How I Lose Weight with Interval Runs: A Weekly Guide

I've been a runner since I was 10, but not consistently. It's hard to stay in shape, especially when you're a college student or when you're working long hours, and from time to time I've put on a few pounds and fallen out of my regular aerobic routine.

Fortunately, I was raised by a cross country coach, so I know a few quick ways to lose weight. The best method is through interval workouts. The basic idea behind these workouts is that you stay a little higher than your comfort zone. You might run with 65% of your energy for a few hundred meters, followed by 85%, followed by 100% and then back to 65% (it's up to you to guess where your energy level's at, but that's part of the fun).

Here's a quick guide to a week of workouts that use interval training to cut weight. This guide is intended for people that are in basic shape and who already do some running or jogging, but you might need to change it a bit to suit your needs. Cut the distances in half if you haven't ran before and make sure that you stretch. Talk to your doctor before starting any workout routine, especially if you've got knee problems or heart issues-this workout routine will work both.

Day 1 - This is something of a warm-up day. Run one mile, then run one mile of intervals as explained above. Stretch before and after each mile.

Day 2 - Run for one mile as a warm-up. Stretch. Run two miles of intervals. If you're having trouble during the second mile, mark when you start having trouble. In future workouts, you'll be trying to work past that point to build your strength and cut fat. If you can do two miles pretty easily, add another half of a mile or throw in some weight training.

Day 3 - Rest. Don't ignore this one. Your muscles need time to rest and rebuild, and you won't lose more weight by exhausting your body.

Day 4 - This is your distance day. Run for four miles. Do the last two miles as intervals if you can.

Day 5 - Same as day 2.

Day 6 - Rest

Day 7 - Do day 2's workout if you're tired and sore. Otherwise, do another day 4 workout.

You can add pushups and situps to this workout schedule to burn extra weight and to build more muscle. I add in about 5 reps of 5 pushups and 5 reps of 15 situps throughout my workouts. Breaking into reps will make them easier to handle if you're not in perfect shape, and you'll still build a ton of muscle.

Here's a final piece of advice: I know that I mention stretching a lot, but STRETCH. Interval workouts are hard on your muscles, and you will absolutely pull a muscle or injure yourself in some other way if you don't stretch before and after each workout. It doesn't take much time, and if you pay attention to your environment and focus on breathing, your warm-ups/cool-downs might end up being your favorite part of the workout.

What do you think of interval workouts? Post your thoughts below.