Running for 30 minutes is more effective than one hour

If you want to lose weight in a quick and fun way, you might want to try running daily.  You need to keep in mind, however, that by not running for a full hour every day, you’ll get better results.

According to a group of researchers in the Department of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, running for half an hour a day will help you lose weight in less time than if you ran for a full hour.

Is this a surprising fact?  The test was performed on 60 Danish men who were moderately overweight.

Experimentation

Half of the men ran for 30 minutes over a period of 13 weeks.  The other half ran for an hour.  Both groups wore a heart rate monitor that measured both heart rate and calories.

Surprising results

After three months it was shown that the men that ran 30 minutes a day lost 3 kilos and 600 grams, while those that ran for an hour lost only 2 kilos, 700 grams.

The explanation

According to one of the researchers, Mads Rosenkilde, those that ran half an hour concentrated all of their energy in that short period of time, which allowed them to burn more calories.  They had more vitality to follow through because they had focused more energy during the day, than those that exercised for longer periods of time.

Eating more

Another point against the long distance, he added, could have been that those that ran for an hour could have been more confident in losing weight, and didn’t strictly control their diet, giving themselves permission to eat more.

If you’re interested in running or practicing it daily, it would be a good idea to follow this advice, and to choose to do so for only 30 minutes a day.

Other benefits of Running

Running daily does help control weight, but this is not the only benefit that comes along with this sport.

Avoid illnesses.

One of the primary benefits of running is that it reduces the risk of suffering from type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even strokes.

Strengthens muscles.

Improves aerobic performance while strengthening muscles and improving general blood circulation.

Creates endorphins

Anytime you exercise the brain produces endorfins, which are chemical substances responsible for the sensation of well-being.  This also could improve your mood, raise your self-esteem, reduce stress, and thereby improve emotional health.

Strengthens bones

Running is just one exercise that strengthens bones, thereby preventing osteoporosis.

You burn more calories.

You don’t need to run a marathon.  If you want to burn more calories all you need to do is run at a light pace, and you will consume more calories than if you were doing some other exercise.

Always be consistent and regular with this sport.  You’ll burn fat and notice quick results.

You won’t spend money

All you need to run is the will to do so, so long as your doctor has not recommended against it.  You don’t need expensive equipment, unless you decide to run on treadmills or ellipticals.

If you want to run outside, all you need are good shoes and the motivation to do so.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 08/30/2018

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