Do I have to run miles to lose weight?

Even though your colleague may thrive on running five miles each day, the “no pain, no gain” theory is out! Experts recommend doing moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week or enough to burn about 200 calories (equal to a brisk 2-mile walk).  This exercise can be done all at one time, or you may break it into smaller segments, depending on your time and commitment.

Several short sessions of exercise with available home training equipment may be the most effective exercise program for many overweight people. One study found that those who used home exercise equipment for short “bursts” of exercise throughout the day were most able to stay with a fitness program. You could do 10 minutes of aerobic exercise with your video before work, walk on a stair-machine for 10 minutes after lunch, take a 10-minute jog on your treadmill before dinner, then end your day with a 10-minute ride on your stationary bike while watching the news.

No you don’t have to run miles to lose weight, running alone is not the most effective method to losing weight. In fact running alone, you will lose both body fat and lean muscle mass.

A combination of cardio endurance, aerobic, and weight resistance training will be a more effective method to losing weight, while gaining lean muscle mass, toning the body, and improving your physical fitness appearance. With this combination, 100% of your weight lost will be body fat. 

Also the additional lean muscle mass will improve your overall body structure, strength, and repair system, while increasing  your metabolism, resulting in more calories consumed.

Remember to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you are consuming.

No you don't have to run miles to lose weight. The key to losing weight is creating a caloric deficit. 3500 calories equals 1 pound so running will assist with burning calories and reaching your daily caloric goal. Also it's not how far you run, but how you run. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a method that's designed to be a short time duration cardiovascular exercise and is effective for burning more calories than traditional running.