Quick Bites: Running To Lose Weight
 

Quick Bites: Running To Lose Weight

A reader asks whether faster miles help you lose weight faster. Joanna’s response? Yes...and no. By Joanna Golub From the February 2011 issue of Runner's World

Hi, I'm Joanna Golub, nutrition editor at Runner's World magazine, and here's another quick bite.

Today, we're taking a question from Alex from Washington D.C., who asks:

"To lose weight, am I better off running lots of slow miles or fewer but faster miles?"

The simple answer is running at any speed expends about one hundred calories per mile. However, running at a seven minute per mile pace does burn a few more calories than say running at a ten minute mile pace because of the added effort. So, in the short-term, running fewer but faster miles does burn more calories.

The problem is when you add on lots of extra miles in a high gear, you risk getting injured. Adding a few slow miles each week is going to create a steady calorie deficit and over time that's going to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Thanks for writing Alex, if any of you have nutrition or weight loss questions for us feel free to send them to rwedit@Rodale.com

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