When it comes to getting into shape, losing any extra pounds, or toning up we are often out to get the quickest results from the least of effort. We want that enviable body today and to get that running is often looked to as the best cardio activity as it has the best bang for your buck. Per minute of exertion, running will torch the most calories, get your heart rate elevated the fastest, and also does a variety of other things to improve your overall health.

Where you can expect to burn about 100 calories per mile running, should you be on the bike it could take you up to four times that same amount of time, which is not something that makes it all that appealing. So should we all be jumping on the treadmill or hitting the streets to get in lean, mean, fighting form?

Along with helping you trim down the fastest, running will also help protect your bones in that the weight bearing activity is known to help reduce your chances of osteoporosis. This is something you can’t get from swimming, biking, or on the elliptical machine. However, just as many things there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you go overboard with running too many miles, especially if you drastically increase your mileage in a short amount of time, you are more likely to get hurt. This could include anything from a muscle strain, inflamed tendon, or stress fracture which is a small fissure in your bone.

So the upside of exercising with biking, swimming, or other low impact methods is you do significantly reduce the chances of getting an injury related to too much impact on your bones,

muscles, and joints. The key is to find the right balance between just enough running to burn a significant amount of calories but not doing too much that it could leave you injured and possibly unable to do anything at all.

The tricky part is that this fine line between what is okay and what is too much varies from person to person. So the best way to find out what that is for you, combine running with other low impact activities for the best results. Experiment what works for you own body; slowly increase the amount of miles you are running each week and then supplement any additional cardio time with bouts on the bike, swimming, or on the elliptical machine. If you begin to feel a nagging soreness that won’t go away or your joints start to ache, cut back on the amount of miles you are running and up the time spent doing other cross training exercises. By finding your own unique balance you will be able to enjoy the calorie blasting benefits of running while not being sidelined with an injury!