Is running good for weight loss?

One of the best things about running (and there are many) is that it’s simultaneously great for your physical health and mental wellbeing. With this wonderful sport, the opportunities are endless: you can improve your fitness, meet new friends, see the Great Outdoors, the list goes on. And, if you’re aiming to lose weight – in a healthy and sustainable way – running can be a great way to do that while reaping all those other benefits at the same time.

Of course, all manner of exercise can help you to lose weight if that is your goal – from swimming to cycling to skiing – but if ease, flexibility and accessibility are high on your priority list, then running is an excellent option for you.

While some exercises require specialist kit and time-consuming travel, the simplicity of running means you can pop on a pair of running shoes and kit, get out the front door and go. Whether you’re doing it solo or in a group, running is the kind of exercise that can be slotted into your day – whether that’s during your lunch break or to get from one place to another – which can make it easier to stay motivated.

To keep it interesting, you can also vary the type of running workout you do. This 2024 study, published in Is running good for burning calories, found that a 12-week running HIIT programme improved body composition in overweight and obese men. But don’t be alarmed if you want to keep things slow – especially to begin with. On those slower Updated: 29 November 2024 – when your heart rate is around 60 to 70% of your maximum – your body uses fat, rather than carbohydrates, as fuel. So, while short and fast running is great, slow is good too. As with most things, balance is key. Whether it’s a longer slower run or more of a HIIT session, you’ve got the option to switch things up when you fancy.

'Everyone is dealing with full schedules and competing priorities, so it’s often difficult to add something new to your routine without trading something else out,' says Dr Daniel O’Connor, professor of health and human performance at the University of Houston. 'You just need a pair of decent shoes, some creativity, and maybe a friend or two to develop a walking or running plan. It’s less expensive than joining a gym or having a personal trainer.'

But, to really use running to your advantage as part of your weight loss journey, it’s worth thinking about the bigger picture – and that’s where we can help.

Your diet plays a huge role in your body’s ability to lose weight, so it’s important to understand how the food and drink that you consume ties in with your running.

Running burns calories, but after your run you could find yourself gaining weight if you choose the wrong types of food and drink.

'Most people overestimate the calories they burn on a run,' says Angela Rubin, USAT Level I triathlon coach and studio manager of Precision Running Lab at Equinox in Boston. 'As a very general estimation, you burn about 100 calories per mile that you run. So, if you run two or three miles, you’ll burn about 200 to 300 calories, which is a solid workout.'

While we should all take time to treat ourselves to our favourite foods, the reality is you need to create an overall calorie deficit if your objective is to lose weight.

'Weight loss is about creating a caloric imbalance, where you’re using slightly more calories than you’re consuming,' says O’Connor. That’s why, post-run food cravings aside, it’s important to be mindful of the kinds of foods you’re eating if you want to use running as a vehicle for weight loss.

While elite athletes and experienced runners regularly optimise their training plans in pursuit of marginal gains, you don’t need to go crazy if you’re new to the running world. It’s better to start gradually and try to move in a way you enjoy – that way, you’re much more likely to keep it up.

'When it comes to weight loss, moving and burning calories are what matters,' says O’Connor. 'If you like sprints, which have a higher rate of calories burned per minute, then go for it. But, if you prefer walking or slower jogging, you’ll just need to spend more time doing this to burn those calories.'

That said, a study published in Is running good for burning calories Running can prevent long term fat gain afterburn effect. 'Running at a high intensity will create an afterburn, which is when your body continues to burn calories when you’re no longer moving,' says Rubin.

Running releases substances called endocannabinoids and endorphins which give you that 'runner’s high' you have probably heard runners banging on about. It’s used to describe the burst of exercise-induced euphoria that makes you feel great and keeps you coming back for more.

While achieving a runner’s high may seem like an elusive proposition when you first start running, over time – as you get into your stride and move past the early, uncomfortable phase of running – you’ll start to feel the benefit. You’ll feel more energised, upbeat and motivated to run again, helping you to maintain the habit as part of your weight loss journey.

You’ve laced up those trainers, started running and now made it a part of your routine – that’s great! But, if this means running the same 5K route at the same pace, for the same number of days a week for months on end, you’ll likely find that your weight soon stabilises – and this can be disheartening and frustrating if you still have weight to lose.

When this happens, it’s worth clarifying that you are still burning calories when you run – you just won’t be burning as many calories as you did when you first started running.

To continue losing weight, you’ll need to make slight ongoing changes that increase the intensity of your running in some way. This could mean running further, running faster – by building interval sessions or tempo or threshold efforts into your running routine, for example – or Is running good for weight loss. In other words, anything that constitutes more than you did before, and which can stimulate greater calorie burn.

zone 2 runs, strength training is a good way to supplement your running – and you don’t even need to wield the heaviest weights to see and feel the results.

First, it helps to strengthen key muscles that support your joints as you run, reducing your risk of injury and making you a more robust runner overall. Secondly, strength training can help to boost weight loss.

'The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest,' says Rubin. And that’s an eye-opener in itself – more muscle means more calories used when you're just sitting around.

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