Running with no results
kpodjan
Posts: 11
Hi everyone.
I started a running program (C25K) at the end of May '13 and just graduated by running my 5K today (July 5 '13)...yay! My concern is that even though I can feel more muscle tone in my lower body and feel 'slightly' leaner around my shoulders and chest I have lost no weight...not one pound...and not even partial inches on my measurements. I run 4 times per week and it's been a straight two plus miles for about 3 weeks now. I eat less than I did before I started and I naturally am choosing healthier foods over junk. Am I not giving it enough time? I feel like I should have at least lost something by now :-( Wondering other peoples experience.
I started a running program (C25K) at the end of May '13 and just graduated by running my 5K today (July 5 '13)...yay! My concern is that even though I can feel more muscle tone in my lower body and feel 'slightly' leaner around my shoulders and chest I have lost no weight...not one pound...and not even partial inches on my measurements. I run 4 times per week and it's been a straight two plus miles for about 3 weeks now. I eat less than I did before I started and I naturally am choosing healthier foods over junk. Am I not giving it enough time? I feel like I should have at least lost something by now :-( Wondering other peoples experience.
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Replies
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I've been using MFP for a couple months now and have gone from 15st2 to 13st7 since March.
Also have started the C25K and am going to do week5, day 3 tonight....
Since starting it my weight loss also seem to have slowed but I have definitely gained more muscle in my legs and I am more defined. I am not worried about the weight or the numbers on the scale - the difference in how I am much fitter and how more lean I look is what matters.
the more regular MFP crew will wnt to know whether you are eating enough food, rather than too much...
What are you calorie targets and what weight have you got to lose?0 -
Hi everyone.
I started a running program (C25K) at the end of May '13 and just graduated by running my 5K today (July 5 '13)...yay! My concern is that even though I can feel more muscle tone in my lower body and feel 'slightly' leaner around my shoulders and chest I have lost no weight...not one pound...and not even partial inches on my measurements. I run 4 times per week and it's been a straight two plus miles for about 3 weeks now. I eat less than I did before I started and I naturally am choosing healthier foods over junk. Am I not giving it enough time? I feel like I should have at least lost something by now :-( Wondering other peoples experience.
Opening your food diary will let people comment more effectively....
Do you measure and track everything you eat?
If you're trying to lose weight, the best way to do that is by eating at a caloric deficit. Running or whatever exercise you do is great, but your diet is what is really going to make the most difference in your ability to lose weight or not.0 -
From everything I've read and watched from personal trainers on youtube, you really need to add variety. Your body gets used to cardio, cardio, cardio and then you don't make progress. Add some weight lifting into your schedule and you will probably see big results.0
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If' you're not at a caloric deficit, you can run all day and not lose weight. Getting a handle on your intake is the most important thing. You need to eat less than your TDEE (the amount of calories you use in a day, including BMR, normal daily activities, and exercise). Track all of your food (using a scale and measuring cups) so you can figure out how much you're actually taking in, then adjust so that you're eating at a moderate deficit from your TDEE.0
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I'm experiencing the same thing since I started running. I definitely feel my body changing though. I feel more toned and basically just different (hard to explain).0
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Are you eating back your exercise calories? Some people report the calorie figures for exercise can be inflated... I've seen people say they eat back 1/2 the exercise calories.
For me, it has always seemed dead-on, so I don't obsess over it. They're guidelines.
That said, exercise alone will not make you lose weight. Calorie deficit does that. Cardio helps with adding to that deficit (energy in / energy out) but by itself doesn't make you lose weight. It does help your muscle tone, cardiovascular health, etc.
For me, I lost weight to get in a good place to start running again. Family history of joint problems motivated me to drop the flab to reduce the wear and tear on my joints when hitting the bricks. I'd say keep at it. It's a little early to tell and once you start cranking out 3+ miles, the calorie deficit starts getting more appreciable.
Hang in there.
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I have been palateauing for 6 months so I know the frustration of watching every morsel, journaling, working out, and losing nothing. I have no choice but to lower the sugar, carbs, and continue. I find that I am too lax with some fruits, and I stopped carbs like oatmeal, diet bread, and fatty nuts. It is a never ending battle but I am determined to win, no matter what. I want my weight down and I want to get rid of the extra pillow I have for a stomach. I am very close to my goal, but it is really tough now. I am going to add swimming laps to my repetoire, and hope for the best. I obsess about food, which is a huge problem because it makes me eat more.. Also I cut down on yogurts with sugar. Good luck. No matter what....Do not give up...and you WILL WIN. MFP IS AMAZING. IT TOTALLY KEEPS MY HEAD IN THE RIGHT PLACE MOST OF THE TIME. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP. YOU HAVE ALREADY COME SO FAR. THERE IS NO WHERE TO GO BUT "BETTER AND IMPROVED". HAVING MUSCLE IS SO IMPORTANT AND makes a huge difference in your progress. Good luck. Jill0
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If' you're not at a caloric deficit, you can run all day and not lose weight. Getting a handle on your intake is the most important thing. You need to eat less than your TDEE (the amount of calories you use in a day, including BMR, normal daily activities, and exercise). Track all of your food (using a scale and measuring cups) so you can figure out how much you're actually taking in, then adjust so that you're eating at a moderate deficit from your TDEE.
This!0 -
A caloric deficit is what you need to lose weight. Excercise helps with that but diet is 80%.
Also running didn't add that much to my deficit until I got to the 20+ miles a week range then it was easy to lose .5 to a pound a week. From the way I read it your only running 8 miles a week. Work on building up to more running, that will help.0 -
If you want to tone you need to start WEIGHT TRAINING!
Cardiovascular exercise is just that, CADIOVASCULAR ( the heart, blood vessels etc.). Working the heart will not tone your body..it will assist in other ways, but to tone you need to acquaint yourself with some resistance training0 -
I ran for a year and did almost an hour a day 4 days a week but until I added weights and really tightened up my diet to really lean and BIG deficit I did not lose anything. Once I did that and tracked my foods the weight flew off took it off in 3 months then went into trimining the vanity pounds off at a much higher calorie range.And keep up with the weight and running. I am 61. So calories even at maitence are not that high.0
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From everything I've read and watched from personal trainers on youtube, you really need to add variety. Your body gets used to cardio, cardio, cardio and then you don't make progress. Add some weight lifting into your schedule and you will probably see big results.
While variety and strength training are both good things, they are not necessary. One can lose weight from running alone and eating at a caloric deficit. I've lost over 50 pounds in the last 10 years doing just that.0 -
If you want to tone you need to start WEIGHT TRAINING!
Cardiovascular exercise is just that, CADIOVASCULAR ( the heart, blood vessels etc.). Working the heart will not tone your body..it will assist in other ways, but to tone you need to acquaint yourself with some resistance training
Horsehockey! Weight lose comes from eating a caloric deficit. Cardio exercise and strength training are just two vehicles to get there. You certainly don't NEED to lift weights to lose weight. Were that the case, I'd still be carrying that extra 50 pounds.0 -
If' you're not at a caloric deficit, you can run all day and not lose weight. Getting a handle on your intake is the most important thing. You need to eat less than your TDEE (the amount of calories you use in a day, including BMR, normal daily activities, and exercise). Track all of your food (using a scale and measuring cups) so you can figure out how much you're actually taking in, then adjust so that you're eating at a moderate deficit from your TDEE.
This!0 -
If you're not losing weight, you're either existing in too large of a caloric deficit, or not enough.0
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Thank you for your responses. I'm going to start recording my intake today and see what I'm actually consuming. I guess I was just thinking if I burn calories and don't consume more than I already was that I would just shed some pounds. I don't own a scale as I wanted to stay motivated on how my clothes were fitting and how I felt but since that wasn't moving in the right direction I used my sisters and was shocked :-(
Now that I've reached my goal of running I will continue this, add in some strength, and watch my calories. Thanks for your help :-)0 -
you need these:Thank you for your responses. I'm going to start recording my intake today and see what I'm actually consuming. I guess I was just thinking if I burn calories and don't consume more than I already was that I would just shed some pounds. I don't own a scale as I wanted to stay motivated on how my clothes were fitting and how I felt but since that wasn't moving in the right direction I used my sisters and was shocked :-(
Now that I've reached my goal of running I will continue this, add in some strength, and watch my calories. Thanks for your help :-)
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Thank you for your responses. I'm going to start recording my intake today and see what I'm actually consuming. I guess I was just thinking if I burn calories and don't consume more than I already was that I would just shed some pounds. I don't own a scale as I wanted to stay motivated on how my clothes were fitting and how I felt but since that wasn't moving in the right direction I used my sisters and was shocked :-(
Now that I've reached my goal of running I will continue this, add in some strength, and watch my calories. Thanks for your help :-)
It's amazing that you have picked up running so quickly and you should be really proud of yourself :flowerforyou:
Get yourself a set of kitchen scales and log everything you eat and drink - it's amazing once you start writing it down and actually see what you consume. And you will be safe in the knowledge that as your weight comes down, you will have killer legs thanks to the running!0 -
you need these:Thank you for your responses. I'm going to start recording my intake today and see what I'm actually consuming. I guess I was just thinking if I burn calories and don't consume more than I already was that I would just shed some pounds. I don't own a scale as I wanted to stay motivated on how my clothes were fitting and how I felt but since that wasn't moving in the right direction I used my sisters and was shocked :-(
Now that I've reached my goal of running I will continue this, add in some strength, and watch my calories. Thanks for your help :-)
Ah, you beat me to it Trog!0 -
#1, I don't think you've given it enough time. You could be converting some fat to muscle but it probably is going to take more than 5 weeks to effect meaningful change. #2, You probably need to consider upping your mileage a little bit. It sounds like you are running about 8 miles a week which is certainly admirable but it may be time to try and move the needle incrementally to 10-12 miles. Perhaps run 2 miles one day, 3 the next etc.. At 8 miles a week for 5 weeks you have run about 40 miles and probably burned an incremental 4000 calories, so you probably wouldn't have lost more than a pound anyway, which may be why you don't feel any different.
As far as food intake, others here have done a better job on here than I could, but writing down what you eat and doing it honestly is a good way to effect results positively. I started out the day after Memorial Day at 180 and woke up the day after July 4th at 170. That came from sticking with my 5X workout program (4 runs, 20+ per week w/1 gym), eating less, and reducing my carbs. By writing it all down somewhere it was a great motivator to not forget all those snacks. I graduated from the back of an envelope to using MFL and find it to be a great tool.
Stick with it, and good things will happen. best of luck.0 -
Feel free to use the img annnnnytimeAh, you beat me to it Trog!
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Thank you for your responses. I'm going to start recording my intake today and see what I'm actually consuming. I guess I was just thinking if I burn calories and don't consume more than I already was that I would just shed some pounds. I don't own a scale as I wanted to stay motivated on how my clothes were fitting and how I felt but since that wasn't moving in the right direction I used my sisters and was shocked :-(
Now that I've reached my goal of running I will continue this, add in some strength, and watch my calories. Thanks for your help :-)
Ok, first of all? Not all scales are point on accurate. Your sister's might not be right, the original one you used might not be right, etc.
You definitely need to watch your calories...JUST eating less than you used to doesn't necessarily mean you're eating at a calorie deficit. For instance....if you USED to eat say...4000 calories a day, now eat 3000 and burn 200 calories from exercise...you're still not going to get to the numbers to lose weight.
You don't necessarily have to stop running, start doing this or that...but for me *personally* I've found variety is key....to keeping me interested. If you're searching for muscle tone, adding in weight training is a good idea, but people can and have lost weight just with running...and by eating at a calorie deficit.
My advice: If you like running, keep running! I've found it hard to get to a point where I totally enjoy it, but after a year and a half, finally have. If it's in your goals to tone, I'd add in weight training to your week and get some cross training in. If you have the resources, get a heart rate monitor or activity monitor, and a food scale (which you can find for $20ish.0 -
Running helps you keep it off once you've lost it. Losing it, however, is a matter of diet.0
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I agree that exercise is not everything and diet is most important, but the 20/80 relationship sounds exaggerated. I would say 40/60 or even 50/50 is more reasonable. A person who diets and eats right is going to see results, but will eventually give them back if they don't incorporate a consistent exercise program. The reason for this is 95% of the people who diet get bored with it and revert slowly back to old habits. You can only do so much over time with just dieting.0
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caloric deficit = weight loss. Period. Point blank.I agree that exercise is not everything and diet is most important, but the 20/80 relationship sounds exaggerated. I would say 40/60 or even 50/50 is more reasonable. A person who diets and eats right is going to see results, but will eventually give them back if they don't incorporate a consistent exercise program. The reason for this is 95% of the people who diet get bored with it and revert slowly back to old habits. You can only do so much over time with just dieting.0 -
Have it all :-) Will definitely use it.0
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You ran a 5K......congratulations, that's a great result, that's what the running as all about.
exercise = fitness & health
portion control & caloric deficit = weight loss0 -
caloric deficit = weight loss. Period. Point blank.I agree that exercise is not everything and diet is most important, but the 20/80 relationship sounds exaggerated. I would say 40/60 or even 50/50 is more reasonable. A person who diets and eats right is going to see results, but will eventually give them back if they don't incorporate a consistent exercise program. The reason for this is 95% of the people who diet get bored with it and revert slowly back to old habits. You can only do so much over time with just dieting.
I going to have trust the opinion of the guy (trog) who has lost 153 pounds. Eat less and move more. Why stick with just one method?0 -
That's because straight cardio is bullsh!t for weight loss. Add in a weightlifting routine and you'll see inches just fall off.0
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Hi, I tried to read all responses in order to not repeat. Sorry if I am (lots of responses). I definitely agree with tracking your calories. However, there are medical conditions too that can keep that scale's needle from moving. Hypothyroid, Vitamin D deficiency, and PCOS all can affect weight loss. For PCOS, for example, your body could have trouble with carbs (I just had this conversation with my doctor), requiring you to shift to more lean protein. Something like one in seven women suffer from hypothyroidism, which just slows your whole system down. It's worth a chat with your doctor! There are simple blood tests. Best wishes to you! Great job on the running! That's fantastic!!!0
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