Why Should You Run Every Day? Learn the Transformative Benefits.

any of us work out several times a week to maintain our health, and that’s a very admirable thing. Even working out one or two times a week provides significant benefits to the body and mind, like improved mood and increased focus. But those of us who decide to take our fitness to the next level by working out every day will experience a complete transformation.

Even just running for 10 minutes a day can yield benefits like increased speed, a healthier heart, and a better mood. In this post, we’ll explore:

• The effects of running every day
• How to take your running to the next level
• A personal account from a marathon runner

The Effects of Running Every Day

Transitioning from gradually running or not running at all to doing it every day is a big change. When you start, you may experience the following effects: 

• A period of decreased energy 
• Increased appetite 
• Increased bathroom use
• Improved mood

But this is just the beginning. At first, some of the things your body may experience will not feel great. Running takes up a lot of energy and burns a lot of calories, so you may find yourself with less energy at the start of your journey. With this initial energy decrease, you’re going to want to make sure you keep up in the kitchen too. Increasing your calorie intake is a good idea if your main goal isn’t to lose weight.

You might also find yourself in the bathroom more. This is simply a result of your body burning more calories and eating more food, so it’s nothing to worry about. And even though you’ll be a bit more sluggish and hungry, you’ll quickly notice that the increased amount of dopamine released by your runs is making you happier overall.

After you’ve been running every day for several months, you’ll begin to notice the real benefits.

• Increased energy in everyday activities
• Slimming and toning of muscles
• Weight loss if your training results in a caloric deficit
• Improved heart health including a lower resting heart rate
• Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Increased stamina and speed in your training

And that’s not all! There are plenty of other benefits you may experience based on your specific type of training.

If you’re a distance runner with an aerobic focus, you might gain:

• The ability to eat large amounts of food without gaining weight
• Increased mental fortitude
• Thin and toned arms and legs

If you focus more on sprinting and anaerobic training you’ll gain:

• Increased explosiveness 
• Improved reaction time
• Increased musculature in legs and body.

Running every day can turn you into a formidable athlete and an overall healthier person. But running every day can also put a significant strain on your joints. It’s possible to experience issues like shin splints, sprained ankles, and knee pain if you aren’t thorough with your warm-ups, stretches, and accompanying strength training.

How To Take Your Running To The Next Level

Transitioning into running every day is not a small feat in any way. Even if you do run every now and then, there is a huge difference between doing it every day and a couple of times a week. Either way, you’re going to want to slowly ease into your new routine instead of jumping in feet first. There are some steps that are ideal to follow.

1. Begin to gradually increase your mileage.

You can start to get your body ready for the increased workload by adding one or two more miles onto your ordinary routine every week. Take it slow to get your body used to it.

2. Gradually increase how many times you’re running every week.

Begin to add days onto your normal schedule once you become comfortable with a bigger training load. You can spread out your current mileage as a start, then go back to step 1 and add more every week. You don’t have to run a lot every day, just enough to meet your goals.

3. Start to vary your workouts more.

If you’re running every day, then you can’t be doing super difficult workouts every time. Take plenty of easy runs in between your difficult ones. Also, consider incorporating strength training alongside your runs. Strengthening your core and legs will ensure your intense training load won’t result in injury.

Another thing to consider when going to the next step of your running journey is what your goals are. Do you want to run a marathon, increase your speed, lose weight, or just be healthier? You could run 5 to 20 miles a day like some marathon runners, or less than 1 mile a day. Both options can be effective for achieving the desired results.

A Personal Account From a Marathon Runner

My name is Lucas, and I started running in high school with track and cross country. Now, 5 years later, I find myself running 6 days a week for a total of around 50 miles each week.

Running changed my life so much once I started. It all began when my friend convinced me to join track. I didn’t like it at first, but I showed up to every practice and the rest is history.

Before I started running, my mental health had begun to decline. I found myself just sitting around and watching TV whenever I wasn’t in school. This escalated to the point where I gained significant weight and started to have trouble sleeping. Running was the change I needed to make. When I began running, my legs were sore all the time — but this isn’t something that I minded. To me, it was a trophy for hard work.

Eventually, my legs stopped being sore all the time and instead, I found myself faster, stronger, and without any energy problems. Before, I had problems with having too much energy and being unable to sleep, but running gave me an outlet to burn that energy, which immensely boosted my mood.

My favorite thing about running other than the mood increase is the ability to eat tons of food! My metabolism may have something to do with it, but with long-distance running and burning around 100 calories per mile, my foodie side has thrived.

Running has also given me an outlet for completing new goals. Currently, I am training for my third marathon, and doing so has increased my sense of purpose in life. If you can get yourself to enjoy running, then it’s one of the most healthy hobbies you’ll ever have.

Why Should You Run Every Day?

Running every single day sounds like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Like everything in life, if you just take it one small step at a time, it won’t seem so overwhelming. 

You don’t need to be running every single day to get benefits, but doing so will transform your life. Running every day won’t be easy at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll become healthier, faster, mentally and physically stronger, slimmer, and so much more. It’ll allow you to accomplish tons of different goals as well. You can become a marathon runner, an explosive sprinter, a weight-loss expert, or just an overall healthier person. So consider getting out there and getting moving. Remember, take it one run at a time, one mile at a time, and even better than that, one step at a time.