Why Running Is Probably The Best Way To Burn Fat And Lose Weight PERMANENTLY

Before actually starting running, most beginners are still trying to convince themselves that running to lose weight is the best thing they can do to drop those pounds and keep that fat off their bellies forever. If you find yourself asking yourself those questions before you actually get out and start exercising, then maybe this story will help make up your mind.

Being in my mid-to-late-twenties, the effects of a slowing metabolism has been creeping up on me for a couple of years now. Just last Christmas, when I found myself weighing at 140 pounds — an astounding 25 pounds more than I was just a year and a half ago. I felt grossed out with myself when I saw the holiday pictures — never have I seen my face to be that chubby before!

(Before you get jealous that I was “only” 140, keep in mind that I’m a short guy — my height is 5’3”. So if you calculate my body mass index, that easily puts me at the Overweight category.)

That’s when the first “snap” moment happened, and I decided to take my health more seriously than ever. Gone are the college days when I could drink a six-pack of beer and have pizza for dinner everyday and never gain weight. I had to do something, and fast.

I took on a serious diet and drastically cut down what I ate. Because I took working out pretty seriously back in college, I knew that I should be working out — but I didn’t. True enough, I did shed quite a few pounds after a month or two and got back down to 130.

Then I went on a 3-week vacation in April.

I’m sure you know how it goes: you’re too busy to even THINK about working out. You’re eating out all the time and don’t give a damn whatsoever about calorie control. Hell, drink all the beer that you want — life is short so live it drunk!

When I got back, I shot back up to 136 pounds. In just 3 short weeks.

I KNEW that if I wanted to drop the pounds and keep them off for good, there really was no way around it; I was going to have to buckle up, bite the bullet, and *gasp* run.

My weight regulated down to around 132-134 pounds after that, but I still looked bloated. I still didn’t like the way I looked in pictures. So after having another “snap” moment, I put on my shorts and shoes, grabbed my brother’s iPod (my Zune broke while I was on vacation) and went on running.

It was difficult at first, but I managed to get that workout under my belt. I’d run an average of 3-4x per week; sometimes running only 2, sometimes going as much as 5 workouts — depending on my motivation level. I was also going through some personal issues at this time, and I found that running was an excellent way to forget all my problems at least momentarily.

A month or two of dedicated myself to running so I could lose weight, and I found myself down to 125 pounds.

The moment of truth came when I went on another 3-week vacation. Except this time, I only gained 2-3 pounds after I got back. Not to mention, my friends complimented me on how much healthier I looked, not just on how much weight I lost.

Because of the way that weight loss works, the weight loss you get from exercise is much more permanent than any prolonged period of dieting will give you (you can read here for my take on why weight loss from running and exercise is better than a short-term diet).