One of the easiest and most effective ways to keep fit is to have a regular running regime. Whether you choose to jog, sprint, cross-country run or even participate in marathons, you are doing a form of aerobic exercise which will maintain the health of your heart, muscles, bones and lungs. Moreover, running is a great way to burn off those excess calories and therefore help you to lose weight. You can run indoors or outdoors, and you can spend as little or as much money investing in the sport as you like – some runners prefer to stay inside on a treadmill, whilst others prefer the cost-free option of jogging around a park or along a road. The key is to know what your goals are, understand your limits, and to simply take a deep breath and go for it!

Starting to Run

Determining where to start with running is always tricky, particularly for people who haven’t exercised much in the past. By starting off at a walking pace and working up to a jog, you can figure out what level of fitness you are at without over-exerting yourself and unintentionally putting yourself off the whole process. If you are running outside, pick a route which is clear of obstacles (try to avoid busy roads, overgrown paths, or anywhere that you could fall or slip) and if you are intending to run at night, make sure the route is well-lit. If you are running inside on a treadmill, start on the lowest setting (of both speed and incline) and progressively work your way up to a speed that you are comfortable at. In both instances (indoor and outdoor), experiment with pushing yourself to run at faster speeds for short bursts, as this will raise your heart rate and therefore help you to burn off calories and increase the flow of oxygen around your body.

Advanced Running Techniques

Once you are a confident runner and you are finding it easy to maintain your running speed, you may find that your weight loss slows and your muscle tone levels out. This is sometimes referred to as ‘reaching the plateau’. In order to continue improving your fitness and physique it may be necessary to increase the distance that you are running, the speed that you are running at, or the way in which you run. Small hand-weights (light dumbbells) carried as you run can be a good way to increase your level of fitness as they tone your arms and force your body to work harder as it carries the additional weight. Including a flight of stairs into your route may also be helpful, as stair-climbing works different muscles in your legs and arms. Running on an incline, either outdoors (up hills) or on a treadmill, is another easy way to change your work-out – it works the muscles in your thighs and back and increases your heart-rate. The secret is not to let yourself get stuck into a routine – once you are happy that you are at a suitable level of fitness, run a different route or program on your treadmill and you’ll quickly see the difference.