Who knew there were so many techniques to running?

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Many people feel they’ve tried various methods but found that running doesn’t help them lose weight. Perhaps you should consider the following factors.

1. Running Shoes

If you’re just doing casual jogging, we recommend switching to shoes with thin soles. Shoes with thin soles are lighter and more comfortable to run in, making them ideal for casual jogging.

2. Form

Proper form is key to preventing all sports injuries. You should maintain correct form from the very start—even when running just a few hundred meters—and strive to keep it consistent throughout the entire run, from the moment you start until you stop. There are distinct differences in form and technique between short-distance sprints and long-distance jogging. There is also a subtle distinction between “correct” running form and “efficient” running form—the latter applies primarily to long-distance running. Efficient running form builds upon correct form to minimize energy expenditure over the same distance, so correct form serves as the foundation.

III. Muscle Strength

This refers to the balanced development of muscle strength throughout the entire body. Running involves more than just leg muscles; in fact, the small muscle groups in the feet, ankles, and joints, as well as upper body and shoulder-back strength—particularly core strength—are all crucial. If you have no prior athletic background and are just starting to run, it is best to begin with strength training first; this will make your running workouts more effective. Strengthening your core helps maintain stability during running, ensuring smoother breathing, better balance, and a more controlled foot strike, thereby reducing the risk of injury. Note: Core strength involves all the muscles surrounding the body—it is not limited to the rectus abdominis. Therefore, doing only sit-ups is ineffective for building core strength. We recommend various poses and variations of the “plank.”

IV. Running Volume

Follow the principle of gradual progression, especially in the early stages; do not rashly increase your training volume. Generally, running one day and resting the next is best, giving your muscles time to recover. A safe and steady approach in the early stages is to ensure that the increase in volume each week does not exceed 10% compared to the previous week.

V. Nutrition

As long as you’re running, you must ensure you eat well. As the saying goes, “30% training, 70% nutrition.” Many people, in an effort to lose weight quickly, exercise more and eat less—this is unreasonable. There’s a clear difference between weight loss and fat loss; for example, my goal has never been to lose weight but to lose fat.

The ideal scenario for fat loss is maintaining your weight while building muscle—this way, what you’re losing is fat. Many people mistakenly equate weight loss with losing body weight, which is a common pitfall. Focusing on your “body fat percentage” is far more important than worrying about the scale. As mentioned earlier, strength training is essential because it builds muscle, which boosts your basal metabolic rate and helps burn excess fat. Simply put: exercise more, build more muscle, eat with purpose, burn more calories, and you’ll naturally be healthier.

Cut back on greasy foods and excessive salt, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and ensure you get enough carbohydrates and high-quality protein. As for sugar intake, that depends on the intensity of your daily workouts. If you keep these points in mind, your running weight loss plan might just succeed.