Does swimming burn calories? Yes. How about cycling? Yes. How about a fancy fitness retreat in the south of France? Oui.

All of those things are great for weight loss, but they have a higher barrier to entry when compared to running. You need a pool, a bike, and a six-figure salary, respectively. But if you can afford even a cheap pair running one of the best workouts for weight loss It’s that kind of accessibility that makes. You can every single day. You can run in the snow. You can run in the rain. You can run with a friend. You can run by yourself. You can even run Finish the story here if you’re smart about recovery.

It’s that kind of accessibility that makes running one of the best workouts for weight loss. “You just need a pair of decent shoes, some creativity, and maybe a friend or two to develop a Summer Running Gear,” says Daniel O’Connor, Ph.D., professor of health and human performance at the University of Houston. “It’s less expensive than joining a gym or having a personal trainer.”

That’s a big deal considering time and opportunity are some of the biggest hurdles people face when trying to make fitness a priority. “Everyone is dealing with full schedules and competing priorities, so it’s often difficult to add something new to your routine without trading something else out,” O’Connor says.

You’ll still need to shift some things around to make running a serious part of your life, but being able to run right out your front door, free of charge, eliminates some very real roadblocks.

Still, running for weight loss is a little more complicated than hitting the pavement and hoping the pounds melt away. There’s a strategy involved, and we can help. Here’s everything you should know about running for weight loss... What Is a Healthy Body Fat Percentage+

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Headshot of Ashley Mateo
Ashley Mateo is a writer, editor, and UESCA- and RRCA-certified running coach who has contributed to Runner’s World, Bicycling, Women's Health, Health, Shape, Self, and more. She’ll go anywhere in the world once—even if it’s just for a good story. Also into: good pizza, good beer, and good photos.
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Hailey Middlebrook
Digital Editor
Hailey first got hooked on running news as an intern with Running Times, and now she reports on elite runners and cyclists, feel-good stories, and training pieces for Runner's World and Bicycling magazines.
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Kiera Carter has a decade's worth of experience covering fitness, health, and lifestyle topics for national magazines and websites. In a past life, she was the executive digital editor of Shape and has held staff positions at Fit Pregnancy, Natural Health, Prevention, and Men’s Health. Her work has been published by Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, and more. She spends her free time boxing, traveling, and watching any movie or show with a strong female lead. She is currently based in New York.