Running helps to burn calories. Fast running burns more calories than slow running. This helps to lose weight and can make you closer to your dream body. An American study found that female runners produce a potent form of Oestrogen hormone much less than their sedentary counterparts.
Improved heart health, lower blood pressure, increased metabolism, stress relief, extra energy – the benefits of running and boosting your cardiovascular fitness are plentiful and, happily, running delivers them all.
Running can definitely build muscle in your lower body and reduce overall body fat, but it's unlikely to get you an 'instagram booty'. For that, you'll need weight lifting - and in many cases, some photoshop, too.
For example, a woman who runs more than 20 miles per week increases secretion of the hormone prolactin, which begins a cascade of events that can disrupt the menstrual cycle. "As a result," says Brown, "women don't make estrogen.
Running doesn't make the butt flatter, but it does build other muscles more than the glutes, and often comes with fat loss, the overall result can be a flatter-looking butt. If you're worried, just do a bunch of squats, or run more trails and hills and such.
If you can run 3-5 days a week for 30 minutes, the internal health benefits will very quickly start to show on the surface, too. You'll soon see effects like more defined muscles, pounds off the scale, and clearer, healthier skin.
If you are an experienced runner, you may be able to run 5 to 7 days per week, depending on how many miles you log each day. But if you have less experience, it's best to start with 1 day per week. Slowly build up to 3 to 5 days weekly.
Estrogen. The symptoms of menopause are, in part, driven by the imbalance and decline of estrogen. One way to combat this is to exercise. Getting your heart rate up for at least a half hour every day helps boost estrogen levels, which can help take the edge off menopause symptoms.
Try to start with one to three miles per day if you are new to running. Stay closer to the one-mile end if you don't currently do much exercise. If you hike, bike, or do something similar, you may want to see how you do running three miles a day. As you gain more miles over time, your heart and lungs become stronger.
As a rough guide, you'll probably notice some initial changes in the first four to six weeks, but longer-term changes (what you're working toward) will often take around eight to 12 weeks. The good news is that you're likely to start feeling better quickly.
Build a weekly run plan from a combo of mostly easier, steady-pace runs and one more intense interval workout. One study showed that runners who completed 15 sprint intervals of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off each week for 12 weeks reduced their body fat and waist circumference. Increase volume gradually.
You will have stronger legs from running
When we run, we use all the muscles in our legs, big and small. If you are new to running, you might be surprised by how quickly you start to develop lean muscle in your legs and the speed at which you build endurance.
Running itself does not directly reduce flexibility, but it can lead to muscle tightness if proper stretching and mobility exercises are not incorporated into your routine. Regular stretching and flexibility work can help maintain or even improve flexibility while running.
Four to five days is the sweet spot for many runners. Generally speaking, running more often develops your aerobic system better and helps you run faster and farther.
Low estrogen skin tends to be thinner, showing more visible blemishes and wrinkles. Low estrogen skin also has lower collagen reserves. Collagen is the naturally occurring protein that keeps your skin looking smooth and full.
High blood levels of vitamin D linked to reduced estrogen – and potentially lower breast cancer risk | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
The decrease in estrogen may lead to symptoms like vaginal dryness, mood changes, night sweats and hot flashes. The primary estrogen in your body changes from estradiol (E2) to estrone (E1) during menopause.
In fact, progressing in running and 'getting fitter' involves lots of complex changes in the body on a cellular level. “If you follow a set running schedule or programme, you may notice results in your performance in 4-6 weeks,” says Atim, and it may take longer if you have a more sporadic running plan.
Comparing female 5K finish times
For women, to be an above-average runner, you should be faster than 37:28 minutes. If you can run a 30 minute 5K, then you're faster than more than 70% of women. To be among the fastest 10% of women, you should have a finish time faster than 28 minutes.
Most experts agree that beginners should plan to run three to four days per week with at least one day of complete rest and optional cross-training on the other days. The duration of your initial run/walk sessions should be 20-30 minutes, increasing the percentage of time spent running in subsequent workouts.
Walking, running, and climbing all work the glutes. Strength training that targets these muscles can help give you a tighter, more rounded look. Adding a few butt-busting moves to your routine may be enough to see a change.
Running is a valuable component of a diet and exercise regime that attacks unwanted thigh fat. Yet, it won't solve your problem itself. Even high mileage runners can have excess thigh fat if they eat and drink more calories than needed to lose or maintain the weight.