Want to get fit and stay fit? Running is a relativity cheap and easy way to get your body in shape. We will look at a few benefits of running and discuss some of the ways you can get motivated to stay in shape. All you need is a pair of shoes and the desire to get fit.
Benefits of Running to Get Fit
Running can have tremendous benefits to your overall health. The impact on cardio, body weight, strength, and mental health can be significant depending on your body condition and type. The benefits are widespread and can vary from person to person. Always make sure to check with a physician before undertaking a new activity such as running. Here are a few of the benefits:
- Cardiovascular fitness: Running will elevate your heart rate and lead to improved cardiovascular endurance and improved circulation. There are many factors that will influence your heart rate as you are running, but most will see improvement over time. I’ve been tracking my cardio fitness for a while and it’s remained high and gets higher in the summer when I log more miles. A common measurement is the VO2 max, or the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise.
- Losing Weight: There are also many factors that contribute to how many calories you will burn, but in general you will burn a significant amount of calories if you are running for long enough. This will lead to weight loss with the proper diet. Running as a regular workout, I’ve been able to maintain my current weight.
- Strengthening your core: Running will strengthen core muscles in addition to your legs and lower body due to the repetitive engagement of those muscle groups. You will probably notice this the most when you take part in other activities like walking, hiking, or biking. It should get easier for you the more miles you run.
- Mental Health: It will also improve mood and reduce stress due to the release of endorphins. I’ve used running to either relax from a stressful day or if I have to work through a problem. It’s a great time to be able to think through things.
- Improved Sleep and Immunity: Regular activity can improve the quality of your sleep. It will also improve your immune system. Combine those together and you will be less prone to illnesses.
Motivation to Get Fit
There are tons of great resources out there to develop your own training plans. Whether you’ve never run before or you are a seasoned runner, there are still great resources to develop a plan to help you stay fit. The bigger challenge is not creating a plan, but sticking to it. I hope to cover a few things I’ve tried to stay motivated with a workout plan or routine. Here are a few ideas:
- Build a routine: Once you figured out your training plan, the best place to start is to create a schedule. Unfortunately, you will probably not see results to get fit by occasionally running at random times. The best is to create a schedule by day on when you plan to run, how far, and at what times. Find the schedule that works best for you. I prefer to run at lunch time, so I plan my schedule accordingly. I run on Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Typically Saturday is when I do a longer run and I use Sunday and Thursday as rest days. My Wednesdays I try to cross-train.
- Find your accountability: Sticking to a schedule is the hardest part. I’ve tried a few methods to stick to a schedule. Get a training buddy, or someone that can check in on the status of your run for that day. Share a calendar with that person. Getting into a habit will make it harder to skip a day, because you don’t feel like running. You an use social media, apps that tracking your mileage, or even buy an calendar is put it on the wall using an “x” to mark the days you run. Be creative to what works for you.
- Make it something to look forward to: Running outside during the period of covid seemed to be much easier, because I couldn’t stand being inside all day during the warm summer days. It was my 30 minutes to get out of the house. Listen to podcasts or books, find a new album to listen to, or plan a run in a very scenic place. Go as far to have a Gatorade or recovery drink after your run to make it even more special. You can also invite a friend to run with. Whatever simple thing you can do to make it special will start to create that habit.
Get Fit and Stay Fit
Running can be a great way to get into shape. If you live in a climate where you can run outdoors, the most expensive thing could be the shoes you run with and you can get out and run at any time. The limitation will mostly be your motivation to commit to a run that day. Make sure you create the right routine for you and make it something to look forward to. If you feel a run is a special time, you will be more included to stick to the schedule and it will eventually become a habit. Check out different resources to build your plan, like Runner’s World or use Hal Higdon for marathon training. Consult experts to find a plan right for you. The hardest part is not coming up with the plan. We hope some of these ideas make it easier to get fit and stay fit!