How to Run Without Weight Loss

Running is difficult and exhausting, but it's also very beneficial to the body. It lowers blood pressure, expands the lungs' potential, and strengthens the heart. It also raises metabolism and more often than not leads to weight loss. While the latter is a very good thing for most people, it isn't all that great for athletes who need to maintain their body weight, such as bodybuilders and football players. Thankfully, there are a few ways in which you can maintain your weight and muscles while still getting all the great benefits of running.

Instructions

• 1

  Supplement your diet with additional food items. Every mile you run burns an average of 100 calories. To avoid weight loss, you must make up for those lost calories by supplementing your diet with foods that are rich in carbohydrates and protein. The carbohydrates will make up for the energy lost, while the protein will help keep you from losing muscle mass.

• 2

  Maintain a moderate running pace. When you run, your body burns energy in the following order: carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Running at a steady pace will allow you to deplete your carbohydrate supply (as in the food you last ate) and burn fat. If you start running with too much intensity, your body may become so overburdened by the stress that it goes into "starvation" mode and starts breaking apart muscle cells to generate more energy.

• 3

  Eat a small meal 30 minutes prior to running. This will prevent your body from becoming depleted while you run. Also eat a meal immediately after you finish running. This will resupply your body with the nutrients, proteins, and energy it needs to keep functioning. The type of meal you should eat depends on your goals. If you're trying to maintain muscle mass, then drink a protein shake before and after running. If you're just trying to maintain your weight, then select a snack rich with carbohydrates, such as a small bowl of pasta or cereal.

• 4

  Perform upper-body weightlifting exercises. Running builds up your lower-body muscles, but doesn't affect your upper-body muscles such as the chest and shoulders. This can create an imbalance. By performing bench presses and pull-ups, you can mediate this imbalance while also promoting the gain of muscle. The benefit to this is that muscle is heavy and it'll replace the fat you burn from running.