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A content creator recently claimed that he lost 40 kg in 4 months by running in place at home. Yes, you read that right. “No treadmill. No track. Just one place. One hour. Sometimes, 1.5 hours. Looked ridiculous, felt ridiculous. Sweat covered the floor, and a body slowly changed. You don’t need a gym. You need a reason,” said Krishna.

The interesting part of this story isn’t whether running on the spot is a secret weight loss exercise. “It isn’t. The principle behind the transformation is much simpler: increasing daily physical activity can increase energy expenditure, and when combined with an appropriate dietary calorie deficit, it can contribute to weight loss,” said consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal.

Running on the spot, sometimes called stationary running or jogging in place, can elevate the heart rate and provide an accessible form of cardiovascular exercise. “It requires no treadmill, outdoor space or expensive equipment, which makes it particularly useful for someone who feels uncomfortable exercising in public or doesn’t have access to a gym.”

But losing 40 kg in four months represents an exceptionally rapid rate of weight loss, and that figure needs context. “The amount of weight someone can safely lose depends on their starting weight, medical status, calorie intake, activity level and other factors. A person starting at a very high body weight can sometimes experience substantially faster initial weight loss than someone who has only a modest amount to lose,” said Goyal.

Also, a large reduction on the weighing scale over a short period is not necessarily 40 kg of body fat. “Changes in body water, glycogen and gut contents can contribute to early fluctuations. Losing 40 kg of fat alone in four months would require an extremely large sustained energy deficit and should not be used as a target for the general population,” said Goyal.

Another important lesson is choosing exercise. “The best exercise is often the one a person is actually willing to repeat. Someone may feel that jogging in place looks too simple or even silly, but if it gets them moving consistently, it has value. Over time, the intensity and duration can be progressed, and other forms of exercise can be added,” said Goyal.

For substantial weight loss, however, cardio shouldn’t necessarily be the entire programme. “Resistance training is important for maintaining muscle and strength, while adequate protein and overall nutritional adequacy become particularly important during a prolonged calorie deficit. The goal should be to reduce excess fat while preserving as much lean mass and physical function as possible,” said Goyal.