I have been asked this many times before by people who love to run but have heard that it may not be the best way to lose weight.  It is true that running alone is not the best way to lose weight.  However, to answer the question in the title of this post…

Yes, running does help you lose weight.

However, that doesn’t mean that it is the preferred way to lose weight.  In fact, any type of physical activity will help you lose weight.

If you are looking to lose fat, which I’m assuming that’s the type of weight you are looking to lose, then you are better off combining weight training with cardio activity such as running, biking, swimming or any thing else that gets your heart rate into the training zone for an extended period of time.

Running is a favorite of the Marine Corps but when you rely solely on running for your fat loss efforts, you will run into a few problems.

1. You will lose muscle mass 

If you do not incorporate weight training into your workout program, it will not be possible for you to maintain or grow muscle mass.  Muscle mass is important in fat loss because the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn.  If you lose muscle mass, you will actually make it more difficult to lose fat.

2. You may encounter injuries

If you are not providing some kind of variety within your workout regimen, you may be more prone to injuries.  Running can leave you wide open for many injuries including knee injuries, ankle injuries, shin splints along with various sprains and strains.

3. You may experience burnout

You’ve probably experienced burnout in another area of your life and know that once it happens, it’s nearly impossible to get going again.  When you run all the time and include no additional training in your program, you are likely to experience this burnout.  Avoid it by introducing other types of training in your program.

Running is a great exercise and I believe everyone should include running or some type of cardiovascular activity in their workout program.  However, you need not run daily and you should switch it up a little in order to avoid burnout.  Effective fat loss requires a combination of cardio, strength training and nutriton.  If you leave one of these out, you will not be able to reach your fat loss goals.