The Best Way to Run During Your Weight Loss Journey

No matter how you’re losing weight – surgery, diet, exercise, or weight loss medications- exercises are crucial to hitting your goals and ultimately maintaining that weight loss once you reach them. However, many patients are concerned about which exercises may be best for them, and the question is justified. Importantly, this applies particularly to running, which offers excellent lower-body toning, cardio, and calorie burn but can also be very strenuous on the legs and joints, especially when patients carry extra weight. So, what are the best ways to run, and how do we ensure we don’t injure ourselves?

Know the Path

Avoid running on hard surfaces. While it may be easiest to run down the street or sidewalk as you see many others do, running on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt is not advisable, especially with excess weight. The impact on your body is tremendous when you do so, and the excess weight can put additional strain on the knee and ankle joints. This can cause significant pain and ultimately create joint problems in the future. Instead of running on hard surfaces, find grassy areas or sand, as the impact is significantly lower. Just watch for uneven terrain.

How Often and Far You Run Is Critical

Like other forms of exercise, running too often or too far can cause significant pain due to overstressing the muscles, ligaments, and joints, mainly if they are not used to that much strain. We’ve all heard of the dreaded shin splints. These are very painful and will stop your running in its tracks. Too much running can make the shin bones more porous and increase the fracture risk. These concerns may ultimately cause you to stop running and lose critical exercise time.

Invest in Proper Shoes

We don’t often think about this, but your shoe is the only cushion between your foot and the surface on which you’re running. If you are truly dedicated to running, you must find a shoe that matches your needs. Yes, it may be expensive, but it is well worth it. You certainly want to have a shoe that offers the support and cushioning that you need to make running a long-term activity.

Get Professional Advice

Your running style is unique, and as you lose weight, it may change. Speak to a professional at your local running store to understand more about your gait and how that may affect your joints as well as your choice of shoe. Again, it’s well worth investing in professional advice to ensure that the fundamentals of your running campaign are solid.

The Bottom Line

If you are carrying extra weight and want to start a new and exciting exercise program, you must take your time. For many, a good start might be swimming or a brisk walk. This will help develop the musculature of the legs and prepare you for more vigorous exercise. Similarly, zone two training, which we have discussed in other articles, can be an excellent way to improve foundational training and create a base for more intensive workouts.

A successful exercise program after bariatric surgery or while taking weight loss medications is based on a combination of how much exercise you perform, how intense it is, and how many calories you burn. But it is also a question of risk mitigation by reducing the likelihood of being injured, especially with high-impact exercises like running.