Most people have a love/hate relationship with running. They either love it, they hate it, or they love to hate it. Some people thrive when they have the ability to run on a regular basis while others believe that they should only be running if they are running away from something. Love it or hate it, there are many proven benefits to running on a regular basis, and you may just find, if you give it a chance, that running helps you to achieve all of the goals that you have set for yourself, no matter what those goals may be.

Getting Fit
One of the biggest reasons why many people begin to run is because they want to live a healthier lifestyle. Often a person has done everything else they can think of to lose weight, including trying fad diets, before they finally give running a chance. In reality, however, running should be the first thing that people try if they want to lose weight as many studies have shown that running is one of the best ways to combat the battle of the bulge. Experts believe that around 60% of runners start running because they want to lose weight, and these same experts also state that running is one of the best ways to burn fat. According to experts, running burns more calories a minute than any other type of exercise, making it the number one cardiovascular exercise to engage in if you want to lose weight. Not only can running help you to lose weight, it’s also a great way to maintain your weight loss.

Disease
No one likes getting sick, and having to take days off is frustrating. But what happens when you come down with a serious condition, such as cardiovascular disease? Being diagnosed with a serious illness can truly change your lifestyle, and not in a good way either. Doctors often prescribe running for people who are high risk for many different types of diseases, including diabetes, osteoporosis, and hypertension as well. Regular running greatly reduces the risk of heart attacks as it strengthens the heart and has also been proving to lower blood pressure as well. It raises the HDL, also known as the “good” cholesterol, and reduces the possibility of blood clots as well.

Fitness and Confidence
Being thin, or thinner, is a good goal, but maintaining your fitness level and getting toned is an even better goal. Running is a great way to tone your body, not just your legs but also your abdomen and even your back muscles, and if you run with small weights you can even tone up your arms beautifully. You’ll find yourself standing taller and straighter when you start running on a regular basis as well, simply because you will find that your confidence level grows the more regularly you run. This is because it builds both confidence and self-esteem as you find that you are setting, and meeting, goals for yourself.