Achieving Results: Tips for Running 20 Minutes a Day

How long before I see results from running 20 mins a day? 2 miles?

Im 285, Male. I started running last Monday (it’s currently the following Tuesday) 20 mins a day, 5 days a week, and I started eating well, way better than I used to before starting my running regimen. How long before I see results? and how can I see them quickly? tips, please? If you are keeping up with your diet and getting enough activity you should see results within the first week.

Steady Weight Loss

You will probably get a few big drops first, between 5 to even 14 pounds at times. This is normal, but make note, that you are only losing water weight during this time. After the second or third week, you’ll have smaller drops of about 1 to even 5 pounds normally. A lot of people can get discouraged and quit at this point. DON’T! It’s normal and to be expected. When I was losing weight, my average was between 2 to 3 pounds a week. It took me about 6 months to lose 40 pounds, though there are methods to lose that much weight faster. I wouldn’t recommend it, most of these quick fixes can create bad habits ruining your metabolism or can pose health risks. Just remember to use common sense, everything in moderation, and slow and steady wins the race. Since I have been off of my diet I have never been over eight again, and it’s been almost 3 years now too.

as far as what you can do with your activity. I would up my workout routine to 30 minutes, or carry a pedometer and make sure I got at least 5000 steps in one day. You can also add an extra day and do 6 days taking one day to rest. Later add variety and so some weights, or biking outdoors etcetera. This will keep you from plateauing. You may also consider doing tougher interval running but it will give you better results than just running.

Smart Eating Habits

Food-wise, don’t skip out on meals you are more than likely to overeat later. Not to mention it might only slow down your metabolism further. Find healthy alternatives or more sensible portions to foods you already love, this will keep you from feeling restricted and can enforce good eating habits. Graze during the day, just graze rather than eat 3 meals a day. Getting your daily meals in smaller segments during the day can boost your metabolism. Recommended 3 smaller meals and three snacks during the day. Typically it would go like this; Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner, Snack, you don’t want to wait more than 4 hours to put something in your stomach though, or else your body goes into starvation mode rather burning your body can be storing fat.

Also, you may want to invest in a scale that not only lets you know how much you weigh but can also read water and fat percentages. Your fat percentage is probably more important than weight itself since fairly skinny people can still have all the risks of an overweight person if it is too high. Not to mention muscle weights more than fat, and a scale can’t tell them apart.

Other things to help you see results,

With a tape measure, you can take some of your body measurements before your next workout and check them once or twice a month to see how many inches you’ve dropped.
Take a picture of yourself and store it. Once you reach your mid-goal weight, or you’re feeling like you want to give up, bring it out and remind yourself why you are doing this, and that person isn’t you anymore. Not to mention you can see how far you’ve come along. I bet you won’t even recognize yourself.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and have a support group, this can be other people trying to lose weight, or even just your family and friends cheering you on. who knows your new look on health can have positive effects on everyone else around you. Other than that have fun doing it! We all know you can do it!