If you want to run your way to a fitter body, hitting the pavement or treadmill a few times a week isn’t going to cut it. You need a plan with lots of variety to keep you consistent and cut your chances of hitting a plateau, says trainer Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., co-owner of SoHo Strength Lab in NYC and a registered dietitian for ProMix Nutrition
Matheny says the best running plan for weight loss combines running long distances and intervals with equipment-free strength training circuits, cross training, and active recovery sessions.
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And while you might be thinking, “Hey! That’s not a straight-up running plan,” you should know that programs designed to build muscle, crank up your metabolism, and burn as much fat as possible will get you closer to your weight-loss goals and make you a better runner.
“Running does not typically add muscle mass like resistance training does,” says Matheny. And the more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolsm, resulting in more calories burned while at rest, he says.
Having a plan with a variety of training techniques also reduces your risk of injury and makes things more fun, says Matheny.
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Matheny created a 10-week running plan that progressively builds your distance and intensity so that your workouts get harder as you get in better shape, he says. And since it’s so progressive, you won’t do too much too fast, making this the perfect plan for running newbies.
Check out the full plan below, then keep reading as we break down what to do each day.
Instructions:
Color Code
Blue: Easy days. Pace that allows you to almost carry on a conversation.
Orange: Moderate day. Pace that allows you to say a few words, but leaves you struggling to say a whole sentence.
Pink: Hard day. Pace that allows you to say only a word at a time
Purple: Supplemental days. Use these day to cross-train using bodyweight circuits or actively recover by walking, taking a leisurely bike ride, foam rolling, or stretching.
Running Intervals: For running intervals on days two and four, do the allotted sets for the distance or time noted. For example, 2×1 mile means you should run two one-mile sets at the recommended pace with a break in between.
Strides: On days two and six, follow your run with the allotted set of strides. To stride, run for 10 seconds, increasing your speed until you reach your fastest pace. Then, slow down to the starting speed within five seconds. Repeat for the allotted number of strides.