The Benefits of Running Essay example -- Exercise Health Fitness Paper

The Benefits of Running Why do they run? Running. It’s painful, tedious, and exhausting. So, why do so many Americans do it? People run for many reasons. Most often, people run to stay in shape and to reach an ideal body weight. Studies show that a combination of diet and exercise is the most effective way to lose weight, as it triggers a loss of body fat and a proportional increase of lean tissue. Running, a rigorous cardiovascular exercise, allows a person to burn an average of 100 calories per each mile he or she runs. Other popular activities, such as biking and walking, only burn a fraction of those calories in the same amount of time. While the average human being burns about 2000-2500 calories a day by simply existing, running 5 miles a day can burn an additional 500 calories, making it a legitimate way to lose weight. Furthermore, running is an easily accessible activity-- with a decent pair of sneakers and some determination, anyone can run. Surprisingly, how fast a person runs has little effect on the number of calories he or she will burn. The most important factor is weight. For example, a 220-pound person running an eight-minute mile burns 150 calories, while a 120-pound person running at the same pace burns only 82. Every person’s body requires an excess of 3500 calories in order to gain a pound or a deficit of 3500 calories in order to lose a pound. Thus, 180-pound person who runs 5 miles each day will lose about 5 pounds a month. However, as his or her weight goes down, he or she will burn fewer calories per mile. Eventually, a runner’s weight will stabilize. When this will happen depends on how much the runner eats and how far he or she runs. Most runners lose weight effortlessly at first, but eventually, t... ...test. It is a place where I can escape my problems and enter into a world where I am invincible. Bibliography Blinkie, David. What is an Ultramarathon? www.fred.net Fixx, James F. The Complete Book of Running. New York: Random House, 1977. Simbeck, Rob. "Running it Off." Nashville Scene. January 22, 1998. Pp. 18-26. Galloway, Jeff. Galloway's Book on Running. Bolinas, California: Shelter Publications, 1984. Hang, John. The Essential Runner. New York: Lyons and Burford, 1994. Henderson, Joe. Better Runs. Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics, 1996. Rodgers, Bill. Lifetime Running Plan. New York: Harper Collins, 1996. Running with George. Eating Right to Fuel the Runner. www.brainbug.com Running with George. Finding the Right Fuel for Your Body. www.brainbug.com Running with George. The Fight Against Fat. www.brainbug.com