOTTOM LINE

For this reason, you should do whatever you need to do to enhance your enjoyment of running. Studies have shown that when people manipulate their workouts to make them more fun, they are more likely to stick with their programs. If you enjoy running with music, run with music. If you prefer running with a friend or group, do that. If you like running in the park, run in the park. There’s no wrong way to run for weight loss if you’re having fun.

Originally published June 2015, updated February 2022 with additional reporting

Ready to take the next step? Unlock MyFitnessPal Premium to access custom goal settings, quick-log recipes, and guided plans from a registered dietitian. Premium users are 65% more likely to reach their weight loss goals!

About the Author

Matt Fitzgerald
Matt Fitzgerald

Matt Fitzgerald is a certified sports nutritionist and author of Diets Cults and 80/20 Running, among other books. He provides real-time audio coaching for runners and other athletes through pearsports.com and one-on-one nutrition coaching through racingweight.com.

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82 responses to “Beginner’s Guide to Running For Weight Loss”

  1. Avatar Jennifer says:

    Great article. Running also enhances mental well being. I turned into a runner in 2010 (marathons, from being a lifelong “non-athlete”) and my metabolism really kicked into high gear – and I actually didn’t start it for weight loss, just increased health and to relax naturally. I never slept better than when I was running. In the last year or so I got away from it, unfortunately, because of grad school and gained 40 lbs just from not running (but eating the same, out of habit). At rest you just keep burning more calories. This article inspires me to get back to it. Great way to enjoy being outside too! My weight was pretty stable when I ran and when I didn’t/don’t it fluctuates a lot more.
    One more benefit (perhaps too personal but important to women reading this): my monthly cramps went away when i actively ran!!!! I’m 42 yrs old and always had terrible, painful, taking off work kind of cramping. All GONE for my four years of running. Wow, i gotta really get back to running!:)

  2. Avatar Northwoods Dan says:

    Solid, realistic article. i also think Jennifer makes a good point about the mental well being aspect of exercise.

  3. Avatar Mary3265 says:

    If you need extra cash with average of 50-300 bucks a day for doing basic work over internet from your house for several h each day then read more here…

  4. I have been a jogger all my life and the best reward is going out in the morning for a run in country. It clears your mind, gets your metabolism fired up and makes you feel good. If you take up running to lose weight you will gain back a great way of life!

  5. Avatar Oscar says:

    My question is, will biking have the same results? Is it better? Worst? I personally prefer cycling than running

    • Avatar Jason says:

      I do both and cycling is better on the body because it is much less impact. I live in the mountains of the PNW and cycling really isn’t that good of an option for a few months of the year. The harder part of cycling is keeping up the intensity to see the same benefit as running. I have to ride about an hour and 20 minutes to get the same workout as running for about a half hour and to do that, I have to “drop the hammer” the entire ride.

  6. Avatar Transcend Fine Jewellery says:

    Thank you for this guide. We are looking for the best way to start and this looks like the best one for sure. We are really starting from a beginner level. Diet will be the main part.

  7. Avatar Melanie says:

    Can you provide a link or something for this or a title so it’s easy to find. Thanks

    • Avatar Stephen Sikkink says:

      I did but they removed it for some reason. If you google ‘guardian running podcast’ it comes up in the search. It’s also on iTunes if you search for the same thing. Best thing about it is it’s free.

  8. Avatar Kristi Wicket says:

    I’m really looking forward to starting this! I’ve been looking for a chart like this one for beginners like me. My only concern: in week 4, we’re supposed to make a HUGE jump from running for 4 consecutive minutes, to running for 20, and then 30 minutes. Why is like that? Isn’t that too much of a leap?

    • Avatar MC0084 says:

      try downloading the Couch to 5K app. It is listed as C25K in the Apple store. It is a fabulous training app that slowly increases your distance and the ratio of walking to running and eventually gets you to run 5K.

      • Avatar farfalla0308 says:

        I’m wondering how this would work for someone who is 52 and never ran before. Would you suggest the C25K MC0084?

        • Avatar MC0084 says:

          I started running when I was 54 years old, 215 lbs and never ran before. I lost 21 pounds and like the article says you need to adjust your diet and caloric intake appropriately………which I did. After completing the 5k I used the Couch to 10K and now I am training for my first half marathon………..so to answer your question I highly recommend this app.

          • Avatar farfalla0308 says:

            Diet is good, clean eating only. Nothing processed. Thanks so much for your comment, I downloaded the app and looking forward to beginning tomorrow. Good luck on your marathon.

          • Avatar MC0084 says:

            get yourself a good pair of running shoes and good socks and enjoy the journey. Good Luck

          • Avatar Ed Hagerty says:

            SO SO True!!! Whether you are a runner or a walker as I am, get yourself a good shoe and on the advice of a podiatrist friend of mine, include a good sports insole. My advice based on personal experience is forget “cross trainers”, get either a good running shoe or a good walking shoe!

          • Avatar Tai Mc says:

            Agreed! I’ve always been overweight and never was able to run comfortably without ankles, knees, hips hurting until recently. I started off speedwalking for the first month (45min/6days a week). Then once my legs and shins would “burn” (after 20-30min of speedwalking),i began to jog and this immediately took the stress or burning feeling away from my legs. So now i view my jogging as my reward or “break” from my speedwalking while boosting my cardio (HR increases hugely). But none of this would be possible without my reebok zpump fusions. They are adjustable with a pump and release valve to accommodate your foot type before and after running. Now im able to consistently run for 30+minutes without any injuries. I also noticed that it takes my body 20-30min of speedwalking to be “conditioned” for constant jogging/running. It may take less for others. So I would advise to get the right shoe and make sure your warmup is effective before running!

          • Avatar katerrr says:

            That is so awesome, go you!!

  9. Avatar Ed Hagerty says:

    As someone in the over 60 crowd who was about 50 pounds over weight, a type II diabetic and had past sports injuries, my recommendation that I took was to if you can afford it or your insurance can cover it, work with a diabetic specialist and/or a nutritionist, my insurance covered me for both. I would recommend regardless of how old you are, to begin slowly and begin with walking. I’m fortunate I walk at a course measured out in tenths of miles, so if you walk for 5 tenths and back you did a mile. If you are really out of shape, do whatever you can, even it it is just 1 tenth and back.

    Personally I feel for most of us who are overweight and out of shape, the initial workout plan laid out by the writer to work up to be a runner as presented is just plan STUPID!!!! Its the kind of plan that is going to get a lot of people quitting in frustration, just ridiculous! That plan is meant for people already in shape. Most people would be best served JUST walking for a few months. Like running where there is jogging and then there is really running, in walking there is leisurely walking and then there is power walking. There is walking a mile and then there is long distant walking. There is walking a mile in 30 minutes and there is eventually doing it in 15 minutes or less. I started slow, but walking a mile 5 to 6 days a week and as I was able to gain strength in my legs and arms(the swinging of the arms is important) I stretched out how far I walked. The course I workout at is 1.7 miles in length or 3.4 miles round trip. Its mostly flat, but has two small hills. It took me about a month to get up to doing 2.5 miles a day and another few weeks to do the full 3.4 mile round trip.

    Currently I’ve been walking just shy of 3 months, I regularly walk the 3.4 mile round trip 5 to 6 days a week, alternating between a brisk walk one day and a power walk the next. I do try bi-weekly to walk one day either 5 or 6.2(10k) miles. I now have thoughts of doing some alternating between power walking and jogging, but for myself that means wearing a knee brace on my right knee which I’m not crazy about.

    Hand in hand with walking has been changing my eating habits and I found it not as hard as I thought it would be, my nutritionist has me on a plan of counting GRAMS of Carbohydrates rather than Calories, I’m limited to roughly 200 grams of Carbs a day, in my case, 60 for each, breakfast and dinner and 60-80 a day for snacks. Grams of Protein and Fat are left up to me to use common sense. I use a kitchen scale to measure out how much I get to eat. As of right now I’ve lost 33 pounds and hope by my 65th birthday in October to have lost 70 to 80 pounds. There is also the possibility by then I could be off Insulin for my Diabetes, I use to take 66 units of Insulin a day, I’m now down to 25 units, my Blood Pressure is just about down to where it should be. I have a scheduled physical in a month should be interesting.

  10. Avatar Ed Hagerty says:

    I lost 17 pounds of fat in 4 weeks just walking and limiting my Carb intake.

  11. Avatar Ed Hagerty says:

    Diet really is the key, case in point, I was the epitome of the Couch Potato and had a serious wake up call, a mild stroke two years ago. I changed some of my eating habits and lost 15 pound, but I still was completely out of shape. I joined a gym, worked with a personal trainer twice a week for 13 weeks, but didn’t lose a blessed pound, but gained some of those 15 pound back. Fast forward to this year, my doctor assigned me to work with a diabetes specialist who set me up to work with a nutritionist and I’m eating a hell of a lot better and a lot less, not running, but power walking 3-5 miles and have lost over 30 pounds will lose more in coming months, blood pressure almost normal, glucose levels dropping, may be off insulin this year.

    • Avatar Jacob Emerson says:

      I’m glad to hear that Ed. The important thing is consistency. It’s a lot easier to be a couch potato than it is to get in shape. Just be persistent, sounds like you got things down though.

  12. Avatar lisamolina says:

    Why is day 5 on week 3 reverting back to Walk 3/Run 1? Is this is typo?

  13. Avatar Michael says:

    The exercise chart doesn’t even remotely dovetail with the text immediately preceding it — that run time or distance should increase by no more than 10% a week. The jumps in time are MUCH MUCH MUCH higher than that. I won’t be returning here for any serious tips about health and exercise, given the writing and editorial standards here appear to be quite low.

    • Avatar NorthE says:

      I disagree. Most beginners have never ran in their life. If the go too aggressive, that likely get discouraged and quit.

    • Avatar Ruth says:

      The 10% refers to TOTAL distance or time, not the increases in the running increment. On a Run/Walk plan its pretty typical to make more than 10% increases in the running intervals, but to keep the total time or distance steady over the training period. The article uses the 10% as a guideline for your overall running goals, both time and distance.

  14. Avatar Brad Jacobsen says:

    Great advice. When I trained for a marathon I ended up gaining weight. Looking back, I realize that on long run days we’d treat ourselves to a large calorie-high meal. The meal likely equaled what we burned running BUT we didn’t take into account the running gels, Gu packs and energy drinks we consumed while running which ALSO likely equaled the calories burned.

  15. Avatar Flatland Group says:

    Thanks for the guide above on how to increase your running & walking intervals and overall running time. One thing – the chart on week 3, day 5 has the walk/run times inverted – I think it should be Run for 3 minutes, walk for 1 during each interval.

  16. Avatar Chewbacca2000 says:

    Excellent article.

  17. Avatar BillyG says:

    Can anyone give me guidelines on how to encourage a spouse who has been otherwise reluctant to start exercising?

    • Avatar katerrr says:

      That’s a tough one… Maybe try getting them to do things with you that don’t seem like a workout. For example, go hiking or swimming or for a scenic walk “just for fun” when really it IS exercise.

    • I’d say the most important part isn’t to guilt him into doing it. I recommend doing activities and ‘taking him along’. Scenic walks and hikesare good for that – especially with a picnic (and fun group classes- like dancing). The act of BEGINNING to move is the hardest part. Once he’s been out with you a few times, he/she will likely enjoy the effects of movement and want to do more with you. Good luck!

    • Avatar Bricksy says:

      Is there a specific reason your spouse is reluctant? Because that would affect any advice I could give. Apart from that, sometimes events are a good source of inspiration – Breast Cancer Research walk, Walk for Hunger, etc.

  18. Avatar Connie says:

    Thank you. Informative article. I am new to running completely and this will be my guide. Awesome!

  19. Avatar Christin Seegers says:

    Feels like it’s something I may like being I’ve been walking since my pre-teen years (almost 20 years). However my gripe is living out in the country, there’s really not a safe place for runners being you would have to run on the road. And on the mile long stretch I live on, drivers gun the throttle and speed down our road going about 80 mph. There is no side of the road, it’s a ditch and shrub that comes up to your waist. Can’t run around the house cause there’s too many armadillo holes. My husband stepped in one, fell, and twisted his ankle. Doctor said everything was torn and broken but the bone.
    The treadmill for walking works for me, but I can’t really run on it being I prefer running at my own pace.
    I have walked on our road before, and when vehicles are coming, from both sides, I have to jump into the woods practically. Any other time I could merely step to the other side, drivers didn’t slow down or move over some but instead sped up when passing me. Being the mile stretch came into view.
    I really want to try running when it gets cooler, but the fear of being struck by a reckless driver rattles my brain.

    • Avatar Cg says:

      Maybe you can try running early in the morning? Or when traffic is lightest? I wouldn’t suggest night especially if people gun it because then they also won’t see you. I usually wake up at 5am go for a run then when I get back home I wash my face and go back to bed.

      • Avatar Christin Seegers says:

        I work six days a week which involves me waking up at 4:30 in the morning. Also night is when the red wolves, foxes, coyotes, wild dogs, boars and big cats come out.
        Our pasture has the most traffic for the larger coyotes. I’ve once sat out at night and watched a pack of coyotes hunt down deer in our back yard.
        Then when we hear the cats screaming from the woods to the left (a woman’s scream), we have to watch the dogs outside for the entire night every time they go out. But for living in the south of louisiana, we actually have a diverse arrange of big cats surprisingly. Just a bit north someone had caught an actual black panther on their deer cam. Then to the west someone shot a mountain lion.
        At 5 in the morning whenever I’m walking to my vehicle I text my husband to watch our dogs before he goes to work whenever I hear the coyotes or cats.
        Got a good scare one time. Was walking to my car and I heard something running through the trees to my right, then my dog who watches me quietly from the window inside started his warning bark. So I turned around and went back in my house for a few minutes.

    • Avatar NorthE says:

      I don’t understand. The treadmill is adjustable to almost anything. If not good invest in a new one. I run on a Nordic track. I’m happy with it.

    • Avatar Bricksy says:

      Is there a running club in your area? Check and see. Or if there is a high school nearby, and it has a track — use it!

    • Avatar Carla Santana says:

      Don’t know if they still sell good ones, but you may like a manual belt treadmill where you drive your own pace. I hope to start the above plan this week ! Good luck

    • Avatar joann says:

      I understand and agree with the problems of running in rural areas. When the weed infested ditch is the only alternative to crazy drivers I sadly return to my treadmill

  20. Avatar NorthE says:

    Which book?

  21. Avatar NorthE says:

    One thing I’d like to point out as an intermediate runner. Some people critiqued the running chart in the article but I think its a good one to start with. Although true, muscles and joints need rest to readjust but so does your lungs. My greatest challenge was the adjustment to my lungs. In the beginning I would feel extreme burning in my neck and cheast which would slow me down. However after several months of easing into walk/run pace, I now run 4 miles with minimal breath intakes. Start slow is all I can say plug into some great pumping music to kill the time and listen to your body it’s ok to slow down if necessary.

  22. Avatar Michelle ellis says:

    Great article. First realistic beginners running advise and running plan I’ve seen in all my reading. Excited to start my training for the Disney princess 1/2. I’m definitely starting at the bottom and training my way to the top. Great motivation for the first day. Thanks.

  23. Avatar David Dougherty says:

    One issue they never seem to address is the running surface. Of course you should run on a smooth even level surface. But I see people running on concrete and asphalt and know a trip to the orthopedic surgeon is in their future.

  24. Avatar Emily Ray says:

    I don’t understand why you are excluding butter?

  25. Avatar Miata_Mama_TN says:

    Good starting guide for beginners. I was a runner when I was younger and got out of the habit. Don’t even remember why. After my mom died of heart disease and diabetes it was a wake up call. I did not want to become my mother. First I changed my lifestyle, eating and living. I have been running again now for about 2 years and I started out walking 3 years ago. I wish I had seen this back in 2012. But I did do a lot of reading about technique etc before I started. I am much older now and needed to make sure I did this in a safe way. I live in a very rural area. There is a park 15 minutes away, but I really don’t enjoy running there as much as it is all flat. I like the hills that challenge me at home on the road. My road is not real busy, but the cars do tend to speed quite a bit. What I do is run in the middle of the road when I am topping hills until I can safely run on the side of the road so that cars can see me. I really have become addicted. I run every other day and am up to 6 miles a run. I do weight training on the off days with a day off every 3 days. It works great for me. You just have to find what works for you and they hit the key and that is to enjoy it!!! :o)

  26. Avatar Gary Clarke says:

    When I started walking/jogging I weighed 248pds. I used a simular workout routine, building up to jog a half marathon. It took me a year and a half before I was ready. After the 1/2 marathon I weighed 200pds. I am male, was 46 at the time and smoked. Completing the 1/2 marathon was a great since of achievement and satisfaction for me.

    • Avatar filmic1 says:

      Hey Gary, ditto here, in 2008 and 09 I did two half marathons. I was 230lbs at the time. I wasn’t counting calories and put weight back on. Now I’m here on MFP counting C’s seriously and back running/jogging/ walking and doing kettlebell cardio and cycling… congratulations!!

    • Avatar karly says:

      I am sharing my experience, one of the guide helped to reduce weight within few weeks, It’s working for both men & women. That I burnt my 21Lbs Exactly 30 day’s routine simple workout and food. It’s really awesome one!!! No words to say about it.
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      or you can see the video on my facebook profile. I posted it there.

  27. Avatar Chuck Rebew says:

    Does anyone know od an android app where run/walk intervals can be based on time, but overall duration can be based on distance? example: run 90 seconds walk 60 seconds for 2 miles.

    • Avatar audree says:

      the best app is c25k ! its free !!!! i love it… i started with no experience and built myself up to a 10k !

      • Avatar Chuck Rebew says:

        I don’t like c25k as much as RunDouble. In either case, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m not training for a 5k or 10k. I want to do a session of run/walk intervals until I have covered a predefined distance based on GPS tracking. RunDouble has custom runs, but they don’t quite do what I want. I have emailed them about it, but no reply. I’m wondering if anyone else has seen such an app.

        • Avatar Ellie says:

          Have you tried using the mapmyrun app? It uses GPS and you can plan your run before you go out of a certain distance.

          • Avatar Chuck Rebew says:

            I’ve been using MapMyFitness, which I believe is the same. In it I don’t see how to create my own interval workouts.

    • Avatar audree says:

      you can also play your music and it turns your music down and the timer/voice comes on… warm up, run , walk , run walk, the program is designed to have you running every other day, while slowly building up your distance over the course of 8 weeks. at the end of 8 weeks you can run a 5k… then after that your next goal can 10k. and so on and so forth….

      • Avatar Kelly says:

        I have the c25k and the music is terrible. How do I play my own music but still have the instruction?

        • Avatar Kristin says:

          I am using c25k as well and agree the music is not good. I use Spotify and they have some great workout playlist. I start the playlist and then just go back into the c25k app and the Spotify music plays in the background. I think this should work for any of the music apps.

    • Avatar Bob says:

      Rather than use time count foot strikes. I count ever left step, For example walk 200, than run 100. I live in a rural area an also walk/run between phone poles.

  28. Avatar Ernie says:

    I had total knee replacement I can’t run but is walking 3 miles everyday good

    • Avatar Tim Wilson says:

      You can always enter in the distance you walked. Or even walk on a treadmill which estimates the calories you are burning as you go along.

  29. Avatar Shadow-4 says:

    I am in the military and following a 30 day training cycle and 15 day leave period I weighed 205. That was over my max allowed. I started watching my calories I consumed and what I was eating. I was already running and working out so I just increased that a little more. I have lost over 10 pounds in 3 weeks. You have to be serious about change and stick to it. Don’t cheat a snack even once cause that will open the door to the next cheat and then it is all over. Keep track of everything you eat and te calories to hold yourself accountable. Good luck and see you on the healthier side of life.

  30. OK, I hope many more will be inspired by your article in achieving their weight loss goals. This is one good write up in which many will benefit from. Thanks!

  31. Avatar Kate Navarro says:

    If you are going to do running and walking every morning what was the usual time intervals of those two? And what is the best meal after the routine?

  32. Avatar PoundsandInchesdrops says:

    Be sure to have a warm up exercise before you start walking and or running, It helps stimulate your blood porperly before walking or running,

  33. Avatar Flash says:

    Such an inspiring blog! Loved it. I have been obese most of my life. Now I have decided to change my life. I altered my eating habits, took up walking as a form of exercise. I want to be running soon and your blog has been very inspiring. I have also signed up for a healthy eating program by Harvey Brooker. This time, I will make it happen. Thanks for sharing the blog.

  34. Avatar Greg Dahlen says:

    Personally I don’t run but walk a lot. I have noticed that walking is a lot more interesting if one has somewhere to go, for example doing errands as one walks, or walking to church or to see a movie. In that sense running might be weak if one has nowhere to go but is just running to run.

  35. Avatar Raymond Torres says:

    Good guide for beginners and those who were once a runner. I was a runner until I got plantar fasciitis and unable to run or do any cardio workout. After finally healing (if you ever do), I got the green light to be able to run again. It is amazing how much I gained weight when not paying attention. It is crucial about rules 2 and 3. Once you get your momentum going, distance and time will not be a factor. I have been running for the past three weeks and it feels good to be able to last the distance. I am still walk the first 5 minutes to stretch out my plantar fasciitis but I run for the next 21 minutes at a good pace (10:30/mile) and walk another 5 minutes afterward for stretch down. I have finally got my music organized for my run and get into the rhythm of running. Diet is the hard part which I am told is 80% of your weight loss program. I get bored very easily with the food and no time to cook anymore. I am trying different type of salads and sandwiches which I can create on the fly and limiting myself to the proper calories intake for my current weight. So far it is working out for me. Once your find your starting point, there will be no stopping you, Good luck to all of you on your journey and looking forward to reading your accomplishments. Stay true to yourself, stay focus and conquer the world.

  36. Avatar Mario Oostendorp says:

    I believe the Scientists have got it wrong and their data is not evidence based. I have put my weight back on but am now running again (jogging slowly). In November 2004 my wife and I joined WeightWatchers I weighed 100kgs, I never changed my eating habits, but I took up running, June 2005 through my running I dropped 23kgs, Won Men’s category New Zealand Slimmer of the year and ran my first 1/2 marathon in a time of 1:26. My weight was 77kgs and I did this through running. I am now a running Coach ( I was a competitive runner in my youth) Running does help you lose weight and the evidence is there. Running should be Aerobic ( being able to hold a conversation while running and not getting short of breath). Anyone who has read anything about the History and Background of Master Coach Arthur Lydiard will see from his work and evidence the Scientists are wrong.

    • Avatar Charles says:

      Hi, I have ran in the past to lose weight, but never kept to it. It was always on and off. And when I did go for a run I didn’t have a plan (e.g. running intervals, dieting etc.). I Just started again today and still don’t have a plan. I really want to stick to it this time. I’ve been looking around for information on how to plan my running / weight-loss. Can you help me out?

      • Avatar Mario Oostendorp says:

        Hi Charles, I am honoured that you have contacted me. I will be more than willing to help you and guide you. I am working right now with a whole bunch of people who are beginners to running plus experienced runners one I coach placed 2nd in the Toronto Marathon. Please email me markerman@xtra.co.nz what I would like to know is how much running you have done in the past and up to now, your age so as not to push you or to get you to do something that would be detrimental to what we will do. Once I have that information we can set you on a journey to success and to reach your goal. Something to remember is if you have a Goal and the plan does not work, don’t change the goal change the Plan. This is one of my own photographs that I created a poster from for a Youth Runner I Coached just prior to her getting a Silver Medal in the New Zealand Junior Women’s 3000m Champs. Print the poster off and put it up where you can see it every day. If you can’t print it from here I will send you one that you can. Look forward to hearing from you. Check out Our Facebook Page, Run Timaru, to get an idea of what we are doing. Cheers Mario

  37. Avatar sk upadhayay says:

    nice post and awesome information . Really walking is one of the best exercise which helps to burn calories.

  38. Avatar Luis F Agüero says:

    Good post. I used to be a competitive runner back in high school, but got out of shape since then. My diet was all out of whack eating a lot of poor quality foods. I decided I wanted to lose some weight and get in shape in late March. I did a 5k run around the second week of April just to see where my time was at. Ever since then, I’ve been running pretty consistently more or less trying to build my aerobic base. I started working on a better diet since about June and it’s definitely hard to figure out! I’ve found out that it’s all about incremental progress. It’s better to figure things out over a period of time and keep with it rather than rush progress and end up quitting.

  39. Avatar jessica roupa says:

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  40. Avatar Ahmad Afzaal says:

    Great!!this article is very helpful and i started running and weigh about 180 lbs and i must decrease it to 130.

  41. Avatar Cheyenne says:

    I am trying to lose weight. My current weight is 188 points and I wanna loose at lease 30-40 pounds. My goal weight would be about 130. I will be running on a treadmill and watching what I eat closer. I just have an issue with not stop with the running. Any suggestions????

    • Avatar Leah says:

      Hi Cheyenne, I also weigh 188 with a goal weight of 145. I started at 198 and have lost 9.8 lbs in the last 4 weeks by keeping track of my food (I use a free app Loseit) and working out 3 days on/1 day off. I do various youtube workouts. Also drink green tea twice a day (which I used to hate). Now I’m running trails too. You can do it!

    • Avatar Brian K. Vaughan says:

      you can totally make this. I lost almost 40 pounds in 4 months a few years back. The main thing is watching what you eat. SOOOO important. Be persistent with your runs/ walk. Even when you really don’t want to or have something come up. Make it a priority in your life and it will take care of you in return.

  42. Avatar Lousia Wendorff says:

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  43. Avatar Amaranta says:

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  44. Avatar wavy gravy says:

    I have been trying to jog for the past month. The furthest I have gone at once is 2.5 km and that is seriously pushing it. I seem to build stamina and then lose it all. I now can only get to 1.5 km and even then it’s hard to catch my breath. Any advice as to gain more stamina? I would love to hit 5 km but I am feeling exhausted after 1 km and it isn’t seeming to improve.

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