Essential Running Advice: 5 Reasons You Should Start Running Today

Running is widely recognised as the single best exercise to improve fitness. For anyone serious about their health, running is a top priority. If you aren’t running yet, here’s 5 reasons why you should start today.

1. It’s Easy to Get Started

Going for a run is as simple as putting on some shorts and running shoes and walking out the door. You can do it anywhere, anytime. It’s amazing what you can discover in your local area just by running around it.

2. Improve Fitness

Running has long been known as the single most effective form of exercise – it expends the most energy of any recreational activity. By going for a run a few times a week you will start to notice the benefits in your daily life; getting up the stairs at work will be that little bit easier and that quick dash for the bus won’t tire you out!

3. Clear Your Head

Whenever things get a little overwhelming there is nothing better than a run to clear your head. Some relaxing exercise in the park will distract you from your worries and the endorphins that are released will help to relieve stress.

4. Increase Happiness

Those same endorphins that release stress can also boost your overall happiness. Exercise releases natural chemicals into your system so the feeling when you get back from a run is not only one of achievement, but one of bliss.

5. And of Course, Lose Weight

If you are looking to drop a few pounds then you should look no further than running. The modern world is filled with promises of rapid weight loss and revolutionary exercise devices but still running remains the most simple and effective way to lose weight. So strap on a heart rate monitor and start running today.

Quick Tip: Running within your aerobic heart zone will help to boost weight loss. Your aerobic heart zone is between 70% and 80% of your maximum heart rate. Finding your max heart rate is simple: start with 220 and subtract your age. So for a 30 year old, their approximate maximum heart rate would be 190 and their aerobic zone would lie between 133 and 152.