How much of a difference does 10 pounds make?

VUA21

dewd2 wrote: »

No typo. That's 15 seconds per mile. That is huge. It may not seem like much until you realize how freaking hard it is to run 15 seconds per mile faster over 13....

Yep, I currently run slightly faster than snail's pace, (5k took me 37 minutes last time), just trying to get to under 30 is hard. The faster I get, the harder it is to speed up. There's a reason Olympic times between first and 12th place can be seconds apart. So awesome job!

heybales

dewd2 wrote: »

No typo. That's 15 seconds per mile. That is huge. It may not seem like much until you realize how freaking hard it is to run 15 seconds per mile faster over 13....

I think this also bears into the fact many are getting fitter as they are losing weight. So it's hard for them to discern was it the weight or better fitness level.

So it may not even be the 10 lb loss as much as the aerobic improvement during that time which causes a big improvement in performance.

Like adding 10 lbs to your squat or deadlift while you lost 10 lbs off your body - well, that's maintenance really, and if form improvements occurred because of starting lifting - likely lost strength because should have gained more on bar.

Whereas you likely were already at a really good fitness level if you had done HM already at good clip - so cutting the time was all about losing the weight. VO2 would have gone up merely for that fact.

hungrywombat

heybales wrote: »

dewd2 wrote: »

No typo. That's 15 seconds per mile. That is huge. It may not seem like much until you realize how freaking hard it is to run 15 seconds per mile faster over 13....

I think this also bears into the fact many are getting fitter as they are losing weight. So it's hard for them to discern was it the weight or better fitness level.

So it may not even be the 10 lb loss as much as the aerobic improvement during that time which causes a big improvement in performance.

Like adding 10 lbs to your squat or deadlift while you lost 10 lbs off your body - well, that's maintenance really, and if form improvements occurred because of starting lifting - likely lost strength because should have gained more on bar.

Whereas you likely were already at a really good fitness level if you had done HM already at good clip - so cutting the time was all about losing the weight. VO2 would have gone up merely for that fact.

Yes but being lighter on the feet really does make a difference to running! A 10lb weight difference definitely affects how my poor little feet cope over a long run (I tend to run on the ball of my foot, which concentrates a lot of impact on quite a small area). Being even a few lbs lighter substantially reduces the impact over time, which means my feet feel better for longer, which improves my overall performance.

Also, a 15 second per mile speed increase? Awesome work!

heybales

Indeed it does make a difference, hence my comments to the affirmative.
Can improve running economy/form beyond just being faster moving less weight.

dewd2

heybales wrote: »

dewd2 wrote: »

No typo. That's 15 seconds per mile. That is huge. It may not seem like much until you realize how freaking hard it is to run 15 seconds per mile faster over 13....

I think this also bears into the fact many are getting fitter as they are losing weight. So it's hard for them to discern was it the weight or better fitness level.

So it may not even be the 10 lb loss as much as the aerobic improvement during that time which causes a big improvement in performance.

Like adding 10 lbs to your squat or deadlift while you lost 10 lbs off your body - well, that's maintenance really, and if form improvements occurred because of starting lifting - likely lost strength because should have gained more on bar.

Whereas you likely were already at a really good fitness level if you had done HM already at good clip - so cutting the time was all about losing the weight. VO2 would have gone up merely for that fact.

I can say for sure that weight is part of the issue this year. VO2max tested around the same time and is similar, training is similar, and races are the same. The difference is 10lbs. As I drop the extra weight the results are beginning to show again. I realize it is not 'all' weight but it is absolutely part of the issue.

Test it if you like. Run a mile as fast as you can. A week or 2 later, grab a couple 5lb dumbells and run a mile again and see the difference.

missysippy930

andreamariexoxo wrote: »

I'm just curious to how you guys felt after losing 10 pounds? Did you feel better or notice a difference physically? Or what about 20 pounds? I've lost 14 pounds so far and think I'm still the same size. Although a couple have coworkers have commented on me looking a little smaller

I too have lost 14 pounds. I notice it. Especially as my clothes are looser. I am due for checking my measurements on Monday and hope I will see inches lost.

ridiculous59

mjbnj0001 wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

... 10 lb off morbidly obese probably not noticeable in any appreciable way. ...

Well, yes and no.

From one who is, and is down 70+ lbs from my max (28 since Jan 1st), I feel different every 10 lbs.

Since Jan 1st, I've been bike riding on a new bike my family bought me for a Christmas/Retirement gift, as my new "job" is to "get healthy." I've been doing just that. This has been both stationary cycling in the gym through the winter months and getting out for "realworld" rides when possible. Now that Spring/Summer is here, the percent of outdoor to indoor has reversed, and swimming is now coming into play as well. Dietary management (MFP) is vital as well.

I've been going to a nutritionist, and he's been measuring the gradual "replacement (=buildup)" of muscle mass from my exercising to fat lost (the electrical conductive scale test method), so it isn't all about simple pounds lost.

I have more energy, endurance, better cardio, am more alert, etc. So it's all good.

Back to the original question. I may not have felt appreciably different - or remembered noticeably -on any given day, and any given chunk of pounds weight loss, but I have journal entries to refer to my individual 10lb milestones (I plan by chunks, not overall, as these are easier to manage/attain while keeping a far-off goal in focus as well). The journal shows progress as real effects in their times.

I could go another 50 lbs or more. My 2018 adjusted written goals are 15 more by Thanksgiving. I started 2018 planning for 25, so I've hit that. It's not getting easier, it's a steady chipping away, pound by pound.

This is how I tackled it too. I'm still working full time, but once my kids all left home I made losing weight and getting healthy a part time job. And now, 90 pounds later, the healthy changes I made are no longer "work", they just are.

Back to the original question, like others have said, 10 pounds may or may not make much of a difference visually, depending on your height and weight. But try to imagine carrying a 10 pound bag of flour around all day. Its a pretty significant load that your heart and joints are having to deal with.

If I could make one suggestion it would be for you to take a progress picture every 10 pounds. I wish I had done it. You might not see any difference between each 10 pound photo, but if you line them up I'm sure that you'll be amazed and inspired by what you've achieved.

Congrats on the 14 pound loss

breefoshee

10lbs at my heaviest didn't show much... Even my measurements didn't go down by a lot. But now I see the difference in my face with just 5lbs. 10lbs show in my clothes. I still have a ways to go, but it gets more fun as you go!