How to Start Running to Burn Fat and Lose Inches

Set Yourself SMART Running Goals

image of a mature lady running
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In order to achieve what we want in life we need to set ourselves goals, running is no different. Goals give you a sense of purpose to what you are doing and if you set yourself goals for your running you are more likely to keep running and achieve what you want to get out of it.

You need to write your goals down and set yourself both long and short term goals. The goals need to be S.M.A.R.T ones.

S: Specific: Who, What, When, Where, When, Which, Why.
M: Measurable: Are you able to measure the progress of your goal?
A: Attainable: Are you able to put steps towards achieving the goal?
R: Realistic: Are you willing and able to reach your goal?
T: Time framed: Set yourself a realistic time frame to achive your goals.

If you have S.M.A.R.T goals you are more likely to achieve them because you know exactly what you want and when you want to achieve it by. Goals without a time frame are just dreams!

I will give you a couple of examples of my running goals to give you an idea.

Long term goal: “I want to have lost 15 kilos and be able to run for an hour non stop within 6 months time.”

After 6 months I was able to run for an hour non stop, even though I didn’t achieve my goal of 15 kg’s, I was more than happy with losing 13 kg’s.

Short term goal: “Today I want to run to the Cathedral and back, without stopping and complete the run within 45 minutes.”

Every time I set out for a run I would set myself a goal of where I was going to run to and in what time I wanted to do it in. I didn’t always achieve my short term goals but when that happened I would keep the same short time goal until it was achieved. Once it was achieved I would set a new short term goal.

Both the examples I set above fall within the guidelines of a S.M.A.R.T goal. By setting these goals for myself, it gave my running a purpose and I knew what I wanted to do each and every time I went out. Repeating my long and short term goals to myself while running helped to motivate me. I was never a goal setter until I tried it with running, trust me it works.

When You Run, Push Yourself.

This is the final thing I would recommend to you.

Your body is an amazing thing and no matter how hard you go you can always go just that little bit harder. I’m not saying to go and destroy yourself each time you go for a run; I’m just saying push yourself.

There will be a voice in your head each and every time you run and it will say something like “Stop, I can’t go any further” or “You went for a run yesterday, so we won’t try as hard today”. Do not listen to that voice; instead block it out with positive thoughts such as “I will achieve my goal today” and “I will not stop, I will keep going.”

You know your body better than any body else, you know when you need to finish or when to keep going. Don’t sell yourself short; push yourself to go just that little bit further each time. Trust me the rewards are worth it.

I know if you follow my tips it will help you to achieve both weight loss and increased fitness. Just remember nothing is achieved without hard work and a good attitude, weight loss is no different.

Always remember to warm and warm down before each run. By stretching before and after running you will help to prevent injuries.

Move on to Part Nine: You Alone Control Your Weight Loss Destiny!