How Running Helps You Stay in Shape? We Have Answers.
Want to stay in shape the natural way? To get an amazing body, you don't need to put yourself through radical diets and intensive workouts. In fact, running should be enough to keep you fit, as long as you do it regularly. What's more, you can reduce your chances of developing chronic diseases that compromise your health. And as a bonus, running can actually turn out to be a fun and enjoyable activity!
So, what exactly does running offer to your body? The following are just a few of the benefits that you can get from running regularly.
1. Stay fit as you continue to burn calories.
It's only logical that as you do your workouts, you burn calories along the way. But here's a shocker for you – your body continues to churn excess calories even after you exercise. Now, that's a great motivation to exercise since it's effortless to stay in shape this way.
Running makes this "after-burn" effect happen, which researchers call as the Excess Post Oxygen Consumption or EPOC. Simply put, you shed extra calories after you stop running. The longer you run, the more calories you keep on burning even while at rest.
You'll also be amazed at the fact that there's no need to sprint at lightning speed to reap these benefits. You only have to run slightly faster than your regular pace, but at a slower rate than a typical marathon speed. This should be easy for people who want to stay in shape yet don't normally run on a daily basis.
2. Boost your stamina by running.
The secret to maintaining a svelte and toned physique is by exercising regularly. If you get tired quickly, it's unlikely for you to consider keeping up with your workouts. Chances are, you will just cut down the amount of time spent doing your routines. The drawback? Failed attempts at staying in shape.
This is why you should run regularly to enhance your stamina. Your leg muscles also get stronger as you run on a daily basis, which helps boost your speed and endurance. As you build muscles, this can help absorb the impact from running. While your stamina improves, your joints will also go through less stress with every stride.
Do you find it hard to control your appetite? No matter how many calorie you lose, this doesn't help at all if your craving for food is intense. You may only end up replacing the calories burned immediately after the workout – and perhaps take in more than you should.
What running does is it increases the production of the peptide YY in the body. This hormone aids in suppressing the appetite. So, you don't have the urge to gobble up massive amounts of food after your routines. In fact, you'll be just the opposite as you consume less food in a day.
For people who live on pizzas, cheeseburgers, and everything that's not even good to eat, they don't even know when they're already full to take more food in. Scientists have discovered that too much "bad" fats impact the brain's ability to detect satiety. The hypothalamus, or that portion of the brain responsible for signaling hunger, is thrown off balance by excessive fats. When this happens, people can go to great lengths with their food intake. Various medical conditions soon arise including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
Scientists have conducted experiments to prove that exercising could lead to satiety while minimizing people's food intake. They have come up to the conclusion that exercising increases the protein levels found in the hypothalamus region. Such higher levels of protein put essential hormones to work, which control the appetite. Leptin and insulin hormones become more sensitive in detecting satiety, so you don't end up overeating.
4. Shed stubborn fat to lose weight.
Why take fat-burning pills, when you can just run and melt the fat away? Running supports a more efficient metabolic rate, which helps you lose weight and stay in shape. If you want to supercharge your body's ability to burn calories, then running is the way to make this happen.
If you have issues with reducing stubborn fat, you may try setting up a running program. Although it may be tough to shift stubborn fat, an effective fitness routine that involves running can do the trick. The idea is to establish a program that you'll keep on a long-term basis. It may take a longer time for you to get the result you want. But as you keep with the program, you will notice an improvement in your weight and fitness level.
Some people assume that the longer they exercise, the more they want to replace a number of calories burned. However, scientific studies give the opposite concept on this matter. In fact, the International Journey of Obesity has published a study that revealed how running could support weight loss. In the study, runners were observed to have higher levels of blood sugar and blood lactate. This means that they have fewer desires to eat, also due to the lower levels of ghrelin or the hormone that stimulates appetite.
Running, along with other types of workout, can help you lose weight and stay fit. However, you need to realize that if your body works hard, you should replenish it with proper nutrition. This is essential in refueling and repairing your muscles. The longer distance you run, the more you need to eat to make sure your body is not becoming deficient of calories and nutrients. The idea is to choose the right foods to eat and combine these with running regularly.
You see, staying in shape does not need to be a complicated process. Running offers several benefits to your body, which includes weight loss and enhanced fitness level. Just make it a point to prepare yourself before a long run, eat the right foods, and be sure you get adequate nutrients from your daily food intake. These all help you achieve a strong and toned body without compromising your overall health.