Lose Weight by Running
While Maintaining Your
Sanity and Happiness

Before we start talking about tips for how to lose weight by running, let's go over some easy diet tips that will help you lose weight without starving yourself, and while still enjoying life. And let's face it, food is a big part of what makes life enjoyable.

These two diet tips alone have helped me lose weight.

Drink alcoholic beverages a little less. That comes with having a baby anyway. You no longer have time to go out every night and drink and party, so you drink alcoholic beverages occasionally and make the beverage intake more hydrating. I make sure to drink three or four 20-oz bottles of water a day and at least one electrolyte drink per day.

By no means do I mean you should put a complete stop to your alcoholic intake. I still enjoy a glass of wine from time to time. The key is moderation, especially if you're trying to lose weight by running since alcohol usually adds to that bloated feeling and drives your hunger to eat more.

Watch the carbs you take in. I am not talking about a high carb/low protein diet. In fact I'm not talking about any way of diet at all, but a healthier way of living. But I especially do not recommend a high protein, low carb diet if you are a runner.

In fact that's one of the great things about being a runner. We need carbs to fuel our workout, but a certain type of carb. (Mind you, if you're one of those runners who runs in order to be able to eat whatever you want, I'm with you, girl! But if you're trying to lose weight by running, you're going to want to pay attention to this one...sorry.)

If you're trying to lose weight or get the most energy out of your diet, avoid sugar, white bread, white rice, anything that's had the nutrients processed out of it. Nutritious and satisfying alternatives would be maple syrup, whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole wheat pasta (you might be surprised by how yummy it is!).

Additional Runner's Diet Tips for Weight Loss

Again, I do not recommend going on any serious diet while running. After all food, if taken in correctly is fuel. And you need lots of fuel to run, especially if you're sprinting, running up hills or running marathons.

But pay attention to the calories in what you eat if you want to lose weight by running. For example Gatorade is high in electrolytes but also very high in calories. There are other drinks out there with just as much or more electrolytes (the good stuff that fuels your run) and less calories (the stuff that makes us gain weight).

If you just love that Gatorade, go with the ones they've come out with more recently that have less calories.

Drink a protein shake after the run or just as a snack if you get hungry during the day. Protein feeds muscle. Muscle burns fat.

Enjoy a light, nutritious snack between meals such as vegetable sticks. That's right, like your mama always said, eat your vegies. Keep a healthy snack, such as vegetables or nuts, with you so you don't find yourself starving and reaching for the snicker bar or French fries.

I love that add Special K has been running lately where the woman is watching the colorful candy being poured into the bowl like presents under the tree on Christmas morning and then instead of grabbing one, she reaches into her purse and takes a sip of her life-line, her special K drink.

Such a great concept that is so often over-looked. Just like the famous, "Don't go shopping when you're hungry." The idea is to never be starving, that way you won't feel the crave pulling as bad for the unhealthy stuff. Man would I do good to follow my own advice here. It would sure save me some money too!

And Now for Tips on Losing Weight by Running

Did you know that the faster you run the more calories your burn? And the lighter you are the faster you can run. Thus the circle continues. But if you're not a fast runner, no worries, running at any speed, burns just as much if not more fat than any other work out.

Bring the jogging stroller along to boost the effect of your workout. One thing that has helped me tremendously to lose weight while running as well as get an entire body workout is to bring the kids along.

That's right, push that jogging stroller, the more the merrier. They make them to carry one, two even three kids and some of them are so light-weight you'll be surprised at how easy it is, yet you'll definitely get a full body workout.

There are many benefits to pushing a jogging stroller like fresh air for the kids (my baby thinks Central Park is his second home), no need to find a babysitter, no excuse to not work out, burn extra fat and get a full body workout with toned upper arms and all.

Incorporate hill training as well as speed training. I'll be the first to say, running is work enough without incorporating these more intensive trainings. I'd prefer the long runs over running up and down hills and running the track ten times as fast as I can, but not only will these speed and hill trainings help you lose weight, they will also make you a faster and better runner.

For other helpful workout tips to help you lose weight by running, and achieve overall fitness check out the totally fit mom.

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