You may have heard of all the injuries people can sustain while running. You may have heard that running puts stress on your knees or joints. Like any form of exercise, running must be done correctly to avoid injury and long-term negative consequences.
But once you’re in proper shape and understand how running affects your body, you can reap many short- and long-term benefits. These are the main changes on a beginner running body:
- Increased Endurance: As you continue to run, your body will adjust and become more efficient at using oxygen and fuel, allowing you to run for longer periods of time without feeling fatigued.
- Improved Cardiovascular Health: Running strengthens the heart and lungs, leading to improved cardiovascular health.
- Improved Muscle Tone: Running tones and strengthens your muscles, leading to improved physical performance and a more toned physique.
- Weight Loss: Running is an excellent way to burn calories and lose weight.
- Reduced Stress Levels: Regular running can help to reduce stress levels and improve mental health.
- Improved Joint Health: Running strengthens the muscles and tendons around the joints, leading to improved joint health and a reduced risk of injury.
Stimulates bone development
Running is a load-bearing exercise. While this increases the likelihood of joint injury from impact, it also improves your skeleton. Constant running can have a huge impact on bone strength or thickness.
This is especially important for older runners. Running can help prevent bone loss and deterioration as you age, allowing you to maintain your stamina over time.
Make new friends
According to The Independent, around nine million people in the UK say they often feel lonely and many struggle to form lasting social connections with others. This is an alarming statistic that I believe running can combat.
Many people think that running is a solitary sport. After all, it’s not a team sport (unless it’s a relay) and most runners you’ve seen on the road tend to run solo. However, this is not the case; There are countless ways to make new friends as a runner.
Stock up on healthy foods
Make sure the foods you eat match your weight loss plans. I find that whole grain carbs and lean proteins like beans and lentils work best with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Prepare a healthy snack ready to eat right after your run.
When running to lose weight, don’t look for overnight perfection. Get used to running first. By the time he’s two to three weeks old and running is becoming a habit, it’s time to revamp his diet, one small step at a time. Forget looking for a halo, better not change everything at once.
Improved Stamina
When you start running, you may only be able to cover a few miles without passing out. Give it a few weeks though and you will slowly but surely improve.
By the end of week 3 or 4 you should be able to run a much greater distance than when you started. Your lungs and legs have adapted to the level of exercise you’re getting, and you can run further (and faster) before your legs tire or your lungs start to burn.
