Therefore, it is wise to ask your doctor if your body is up for the challenge. Your physician will consider your age, weight, fitness level, and special conditions (breathing or heart problems) to derive a sound decision. Having accurate information on your body will also help you in choosing a running program. Though daily running is ideal for losing weight, three or four days can meet the goal. 5. Intense running, or running at a fast pace, is effective in weight reduction. It has always been believed that slow running ushers you in the fat-burning zone. That, however, is negated by recent researches. According to studies, intense running in fact burns more calories. What the runners need are complex carbohydrates because these produce energy for long-term use. They can come from pastas, rice, breads, potatoes, and grains. Runners are recommended to take at least three grams of carbohydrates for every pound of body weight everyday. So a 120-pound runner should have 360 grams of carbohydrates daily. Only he would know for sure everything about you, your body, your health and the things that may be good or bad for you. After you get your doctor s permission, begin to implement your plan of losing weight through running gradually at first. For some, walking for a short period of time is a good start. Unnoticed by many, even by the athletes themselves sometimes, the nature of your breathing during your running affects your performance. Those runners who can correctly deliver oxygen into their system are stronger than their counterparts who struggle when they are running because they do not know the technique. This is because proteins help the body repair itself after strenuous activities like exercises and workouts. The more you run (or train as an athlete) the more you need proteins to a point. Your needs depend on how many hours a week you run, or if you are trying to lose body fat or if you are lifting weights.