Dear Rachel,
With gyms closed because of the coronavirus and me not having any equipment at home, I've taken to going for runs most days. However, I usually do a mixture of workout classes and a few bits and bobs in the gym so I'm worried that switching to only running for exercise might negatively affect my fitness, strength, and how my body looks. I don't know what else to do though. Is running enough to stay fit when I can't stick to my normal routine for a few weeks or months?
Running Newbie
Dear Newbie,
Ah, what a relatable situation you find yourself in. Whether prompted by an injury or a gym-closing pandemic, many people turn to running when their normal fitness routine goes out the window.
And why wouldn't you?
Going for a run is one of the most accessible ways to move your body: It's free, you don't need to go anywhere in particular, and you don't need to learn any fancy skills (though experts will argue everyone should learn the correct technique).
I am very much not a runner, but when a wrist sprain a year or so ago stopped me from both playing netball and lifting weights, I too started going for runs. Well, jogs. OK, actually they were more like walk-jog intervals. But it was something.
It's all too easy to give up on exercise in any form if your normal workouts are no longer an option, so it's awesome to hear you're getting out and hitting the sidewalk.
Running, like all forms of cardio, is great for your heart health it's not called cardio for nothing.
LISS (low-intensity steady state) exercise, aka consistent steady jogging, will help you build endurance, and interval runs (faster sprints followed by slower recovery walks or jogs) will help you build power.
Research suggests that regular running could lead to increased longevity, boost your brainpower, and help you sleep better.
There's also the fact that our bodies respond very well to novelty, so when you first transition to a new type of exercise, it's likely that your body will adapt pretty quickly you'll probably be feeling it in your calves!
What's more, running has been shown to bring about mental-health benefits such as boosting your mood, which is just as important as any physical changes.
As well as positive adaptations, there may be a few less desirable outcomes to only jogging as exercise especially if it's at the expense of strength training you may have been doing previously. (If your usual exercise is mainly cardio like spinning or dance classes, it'll be less of a change.)
"Running is a great form of cardio, but it certainly is quite different to weights and resistance training, so the answer is yes, it will affect your strength and the shape of your body," a Sydney-based certified trainer named Jono Castano, who specializes in body transformations, told Insider.
And a personal trainer named James Smith recently explained why he didn't recommend running as an ideal form of exercise, mainly because it's so high-impact.
"Running is seeing how many consecutive jumps you can do in a row," he said in an Instagram TV video. "Running is pretty high up there on the impact spectrum. It's about three times your body weight through your joints on each consecutive jump."
You'll still get fitter, Smith said, but he believes that a far better way to exercise is through resistance training as generally, people are at less risk of injury.
You may think it's impossible to do strength training without weights or gym equipment, but that's not actually true.
As I wrote in my previous column, there are tons of exercises you can do that don't require any equipment or loads of space, like classic push-ups, squats, and lunges.
Equally, if you're used to classes and don't know where to start working out alone, don't panic: The vast majority of fitness studios are livestreaming free workouts on Instagram (here are five of the best ones I've tried).
Jono Castano is a trainer who focuses on fitness transformations. Jono Castano
"I would suggest mixing up your exercise routine with some online workouts," said Castano, who also has various equipment-free workouts on his app, Acero Training Series.
"It will not only help you maintain your strength but also help to improve it," he said.
"If you can switch out running for three to four days a week to doing some bodyweight strength-based workouts and run every other day, this will help you to maintain some of that strength and muscle."
Running, like all forms of cardio, may burn more calories than resistance training when you're actually doing it, but that tends to make people more hungry and thus more likely to eat more afterward, which is something to bear in mind if you care about your body composition.
I for one always find I'm starving after doing cardio! But that may not be the case for you.
Castano says it's crucial to "make sure your nutrition is in check," because if you're in a calorie deficit and not strength training, you will almost definitely lose muscle as well as fat.
"On the days that you're running and burning a lot of calories, to help with maintaining your muscle, make sure you are incorporating more calories so your body doesn't burn through that muscle," Castano said.
In non-coronavirus news, behold: Super yummy super high protein yoghurt breakfast bowl! Since the start of the year, Ive upped my protein target and have been loosely tracking in a bid to hit that goal as often as I can. And I gotta say, I feel great and my bodys responding pretty blimmin well. If you find the same (you may not, of course - higher protein diets arent for everyone), you too may enjoy the occasional delicious protein yog bowl like this. Fab as breakfast to give you a boost to start the day, or after dinner on days where your diet may have been lacking in protein. I vary flavours and toppings but heres what was in this here scrumptious bowl: 200g greek yoghurt mixed with 25g vanilla protein powder and a dash of vanilla essence, topped with a banana, about 25g granola, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a spoonful of peanut butter. This bowl contains around 47g protein but most importantly its delicious af. I also recommend mixing it up (literally) with berries, honey, grated apple, nuts, chocolate chips, seeds, whatever flavour protein you fancy - you cant go wrong! PS. Just ordered some fun new proteins to my parents because it looks like imma be here for the foreseeable future and ya gals gotta keep her protein up to maintain the gainz especially considering gyms are a no-no now. PPS. Stay home.
A post shared by Rachel Hosie (@rachel_hosie) on Mar 18, 2020 at 1:21am PDTMar 18, 2020 at 1:21am PDT
If you want to know a bit more about how I held on to my muscle while losing fat last year, you can read about my experience here keeping your protein up is key, though.
Equally, if you are concerned about weight gain, it's best to tackle that with your diet, ensuring you're not in a calorie surplus, rather than stressing about your exercise according to Smith, only about 10% of the calories we burn in a day actually come from time spent training.
It's important to keep things in perspective when it comes to fitness.
"For most people this may not be the right time to get into the best shape of our lives, but you can absolutely maintain your level of fitness and even push yourselves too," Sandy Macaskill, the Barry's Bootcamp master trainer and UK cofounder, told Insider.
"We are seeing so many people that have never tried Barry's before trying out our Instagram livestreams, from the comfort of their own home. It's really inspiring seeing so many making do with the spaces available to them and making the most of a hard situation."
But if you just don't want to, that is fine preserving your mental health should be your top priority.
OK, so your body may change. You may lose some strength. Maybe you'll gain some fat. But does that really matter?
Regaining strength and muscle is much easier and quicker than it is to build it for the first time, so if running is what you want to do right now, crack on. Your fitness levels will come back when you return to your normal routine.
As with all times of life, exercise should be enjoyable, not a chore. If you just don't want to do any resistance training, don't.
If running is helping lift your spirits at the moment, well then: Run, Forrest, run!
Wishing you well,
Rachel
As Insider's senior lifestyle reporter and a self-described fitness fanatic with an Association for Nutrition certified nutrition course under her belt, Rachel Hosie is fully immersed in the wellness scene and is here to answer all your burning questions. Whether you're struggling to find the motivation to go for a run, confused about light versus heavy weights, or unsure whether you should be worried about how much sugar is in a mango, Rachel is here to give you the no-nonsense answers and advice you need, with strictly no fad diets in sight.
Rachel has a wealth of experience covering fitness, nutrition, and wellness, and she has the hottest experts at her fingertips she regularly speaks to some of the world's most knowledgeable and renowned personal trainers, dietitians, and coaches, ensuring she's always up to date with the latest science-backed facts you need to know to live your happiest and healthiest life.
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I have no workout equipment at home and can't go to the gym. Is running enough to stay fit? - Insider - INSIDER
