Runners come in all shapes and sizes, and being overweight doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get to enjoy all the benefits of running. If you’re overweight, running can help you improve your health, get in shape, boost your confidence, and lose weight.
Getting started with running may be more challenging for overweight people, since they’re carrying more body fat and tend to get winded more easily than those who are leaner. They’re also more at risk for some common running injuries because of the pressure on their joints. This is especially true if you’ve had a sedentary lifestyle for a while.
However, you can work through these challenges and enjoy running, as long as you approach it slowly and safely.
Here’s some advice for how overweight runners can start and continue a healthy running habit, while reaping all of the mental and physical health benefits.
Check with your doctor first.
Before you start a regular running routine, you should check with your doctor to get medical clearance for running. Getting approval from a health care professional is an important step for any sedentary individual who’s new to running, but it’s crucial if you’re overweight.
Share your running plan and goals with your doctor and have him/her assess your plan and any potential risks or issues. Talk about any pre-existing conditions or previous injuries that might affect your ability to run.
Let your doctor know if you’re hoping to lose weight through running. He or she may have some additional advice, recommendations, or referrals that can assist you in your weight loss efforts. Your doctor may also want to give you an exercise stress test on a treadmill to rule out any cardiovascular issues.
Get the right shoes for your feet and running style.
Finding the right running shoes for you is crucial to feeling comfortable while running and avoiding injuries. If you’re overweight, the extra weight and pressure on your joints can make you even more vulnerable to injuries, such as shin splints, knee, hip and even back pain. Ill-fitting shoes can also lead to foot problems such as foot blisters and black toenails.
Go to a running specialty store, where they can do a running gait analysis and recommend the right shoes for your running style, foot, and body type. They may suggest shoes with extra cushioning, good arch support, or some other special feature. Once you find the right running shoes for you, you can always save money by finding deals online.
Start with walking.
Don’t expect to start running right away. If you try to do too much too soon, you may just feel discouraged and possibly get injured. If you’ve been inactive for a couple of months or longer, you should start with walking.
You can begin walking on a treadmill, outside, or even in a pool. Just get your body used to the activity. Start with walking for five minutes a day for a week. Adding just a little bit of activity to you day will get you in the habit of being more active. Each week you can add another five minutes.
Build up to walking for 20 minutes before you start to add some running.
Mix in running intervals with your walking intervals.
Once you’ve built up your fitness through walking, you can start a run/walk strategy, which is a smart and safe way to comfortably build your running endurance.
Start your run/walk session by warming up with a 10-minute brisk walk to get your heart rate up and blood flowing to your muscles.
Next, run easy for 1 minute and then walk for 2 minutes. The walk should be an active rest, not a complete break. Don’t just do an easy walk. Walk with a purpose, like power walking, to make sure you’re getting a good cardio workout.
You should run at an easy, conversational pace, which means you should be able to speak in complete sentences. You shouldn’t be breathing heavy. Try to practice deep belly breathing as you’re running.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 20 minutes, then finish with a 5-minute walk as a cool down.
As your one-minute walk intervals become easier, you can increase the time of your run intervals and decrease your walk intervals.
Follow a schedule.
If you want a schedule to follow, check out the following beginner-friendly running schedules:
- 30-Day Beginner Runner Training Schedule
- 3 Weeks to 30-Minute Running Habit
- 4 Week Beginner Running Schedule to Run 2 Miles
While some people try to get to the point where they can run continuously without walk breaks, others prefer to stick with run/walk as a long-term strategy, using intervals such as run 3 minutes/walk 1 minute or run 2 minutes/walk 30 seconds. Many runners take walk breaks during training and racing.
Build your confidence.
Some people avoid running in public because they’re concerned about what others will say or think when they see them running or hear they’re starting to run. They worry that people will judge them or tell them it’s not the right exercise for them.
Try to focus on how hard you’re trying to improve your health by running (or doing any form of exercise) and not think about the naysayers. In most cases, anyone who’s critical is just jealous or insecure. And people are most likely be impressed with your efforts, not judging you.
Runners actually love seeing other people enjoying the sport, regardless of their pace, size, or shape. If you’re worried about what non-runners think, just remind yourself how hard you’re working and that they’re missing out on all the benefits of running.
To build your confidence, get a couple key running gear items to help you feel more comfortable when running. Work on improving your running form so you feel like more of a runner.
As you continue running and building up your endurance, you’ll feel more confident about running and think less about other people’s opinions.
If family members or friends do challenge you and tell you that you shouldn’t be running, here are some tips on how to deal with the naysayers.
Mix it up to beat boredom.
One of the reasons some people don’t stick with a running habit is that they start to get bored. Try to add some fun to your runs by running with friends, listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts, and varying your routes. If you’re running on a treadmill, watch your favorite shows or try an interval workout. Try some of these ideas to beat boredom when running outside or on a treadmill.
Add some strength-training.
Try to incorporate at least one or two strength-training sessions in your weekly routine. Not only will you burn calories while you’re strength-training, but your increased lean muscle mass will help you run faster and longer, and increase your calorie burn when running. Strength-training can also reduce your risk of running injuries, so you’ll be able to keep running by staying injury-free.
You don’t need to belong to a gym or have special equipment to strength train. Even just 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises done at home two times a week can have a beneficial effect on your overall fitness and weight loss efforts. Here are some sample bodyweight exercise routines for runners.
Challenge yourself.
And once you’ve built up your endurance with run/walk, you should continue to challenge yourself by increasing your effort or distance during your runs. Not only will you pump up your calorie burn and continue to improve your fitness, but it’s another way to prevent you from getting bored with your routine.
Here’s how you can start to add some speed to your runs: Start with an easy jog for a mile and then run at a faster pace (breathing heavy but still in control) for a minute. Then, recover at an easy run pace or walk for a minute. Continue with this pattern for two miles, then cool down with an easy jog or walk for 5 to 10 minutes. When that gets too easy, you can increase the time of your speed intervals or do some hill repeats instead.
Will Running Help Me Lose Weight?
Running is not a magic bullet for weight loss, but it can be a powerful tool to help you lose weight and keep it off. It’s important that you’re careful to avoid some common pitfalls and weight loss mistakes that runners make.
One of the biggest challenges to losing weight through running is dealing with an increased appetite. You’re burning a lot of calories, so you’re going to feel hungry and need some calories to power you through your runs.
Some runners end up undoing all of their hard work and calorie burning by giving into cravings or rewarding themselves with unhealthy foods.
One way to avoid mindless eating is to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with foods that make up a nutritious, heart-healthy diet, such as whole grains, fish, lean meats, vegetables and fruits. They’ll provide essential nutrients, help fuel your workouts properly and aid in your post-run recovery. You should also try to minimize the amount of processed foods you eat.
Another smart strategy is to spread out your calories and eat five to six small meals throughout the day, rather than eating three big meals. Spreading out your calories will help you reduce your overall hunger and prevent binging in between meals. You’ll also have more flexibility in scheduling your runs because you won’t have to wait until you digest big meals.
Track Your Calories
Use the National Institute of Health’s Body Weight Planner tool to determine how many calories you need each day, based on your weight, height, sex, age, overall activity, and weight goal.
Once you know how many calories you need, track your food and drinks using an app such as MyFitnessPal and aim to meet that daily calorie needs goal. Research shows that people who track their food consumption are more successful at losing weight and maintaining it than those who don’t. By tracking your calories, you’ll be able to identify areas for improvement and small tweaks to you eating plan.
How Much Should I Run to Lose Weight?
Running is an efficient way to burn calories, but it will help with weight loss only if becomes a regular part of your healthy lifestyle. The average person will burn approximately 100 calories when running for a mile. Even if you’re walking or run/walking, you should burn the same amount of calories to go a mile (it will just take longer).
So, if you run or walk 35 miles over a week’s time, you would lose one pound per week. That would also assume that you don’t increase your caloric intake.
Source: Mayo Clinic. Running and Weight Loss. May 17, 2021
About the author: Christine Luff is a certified RRCA running coach, and certified as a personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist, and a weight management specialist by the American Council on Exercise. Her book, Run for Good: How to Create a Lifelong Running Habit, is available on Amazon.
