Can Running in Place Help Boost Metabolism and Shed Pounds?

When your busy schedule doesn't give you time to complete a regular exercise program, running in place is a good way to burn extra calories throughout the day. A 120-pound woman, for example, burns 260 calories per half hour by running in place, compared to 32 calories per half hour of sitting, according to the University of Maryland Medical System website. Running in place increases your total energy expenditure, which will help you lose weight.

  1. The Skinny On Metabolism

    • Amby Burfoot, editor at large for "Runner's World," writes that genetics is the primary determinant of metabolism, the number of calories your body needs to keep itself running. Running in place, like any exercise, will only offer a modest boost to your metabolism by temporarily increasing the amount of oxygen your cells need after a workout. Instead, Burfoot recommends focusing on factors you can control, such as increasing the total number of minutes you participate in nonsedentary activities every day.

    Winning at Losing

    • According to experts at MayoClinic.com, you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume to lose 1 pound. A 120-pound woman would, therefore, lose about 1 pound per week by running in place, if she exercised for about an hour a day. If she combined running in place with cutting back the total calories she consumes by about 500 a day, she would double her weight loss -- to about 2 pounds a week.

    Boost the Effects

    • The harder you workout, the more calories you burn and the more weight you'll lose. MayoClinic.com recommends incorporating timed bursts of intense effort while running in place to burn more calories. After warming up, increase your intensity for about 30 seconds, and then go back to a period of normal intensity. Make your next interval longer, aiming for between two and three minutes. Set the length of each interval based on your exercise and fitness goals and your overall level of fitness.

    Added Benefits

    • Exercise physiologist Susan Paul, writing for "Runner's World," indicates running in place has added benefits in that you can improve your muscle tone, strengthen your core, and consequently, improve your posture. In addition to making you look better, these improvements may make running easier, because you aren't putting so much weight directly on your diaphragm. For those who are primarily inactive, running in place may be a good way to start a workout routine, as it's a lower intensity exercise than jogging.