How to Lose Quarantine Weight Running
Photo by Marques Jackson Photography.
By Marnie Kunz,
NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified run coach
If you’re wondering how to lose quarantine weight, running is a great option. Running is a high-intensity workout that burns more calories than most forms of exercise. As a running coach, I’ve had a lot of people come to me for help losing weight that they gained during thepandemic. I’m sharing my top tips to help you lose quarantine weight running and enjoy a healthier life.
Quarantine Weight Gain
According to a research study published by JAMA Network Open, more than 7,400 self-reported weight measurements from about 270 middle-aged men and women across the country from February to June 2020 showed that participants’ weight steadily increased by about 1.5 pounds per month. If that monthly weight gain continued from February 2020 until June 2021, that would be a 25-pound weight gain during the pandemic.
If you’ve gained weight during this time, or if you have been wanting to lose weight for a long time, the first step is to stop beating yourself up. As you can see from the statistics, many people have gained weight so you are not alone. And now is a great time for new beginnings and adding some new healthy habits to the mix.
How to Lose Quarantine Weight with Running
Running (and swimming) burn the most amount of calories of any aerobic exercise, so running is a great way to lose quarantine weight. Also, there are so many benefits of running — from reducing your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure to improving mental health. So you may start running for weight loss and end up loving it and running for so many more reasons.
Here is how to lose quarantine weight running:
Follow a running plan. Whether you make your own training program or hire a running coach to design you one, a plan will keep you accountable and push you to make progress with your fitness and weight loss goals. A running plan will also help you avoid injury by increasing your workouts and miles gradually.
Be consistent. There is no quick fix for weight loss but the more consistent you are, the faster you’ll achieve your quarantine weight loss results. Incorporate a run into your day 5 times a week for the best results. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up or freak out — just jump back into your regular training plan the next day.
Be patient. It will take consistency and time to reach your weight loss goals, so don’t panic at a few setbacks or bumps in the road. As long as you follow your training plan and stick to healthy eating, you will make long-term progress with your quarantine weight loss and be able to keep the weight off.
Add strength. Adding strength training to your running program will boost your muscle mass and fat burning and increase your metabolism more quickly. Incorporate weight training into your running program and you will see fitness results even faster.
Add intensity. Running at high intensity — such as interval speed workouts — burns a lot more calories per minute than slow running and will help you lose quarantine weight faster. Add one or two speed workouts a week to your training program and you will see results more quickly.
Healthy Eating
Burning calories is only half the equation, so make sure you make healthy food choices and eat enough nutrients. Many runners I coach who want to lose weight are on drastic, restrictive diets when I meet them. These fad diets are unhealthy and not sustainable. I generally advise eating real, unprocessed foods and including at least some carbs in your diet, as runners need carbs to convert to energy for running.
I personally have lost weight using the Noom app and found the food tracking aspect and psychology lessons very helpful, and it syncs with running apps to help calculate your daily caloric needs. That said, I am not a nutritionist and if you need a detailed eating plan, seeing a certified nutritionist is your best bet for learning long-term, healthy eating strategies that work for you.
Resources: Runstreet Training Center
Related Posts: Running for Weight Loss Guide, 16 Running Benefits That Will Get You Moving Now, Speed Training for Beginners, 4 Best Track Workouts to Improve Your Running
Marnie Kunz is a USATF and RRCA-certified running coach and NASM-certified trainer and the creator of Runstreet Art Runs, which bring together communities through running and street art. She is a Brooklyn resident, Akita mom, and writer.
