Who would you rather look like?

I took up outdoor running in 2008 while searching for the perfect weight loss program. I went from running 3 miles a day 3-4 times a week to 6 miles 5 – 6 times a week. In a matter of months, I had signed up with running groups and got motivated to participate in 1/2 marathons. Running became my life and would rack up 25 -30 miles a week or more. My weight however did not budge.  I combined morning outdoor running with evening group workout sessions such as step aerobics, kickboxing and weight training classes. The most weight I ever lost was 3 Ibs and was far from toning up.

When I started serious weight training in 2010 I had to cut out long distance running for 2 reasons:

i) To achieve a toned look I needed to build muscle and burn fat. Long distance running burns fat, but it also burns muscle

ii) Instead of long distance running I took up sprinting /high intensity interval training whereby I would run (on a treadmill) at a very high speed for 2 minutes and then rest for 1 for a total of 30 minutes.

My opinion is that jogging,  running or sprinting WILL burn calories and help with weight loss but it cannot be the ONLY activity you engage in.  All three  ON THEIR OWN do different things to the body, produce totally different results and MUST be combined with strength/weight training and clean eating for a shapely, tighter body.

I choose sprinting because of its inexhaustible benefits and also because it supports my fitness goals.  Sprinting also provides a longer lasting post workout after-burn ( up to 24 hours) than any other form of running.  Not all Running Is Created Equal!

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