How Often Should You Run?

Running Together.

Like many questions, the answers you get to “how often you should run” usually vary depending on the person answering them. If you were to ask an exercise junkie who loves running ultramarathons, they might tell you that you should run six days a week. If you listen to a doctor, you might get told something more conservative, like twenty minutes a day, three times a week – though those answers could vary as well. If you ask a couch potato, they might answer “what’s running?”

So what’s right for you? You’ll want to listen to your doctor, sure, but you’ll also want to make sure you do what feels right for your body. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the issues to take note of.

First, you have to consider your starting point. Are you twenty pounds overweight and need to trim down, or are you a hundred pounds overweight and need an exercise plan for the long haul? Either way, you’ll probably want to start slow. You’ll need to run enough – at least three times a week – that it becomes a habit, but you also don’t want to burn yourself out. If you can handle a lot of exercise, and your doctor approves, go for it.

You’ll also need to consider how intense and how long your runs are. If you’re just running ten minutes every session, you can probably go out and run six days a week with few problems. If you’re running for a good half-hour, you may want to keep that to three days a week with weight-lifting and resistance training in between.

Ultimately, how long you should run essentially depends on your individual goals and situation. You’ll want to consult with a doctor for your exercise program just so that you know that you’re not putting yourself at great risk. But sometimes it can be better to err on the side of working a little too hard, especially if you’ve got a lot of weight to lose.

Most importantly, if you keep running as simply one type of exercise in your arsenal of exercises, you’ll be more balanced, and maintaining the habit of exercising every day will be easier. You don’t have to push yourself to the maximum every single day, but you should look to escape your comfort zone on a regular basis.

Photo Credits: mikebaird

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