Studies conducted at the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab in New York indicate that people underestimate the calorie content in a meal by about 20 per cent - and by as much as 50 per cent after a tough workout, which means athletes often

starting and stopping a car, which uses more petrol." A 10.7 stone (68kg) runner doing a four-miler at a nine-minute/mile pace burns about 480 calories. But you can torch more calories, speed weight loss and spark up your runs by swapping that four

- and save 40 calories or more. Snack on an apple rather than crisps: a study published in Nutrition found that people who snacked daily on apples and pears, and made no other dietary changes for 12 weeks, lost an average of 1.2kg. "Eating more fruit

– and eat – to get the very best out of your body.Enduring Questions: What’s Your Ideal Weight? Start here - lock on to your weight-loss target by working out your ideal weight. GETTY IMAGESThe Basics To begin at the beginning – stick to simple healthy

in Days 2-5 are for Runner's World magazine subscribers only. (The good news is that you can get instant access to the articles, 12 issues delivered to your door, AND 30% off here). To begin with, here's how to make the most of running for weight loss

a healthy diet. Which is half the weight-loss battle.The other half, of course, is keeping the pounds off. Here again, runners have an advantage, because exercise is the most important factor in keeping weight off.So don’t wait another minute: you

to 200 metres. Your 200-metre time should be about 10 seconds more than your 100-metre time. Estimated Burn 340 calories BRAD HUDSON’S MILES AND HILLSBrad Hudson, a former 2:13 marathon runner and coach, likes to incorporate lots of short hill sprints

a weight loss class and tackle her weight gain. Two years on, she runs regularly and has lost six stone gradually - sticking to an achievable weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week.Health worries can also be a useful trigger to change lifestyle choices

Snacking is a national epidemic. Research published in June 2010 suggested that nine out of 10 British adults snack between meals and half do so daily. Curbing your snacking - or at least finding healthy alternatives - is crucial to weight-loss

15 miles a week burns roughly 1,500 calories – but to lose a pound, you need to cut 3,500 calories a week. Bottom line? Running alone won't cut it; if you want to lose weight more quickly, you need to adjust your calorie intake. In a study in the 2007