If you run 30-min to an hour every day, should you do anything else?
 

I just ran for an hour and am feeling pretty good after a ten minute cool down. I want to lose 23 pounds in the next few months. I run every day for at least 30 minutes because I enjoy it, but I'm not as enthusiastic as other kinds of exercise like weight lifting or aerobic training. I was wondering if I should push myself to do another workout every day along with my running, or if I should do weight lifting/yoga/aerobic workout, say 3 times a week rather than every day? I want to push myself but at the same time I don't want to overload.

From my research, I would say that you should do walking/running/aerobic every day (or most days) to burn fat and also add in some other type of workout 3 days a week to tone.

I do a 20 minute every other day workout that includes some thigh, butt, ab, arm focus. Crunches, leg lifts, plank, plies,pushups, etc. I don't enjoy lifting. I give myself a rest day in between since I am using body weight to exercise muscles. I mix up the routine but try to target every area with each workout.

Another option is to space out body segments. Lower one day, upper the next. Because I don't overly enjoy it (and time is an issue) I try to just get an overall body workout in and rest the next day. Well, I rest from the body workout but I still get a walk/run in.

As you go along, ask yourself, 'How's this working for me?' Time will tell. Difficult to predict, because the diet part is so important, too.

I had a personal trainer tell me that you burn more fat and calories if you run and then walk and then run, etc. during your aerobic portion of your workout. He said that during your 30 minutes slowing to a fast walk brings down your heart rate. By running again, your body has to increase the heart rate and that causes the body to work harder and burn more fat and calories. He also said you should always run uphill and do your walking downhill as it is much better for your skeletal health. Has anyone else heard this?

Hi Piwacket. I've been told that running downhill is very hard on the body.

Varying the pace is the basis of what are called interval workouts, and it is supposed to be better for you to do that. A 10-min interval workout might be 3 min warm up, 1 min at fast pace, 2 min slow, 1 min fast, 3 min slow. It is supposed to be better for you and increase your metabolism. There is recent research that a couple of 10 min interval workouts a week is better than longer workouts:

The two-minute workout works wonders: Short, sharp bursts of exercise are just as good as a 90 minute run | Mail Online

I am a bodybuilding figure athlete who trains for different competitions during the year. If you want to loose weight quickly take the three prong approach: 1) High Intensity Interval Training - meaning run fast walk fast run fast walk fast, the intervals allow for a quick increase and quick decrease in heart rates which creates a thermo effect and helps you burn fat. 2) build some muscle. When you build muscle you get a continuous burn after workouts. Anaerobic workouts such as weight lifting provides that for you while aerobic workouts which is running provides you with the on the spot burn. 3) Control your caloric and especially our carb intake. Bottom line is weight loss happens when calories in minus calories out creates a deficit. Hope this helps

You have to consider how quickly you want the results. As it has been said previously, muscles use more calories than fat. This applies to exercise as well as at rest periods. By that logic I would always recommend some form of muscle building (or toning) exercise incorporating some hand weights. Have a look at this blog for some decent information on how to get the most out of your exercise.
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