Three months ago I made the decision to see what would happen if I ran four times a week, these are my results.
Three months ago I made the decision to see what would happen if I ran four times a week.
I’ve read articles about people who did Yoga everyday, did a plank everyday, gave up alcohol for a month, or did 10 minutes of strength training everyday. I once tried Intermittent Fasting for a month, and I tried working out with a virtual personal trainer so I was curious what consistency with my running could do for me, so I tried to run four times a week (consistently) for 3 months.
While I’ve been a runner for a very long time (17 years), I have never really ran with any consistency. Some weeks I would run only once, other weeks only twice, some three times, and VERY RARELY four times in a week. Occasionally I would “train” for races, but again, I wasn’t really consistent with my training. I’ve always had this notion that running more often would lead to injury, so I just ran whenever I felt like it, and never really pushed my boundaries.
Because of my history of inconsistency, the idea of streaking always appealed to me – a goal like that could help me to become more consistent. Unfortunately my family and work life has never been conducive to the kind of dedication that running every single day takes. However, when I reviewed my family and work obligations I realized that running four times a week was something I actually could do.
- If you’re looking to try Intermittent Fasting, check out my post and my Intermittent Fasting results here.
- If you’re looking to try HIIT for weight loss, check out my post and my 12 week HIIT Challenge Transformation Results here.
For the past three months I ran four times a week, this is what happened:
#1 I Felt Better Than I Had in Years
The first week it was really hard to motivate myself to run the four times because every single run sucked. Even though running felt hard and uncomfortable, I did feel much happier after I ran, perhaps it was relief that I was finished?
After my first week I decided to give myself permission to run slower, walk when I needed to, and not pay attention to my GPS, pace etc. The only thing that mattered was that I got out there and ran for 30 minutes four times every week. Even though I felt happy that first week, I felt WAY happier the next few weeks when I was running at more comfortable paces. That happy feeling lasted longer because I was also able to enjoy my runs. I even began to *gasp* even look forward to running! My happiness spread to many other parts of my life. I felt better than I had in years!
Related: Half Marathon Training Plan – Running Four Times a Week – If you have more than two but less than three months to train for your next 1/2 marathon, this 10-week half marathon training training plan might be the perfect fit, especially if you’re an experienced runner. Beginners can also use this training plan, but you must stick to it faithfully.
#2 I Lost Weight
One thing I really wanted to know was:
If you run 5k 3 times a week how much weight will you lose?
While I admit that I was really hoping this would happen, I was very surprised by how fast it happened and how much I lost. The first week I lost 1 pound. The second week I lost another pound. Three months later I’m down 12 pounds! I’ve averaged 1 pound of weight loss every week.
While I would have liked to have lost more weight faster, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there is evidence that shows that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”. It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits. Running four times a week is is a lifestyle habit that I really want to keep.
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#3 I Lost Body Fat
Another thing I wanted to know was: How much body fat can you lose by running? Losing weight is a nice benefit of running four times a week, but changing my body composition is an even nicer part. I have a Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale scale that measures my weight and body fat percentage. Although I was losing weight, it was nice to see that the weight that was being lost was fat, not fat and muscle. The fat really started coming off at first, but now three months later it’s coming off slower, but is still coming off.
#4 I Slept Better
Anxiety is my middle name. I am the type of person to lay awake for hours worrying about work, etc. But interestingly, when I began running nearly every day of the week I found myself completely exhausted by the time bed time rolled around. At first I could barely stay awake until bed time! Staying “up” until 10 pm is easier now, but I still fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. Work stress is definitely no match for running consistently! I don’t stay awake worrying about tomorrow anymore, I can’t, I’m way too tired. I also sleep more deeply. Waking up at 5:20 am to run again hasn’t been a problem, I’m waking up rested and ready to run again!
#5 I Got Faster
And the last thing I wanted to now was: How much faster can you get by running three times a week? Now this one is probably a no-brainer, the more you do something, the better you get at it, right? What I wasn’t expecting was how much faster I got after only three months of running four times a week. Running sucked at first because when I ran the pace that I felt I should be able to run, my heart rate was in the high 160’s – every run was a tempo run. I slowed my running down to run at a heart rate of 140-150 bpm. Over the weeks my pace has improved from an average pace of 6:44/km (10:50/mile) to 5:46/km (9:29/mile). I now run over a minute faster/mile at the same heart rate!
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Conclusion
That one decision to try running more consistently has been a game changer for me. Last week I added in a fifth run (speedwork) into my schedule, and this week I’m on track to run five times again (I did some speedwork this morning faster than last week). I’m surprised by the changes because at *cough* 42 I thought that the loss of speed, the weight I gained and the changes to my body composition was a normal part of aging. It appears that they are not. I’m starting to re-evaluate my future running goals… Perhaps a sub-50 minute 10k is within my grasp? Maybe I can improve my half marathon PB (1:50:40) and run a sub-1:50 half? Maybe at 45 I *CAN* qualify for Boston, wouldn’t that be something?!? I know I’ve only been running consistently for a few months but I’m willing to go for another three months of consistency to see where it gets me, I’ll let you know how it goes.
Join the conversation:
Have you ever tried streaking? What happened?
Excellent story to inspire others to run. Good luck for your next set of consistent running. I agree everything that you have told with my experience similar to this. I ran slow and slow runs for 3 to 4 weeks consistently and then tried to match up a Tempo run with other faster runners… the results were stunning!!
I love that you shared this because you are female me. I too have a history of inconsistency and so I too gradually got it to every other day. 4x’s a week 40 -90 minutes each work out.tge difference is that I mix it up with swim MTN biking hiking and weights b/c it helps keep it interesting and it helps prevent overuse or excess repitition of motion on joints .my excuses in the past for inconsistency were 1surgery and 2weather “too cold”. You mentioned injury, injury concern is smart though, I usually just wrap it and go. But if it’s too much I switch activity from run to swim or water arobics. I love your goal of “consistency for 3 more months I am joining you on that and hope we can encourage one another. Here’s where it gets WHY with me though, people ask me what am I TRAINING for and I always say,NOTHING.Iam not training For any event. You mentioned 10k and Boston where as me I’m doing this for A)Self discipline
B) immediate feel good(endorphin junky,trance like state of mind “the zone”)
C) anti depression &self confidence D)alertness memory and coordination and for long term health benefits such as preventative care and higher quality of life.
So glad I read your article tonight it was perfect. The way I got your article was I entered “exercise 4 days a week 40minutes to 90minutes each” and yours was one if the ones to come up.
Great story and I’m very happy for you. This verifies again what is already well known – Running has a tremendous good effect on us. In addition it increase metabolism by 12% !!
It’s no a question if you like running, you must go running. Even short distance makes a huge impact on your life.
Thanks Seth! Happy running!
@Seth, excellent point. I was told that weight training is such that on your days off your body is burning more calories then a person who is runner on his days off. I haven’t looked more into this im trying to see the logic to it
Did you run 4 days in a row or every other day?
I ran Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, so Sunday and Monday were back to back runs.
Today November 5 marks my 3 months of running, I have lost about 8 lbs since I started this journey,I am currently 31 years but people at work think am 22 or 24,my self esteem has boosted I love how light I feel I lost a small tummy I had,now I can wear crop tops, I have increased my pace ,yesterday I ran 5k in 26 minutes,today I finished 5.7 miles in 1h38 mins,min, can now run 15kilometers comfortably ,I look forward to compete for cross-country the coming spring and then start training for half marathon.
Amazing!! Keep up the great work!
GREAT article! I started running, again, in the beginning of Sept. I am now running 30 miles a week (6 miles, 5 x a week). However, I feel like I am swelling up/gaining weight! From all the research I’ve done, I am told that my body is going through the ‘inflammation’ process and to be patient. In the beginning, did you gain weight? TIA!!!
@Dawn, interesting !!
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Thanks Eva!
The same exact things happened to me. My goal was 20 miles a week (and like you, I didn’t worry about pace) and over the last year, I went from 167 to 128. I feel strong and have less anxiety and more confidence. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on your new lifestyle!
@Jill, that’s a huge change but is a great testimonial because it demonstrates the final result of 1 year of keeping with being consistent .
I run 3 times a week, 2 miles each time, and I find so many benefits for doing it! I love running!
That’s a great running routine Jennie! I love running too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you very much for your article, Janice. I am reading this as a 42 years old woman, who has been running consistently (5km to 7km) for 3 months, as well. I have also been doing taekwondo with my kids, for the last year. I like to use my Samsung Health App however do not own a scale. I definitely agree with you that sleeptime is better and not to use my age as an excuse.
Thank you for the taking the time to comment Carolyn! I did get away from the running in 2019, but have been back at it since March 2020. I’m 45 now and still seeing similar benefits from running consistently as I did when I first wrote this post. I’m a strong believer that staying active through middle age and beyond will benefit us as we get older. Great job with the running consistency!
Wow! You wrote down everything that happened to me. I’ve been running 3 times a week for 6 months now and lost like 10 pounds. Reading your article now I’m considering to add my running schedule to 4 times a week but I definitely need to work on my schedule.
Congratulations Monica! That’s fantastic! Every time I get lazy and take a break from running, I come back to this post to motivate myself again. Yes, definitely give 4 days a week a try! My current schedule is run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with a longer run on Sundays. On Tuesday and Thursdays I do a HIIT workout of 6 exercises for 30 seconds each, 15 second rest, 8 times. It looks something like this:
8 rounds of:
Skipping
Pushups
Kettlebell swings
Step ups
Glute bridges
Supermans
30 seconds each, 15 seconds rest
I don’t have a goal of losing weight or trying for some aesthetic ideal that I’ll never reach, instead I do it for general health and wellness. I makes me feel good, and it keeps me “fit” enough to be able to jump into anything my kids want me to do with them – like go skiing, or play a game of softball, or play basketball on the driveway.
Thanks for stopping by!
Agree with you, consistency is the key. I started my run about three months ago 3-4 times a week, first few weeks i was stopping every half a mile and now, after three months I can run 7 miles at average 9 pace with 156 BPM without stopping. I am 54 years old.
Detailed and helpful. Hope to start very soon.
I too have been running ‚every other day‘ and have the same results. I run 5km each time so averaging around 17,5km a week. I still feel like staying in bed every morning though and had to tel my wife not to ‚ask me‚ if I ‘want to‘ go running, but rather tell me “we need to get up now, to run or we will be too late to get the kids up for school”
5 km is good for me, I don’t feel like more just yet.
Everytime I run I have heat headaches. Do you have any solutions for this
It could be dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. I find starting the day with a banana, fruit, spinach, almond milk, vega one vanilla protein powder and a touch of honey in the morning helps to keep headaches away.
42yr male, 190lb. I also decided to become more consistent with my jogging. I average 3 times a week (3-5km each) but my goal is 4 times. Been 5 months now. I lost 10lbs and my pace is up from 7min/km to 6min/km and i feel great! I look forward to jogging. What I notice most is I am no longer winded or gasping for air at all after jogging. I could probably hold a conversation the entire time if anyone would jog with me, lol. I feel like i’m doing my heart/mind/soul good by jogging and plan to keep it up, even in the Canadian winter! Boyah!
Great job James!! I took a break, but I’m back into it again. The first month was hard (again), but it’s getting easier. Keep it up!
Awesome. I changed my running too, the focus became running lots in a month and not worry about pace. So I build it up to 150 k, then 200, and 220… my most has been 230. I don’t go under 200. In the beginning my body was tired but after a couple of months it became a habit. And now I got to the point where I feel antsy on the resting days (about 5 in a month). I hope event running will be re-opened soon so I can compare if I have made progress
This is awesome! We are preparing to run 5km everyday for 30 days, hopefully the results will be somewhat similar
Sounds like a great goal, good luck!!
This is refreshing to read and very motivating . I have recently started running 5k 3 times a week through initially using the couch to 5k app. I never thought I’d enjoy it but I do! I do have a few aches and pained but hoping they will reduce in the next few weeks.
Awesome story and very motivating!!!💕💕💕
THIS is just what I needed! I’m going to order some new runners and make this commitment to myself as soon as they arrive. I used to run, but fell (not running…just casually walking down the street 🤦♀️) and then Covid hit. Instead of going ahead, I went backwards and have gained weight, lost motivation, and just simply not happy with myself. So happy I stumbled upon this article! Time to RUN again!
Thank You for such an inspirational story. I have also started to run recently and really enjoy it.
I’m also surprsied at my improved performance at every session.
It improved rapidly.
Thank you Singh! I’m glad to hear that you’re experiencing similar results, keep up the good work!
Hi Janice, I just found your article and great timing! I have picked up my fitness in the last 18 months when diagnosed with an auto immune disease, could let it rule me or me rule it! I have been power walking 3-4kms 5-6 days a week since, mostly treadmill, but outside when I can. I self target and challenge myself, and had felt running (OK jogging haha) was the next step. Last November my husband and I climbed Mt Kilimanjaro to the top, jeez, what a challenge but achievement. I have increased my running since May this year, and challenged to run 3km no stop by the end of June, did it by 14th! now my challenge is to run 3km every time I work out, I do 1km warm up first so. I am now finding 5-6 days hard, and had thought to reduce to 4 days and making the most of the rest days, and had wondered if it would be enough. Not desparate to lose weight, but always a bonus, and bought the Runners cookbook for ideas on fuelling etc, which is very good. So thanks for your article. Julie……..59 years and 1 month…….
Great job! I’m the same- not consistent so I want to try and change that by running as you did 4x a week 30-40 mins (including walking breaks). Did you do any kind of calorie reduction in your diet as well?
Yes, after about a month of running I began tracking my meals with myfitnesspal. Let me know how it goes!
Excellent.. great job.. consistency is always the key..i will also try to follow this approach.. will i keep it? Or stop in between? I shall update.
Thanks Murali, keep me posted on your results!
This is awesome, well done.
Aiming to follow you on this.
Thanks Katherine! I got away from the four times a week about 2 years ago, but once we went into lockdown I picked it back up again. Like before, the first few weeks were hard, but I’m 9 weeks into it now and it’s much easier. Let me know how it goes!
It’s amazing what happens with a bit of consistency isn’t it! I’ve been really working on building my own running consistency recently and have also seen a huge difference, most notably in terms of my sleep and how much I enjoy my runs. It’s awesome! It actually makes me want to do more!
It certainly is! Way to go Bethan!
I really enjoyed this article. I’ve been trying to do 2 mile runs a few days each week over the last couple of weeks as I’m just returning to running. This article has really motivated me to try consistency- might even set myself the same challenge!
Great to hear, let me know how it goes!
Janice, absolutely inspiring .. so many people must feel a connection with you as you speak genuinely and so down to earth about something that many others don’t. Readers being able to feel you are one of “us” and make that connection is exactly how you inspire people. You are a natural so keep it up.
I’m inspired and now have a goal of 4 runs a week, not punishing runs but just runs.
Thank you so much.
Thanks Steve! I fell off the running wagon over the past year, but this post has also inspired me again. I’ve been running four times a week for the past 5 weeks with my 14 year old daughter to keep her in shape for hockey while her sports are shut down. Running is already beginning to feel easier for both my daughter and I. Let me know how your running goes!
My goal involved not going too long between runs. If I skipped more than a couple days, wouldn’t that be quitting? So I started running four and five days a week. The longest I went between runs was three days when I was in Hawaii for vacation.
I love your articles! Very real and down to earth! I love your pics of wt loss and fat loss. It is SO exasperating to lose a lb then gain 2. Your graphs show it happens … to ALL of us! and to keep on Keeping On! Thank you! I am starting tomorrow to get back to regular exercise and Keto program. 2 years ago I trained for Tough Mudder and did as well as my kids at that time… aged 64. Now, at 66, I gotta get back on the horse. Thank you!!!
Any update ?
I fell off the wagon for about a year (long story) but am just getting back into it. Went to bootcamp class twice this week and “ran” twice (walked 2min/ran 3min x6). It’s tough, between the three girls I’m juggling 6 travel teams (3 hockey & 3 fastpitch) + working full time 🙁
I used to run 4 days per week but as I’ve gotten older (cough!), I cut back to 3.My goals have changed–now I’m all about fitness. Instead, I do CrossFit 2 days a week. I think it’s important that we keep on moving as we age. Nice job on the weight loss and yes you can totally BQ!
Hello I’m 54 years old and I finally stopped smoking how long should I wait to start running.
Hi Sarah,
I am not a doctor, so I cannot provide medical advice. However to get started with running I would start by following the couch to 5k program (there’s an app) in order to progress slowly to avoid injury. I also found the the couch to 5k program very motivating. Best wishes on your fitness journey!!
Great article,, I’m reading it as I wait for my husband to finish his leg of the Sinister 7 trail run in Crowsnest Pass Alberta. My daughter will run later and as usual I wish I would’ve trained for a place on the team. My running is sporadic, but I get out at least once a week. I think making a bigger commitment would let me get in the race and at worst has better fitness.
Great article! Did you change your diet at all?
I used MyFitnessPal to log my food and I tried to stay within my calorie goals.
How far or how long were the runs that you started off with?
They were 30 minutes.
A good article providing very interesting reading…
I like you have been running at how i feel i should be running which also equates to 160 (ish) bpm. (Not out of breath and labouring at all despite the HR) and ive been told by the experienced runners my speed will come if, initially i slow down and enjoy the ride. Youre proof this is the case, so i feel i should dedicate more time to running slower.
My ultimate strugglewill be getting out of bed to run.
Thankyou for the aeticle though. 😀
I enjoyed reading about your journey. I’m back to C25K program yet again to try and get my grove back. It’s hard after long breaks to get motivated. Nice to see others with the same experience.
I love running but have slacked off and when I try to get back in the groove something happens and I fall back off the wagon. Thank you for posting this I’m going to start in the morning. Did you use an app. I use the Galloway method. Have a wonderful Memorial Day, Lisa Newman
It is 18 months later. What happened? Did you qualify for Boston?
Oh good point! I never did share the follow up post that I promised. I did manage to stay with it consistently for a total of 6 months and I lost 20 lbs and was able to get my body fat % down to 26%. After that I fell off the wagon for 6 months. I then trained from November 2018 to March 2019 for a half marathon. I finished the half marathon but was injured. That caused me to have to take March & April off, I’m now back running consistently but lost quite a bit of the half marathon fitness. I’m using the past experience to motivate myself to push through the first few months of rebuilding fitness… yet again 🙂
Thank you for sharing.
I have loathed running since my middle school track days.
However, in August 2018 I vowed to run every day for a month, then a friend of mine (an old running buddy) had a brain aneurysm and I vowed to run until she was out of the hospital and back home. All in all I did a 100 day running streak and was able to complete my 100th day with her there watching me! (I currently live overseas and she is in the states). All that to say that after that I was sick on and off for 45 days and we were traveling and I have 3 little girls….so for 45 days no running occurred. Finally February 2019 I declared I would run 1 mile daily for the entire month and then scale back to 3-4 times a week. It is wonderful how I also saw improvement in my time, anxiety, and ability to sleep when I run. I still loathe running, but I loathe being grumpy even more! Keep at it! <3
This is so great! How long have your runs been? With work, kids and busy schedules what’s the best timeframe for each run that can make a difference over time?
Good question! I started with an aim of walk/running for a minimum of 30 minutes. Eventually my endurance built up to run 30 minutes straight, then I began doing longer runs on weekends. Of course my body adjusted to the running demands, so to continue seeing progress I mixed things up with hill repeats, speed work, longer runs, hard days, easy days etc.
That seems like it was a successful experiment. Thank you for sharing. I love running so it’s the thing I default to doing but I tend to skip my strength and swimming workouts. Let’s not even talk about stretching.
Ha ha ha! I’m the same! I fell off the 4x/week wagon in 2018, so I gained back all of my loss 😩. I’ve been back on it the past 4 weeks and again, I’m losing a pound a week. This time around I found that joining a RunBet worked to keep me on track.
I’m a little late to the party here haha, but what’s a RunBet??
I loved your post. You really motivated me to start smth. And running is an idea.
Thanks, I really learned that doing something consistently, ie: 4 or more times a week, really does get results. Unfortunately randomly being active doesn’t get nearly the same results 😩. Good luck & all the best for 2018!
I started running this past summer and fell in love. I run 5 days a week and miss running on my days off. I’ve lost 22 lbs. I feel good and sleep well, it’s amazing! Kudos to you!
Great job Jenne! I added in a 5th day a week a month ago and am finding the same thing as you, I sleep so much better! Thanks for stopping by!
Did you just run each time or do different runs like sprints, different distances…
Hi Ashleigh, for those three months I just ran however I felt like running that day which was usually at a comfortable pace ranging in distance from 5k-8k. Over the past month I’ve added in a 5th run, Yasso 800’s. Thanks for stopping by!
How long are your runs?
This is a great question – I didn’t think to discuss that in my post. I started off running 5-6km/run. Without really realising it, I’ve begun to average ~8km/run (and could probably go a lot further). A month ago I began running 5 times/week. The 5th run I added in is speedwork (800m repeats with 400m recovery jogs). Unfortunately I don’t have time in our lifestyle to head out for longer than 45 minutes, otherwise I would turn 1 of the runs into a long run.
Great, thanks!
Way to go on your success! I think you just gave me my November mini challenge idea. I need to get back into my workouts but I usually go gung ho and then fizzle out lately. So I might start with 2-3 workouts a week for a month then add in an extra day and work up to what I used to do. Thanks for the inspiration!
I dropped by from Bloggy Mom’s by the way 😉 nice to meet you!
It’s nice to meet you too Angie! It took me months of exploration (doctor’s visits, blood work etc) to finally admit to myself that my weight gain and loss of speed was simply due to a lack of running consistency. Please let me know how the challenge goes for you!
At age 61 I have been training seriously for six years and have run every day for the last 129 days. My runs each week include 5 routine runs of 4-5 miles from 7-8 mph, a hill run of 3.5 miles at 6+ mph, and a long run of 10+ miles at 6.5 miles mph each Sunday. I view the daily exertion as a lifetime endeavor for the sake of well-being, so from a psychological point of view I anticipate, and look forward to it, every day. Congratulations on your discipline! It will serve you well in the long haul.
@Herbert, Thank you for this reply, I’m 57 now and sometimes I question my sanity when it comes to running. My goal is to run a marathon at sixty, we’ll see how that goes.
I love how you analyzed this! So many great things come from running regularly,whether it twice a week or five times a week. I’m pretty sure that if I didn’t run I would never sleep well.
I think you grew to love running because you did it YOUR way and didn’t overdo it 😉 I have been running for over 12 years, and seldom ever take my watch with me (unless I’m in training or at an actual race). All those stats on my wrist only bring me anxiety (but I know most people like having all that info on the spot).Congrats on all that you achieved!!
I feel so much better when I run consistently as well. You have really made some great progress congrats!
Very interesting Janice! That’s great, the steady decline in weight! My goal has always been 3 times a week… running will definitely be part of my post baby body strategy.