Running may be one of the best and most effective and efficient exercises to lose weight and fat. Many people start running because they want to lose weight and increase their overall fitness levels. It is true that running can be the best way to reduce fat and reduce pounds, but what is the best way to use running to reduce weight and fat.

If a person decides to use running to achieve their weight loss goals there is some good news and some bad news that they should know.

Bad News About Running to Lose Fat And Weight

Weight loss and fat loss will not happen as fast as you like. You will have to exercise some patients. You will have to watch what you eat and you will have to run consistently to see results.

Good News About Running to Lose Fat And Weight

The easy runs are better than hard runs when the goal is to shed pounds and fat. Long slow running is better than short sprints when trying to lose fat.

Running Strategies For Maximum Weight Loss

According to the National Weight Control Registry the amount of time needed per week to lose fat and weight while running is four hours. The amount of running mileage that is recommended is 20 miles per week. The goal is to exercise enough to burn between 2000 - 2500 calories a week. Please read How to build mileage with out injuring yourself. The strategy is to build your mileage without causing injury to your body and develop a disciplined approach that will allow you to run 20 miles a week of relaxed running.

Go for long and slow runs. For runners to burn through stored glycogen they will have to run for approximately 45 minuets. Slow running will put you into the fat-burning zone where a runner's body will start to use the stored fats as a source of energy. The strategy is to do shorter runs during the week and on the weekend do a long run. The shorter runs are to be built into your plan as a way to continue to run, but not to over tax your body. Design your running plan so that you have two weeks of building up your mileage and one week of a pull back.

Once a runner has built up a mileage base and has been consistently running add some quick tempo runs into your running workouts. Toward the end of an easy run do three or four sprints mixed in with rest periods. Make your sprints about 75% of your maximum, then decelerate by running or walking then repeat with another sprint. Tempo runs introduce burst of speed into your running that will increase the number of calories a runner's body will burn. Tempo runs will also cause your body to burn more calories after you have completed your run.ies that your body burns after you have finished running.

Run Constitently

If there is a magic bullet or a secret to running and weight loss it is being consistent with your running. If your goal is to lose weight, you are not going to lose it by running once a week. Likewise you are not going to lose weight by running 20 miles one week and none the next. Try to run 3-5 times per week. If you need some motivation to run read these motivational quotes from mostly runners.

Change It Up

Change the route you run. Change the surface you run on. Change the location that you start from. Sometimes run for distance, sometimes run for time. Changing up things every couple of weeks will help keep you motivated, and make your running more enjoyable.

The Not Fun and Hard Part of Weight Loss

Once a runner has built a good mileage base they will become more relaxed at running. At this point most runners will say that running is easy, it's eating the correct food that is the hard part of staying in shape. It is also not to much fun.

Combine Eating Healthy

If your goal is to lose weight and fat by becoming a runner you are going to have to eat healthy. You will only lose weight by burning more calories than you consume. Studies have shown to lose a pound the human body needs to burn, about 3500 calories. A combination of running and eating a healthy diet will help you achieve your goals.

Many runners will run and not take into account that they need to watch the extra calories that they eat. A common mistake that runners do to sabotage there hard work and running is to overcompensate for the calories that they just burned by running.

Many runners lose track of the amount of calories they are eating. A way to keep a close eye on calorie consumption is to start a food journal. Write down everything that you eat through out the day. Having a journal and recording your food intake will help you see where you can make improvements in your diet.