Weight loss ?? for Runners

muth3rluvx2

For those of you who know me, you know I've been very hit & miss with novice running (mostly walking, really) and as such, know very little about the sport. I'm curious from as many new and experienced runners - what has your weight-loss (or maintenance) been like with JUST running?? I noted a while ago that it doesn't burn much in cals and that many are supplementing with intense workouts both cardio and strength. Anyone have any luck with just running, and if so, what kind of success-rate, speed, etc.

Due to a tendon injury that's mending, I can't do upper-body strength and I'm really, really bad about doing cardio at home (gym's not really an option right now). I was going out and "playing" tennis every couple of days and that's what really threw this tendon out of whack. :-( So - walking/running is all I'm going to manage for now. Maybe an occasional bike ride - but that will be LOTS better when I have a shed and don't have to lug my giant framed pink monster with wheels up and down my narrow basement stairs.

I look forward to hearing from folks!!!

msbanana

I've become a running fool again- it's all about distance and intensity. For a long time when I was younger I was able to maintain a fairly low weight with diet, running (5 miles a day everyday at an 8 minute mile pace), occassional weight training. As soon as I stopped doing it everyday for that distance and intensity I started gaining weight.

Now I run almost everyday only a few miles at a time but I've really kicked my workout up with interval training (sprint, jog walk, jog sprint repeat) and LOTs of Strength Training. I don't know that I could ever go back to just running. I FEEL better when I lift. Not to mention the fact that I'm stronger and burning more calories at rest because I have muscles. (Proven fact- muscles burn more calories than fat at rest,. Work the big muscle groups regularly and you'll turn yourself into a fat burning furnace.)

That said... can you lose weight run/walking? yes, it's better than sitting still. Is a combo of strength training and cardio more effective? yes. Do what you can and just make sure you're burning more than you're putting in.

Good Luck!!
:drinker:

cakesmooth

I only lose weight when I both run & watch my calorie intake. I have been running since I was 11. I learned about 5 years ago that running alone doesn't take weight off if I eat like a pig all day. As far as introducing other forms of excercise. I do get stuck in weight ruts if I don't introduce something new. But even including sprints and/or increasing my distance has a positive affect. Running does not flatten my stomach or tone any upper body parts so I do have lift some light weights occasionally and do some sit-ups to help out. But running alone does make my legs, butt, and thighs look pretty great. My personaly trainer from a few years ago did have me take some boot camp classes, bicycle, and roller blade to change up my routine. She said that a body can get used to one type of excercise and acclimate itself to burn as few calories as possible during that same work-out. She also made sure I was lifting lots of weights. Also, she didn't allow me to do any yoga. She said it didn't burn enough calories. I know people who only walk and never run who are way thinner than I am. But they walk fast and hard and for over an hour every day. I think they hardly eat too.

sara_m83

Though the calculator in MFP doesn't say I burn a lot of calories, my HRM tells me differently. I decided to start giving running a try because I noticed that every single runner I saw in a given day was really fit! I want to be really fit, as well. There MUST be a correlation. I started the C25K program two weeks ago and am finding it pretty easy to get through so far. I run outdoors which I like better than the treadmill because I have more to look at and when the weather's nice it gives me a lot more energy. Also, the varied terrain gives me more of a workout as I have to go uphill and downhill. I say stick with it and see the results for yourself.

antiadipose

i lost all my weight running! (25 lbs or so)
it was a slow process but a healthy one. the thing is, u gotta eat more when ur a runner... or at least thats my opinion, or else ull never progress and run better, faster, longer.
running for sure made my metabolism go crazy fast! but that also means IM HUNGRY ALL DAY LONG!
i think u should do it tho u will love the results.

kayoshea

I trained for a half marathon last year, running about 30-40 minutes 3 days a week and a long run (1-2hour) every Saturday for 3+ months. I did not curb my caloric intake and did not work out on my off days. I neither loss nor gained weight (I'm 39 and weigh 145) during that time, but when I stopped running I gained about 5 lbs. and could not fit into pants I wore when running. My body definitely looked more soft and flabby after I stopped. I believe I consumed what I burned fairly equally and feel the burn of a steady running pace vs. an interval training/running pace is the reason I never lost. Many of us joked in my running group that running doesn't necessarily give you a runner's body! If I were to do it again, I would definitely incorporate what they call "speed training" into my runs - that is, on certain days, you work on increasing your pace at intervals. I ran at such a steady pace I rarely ever sped up or slowed. Not good for really burning calories as I understand it. Hill training will do the same, increase your heart rate for a time, then recover, etc. Takes a discipline I, as a new runner, did not posses or appreciate until the race was over. Hope this helped.

KarenLue

I am a novice runner! Had to quit running for a while because before I ever started running I was a professional smoker. I smoked a pack a day for 22 years and quit almost 2 years ago. Quit everything! Including exercise an went through a sort of depresson. I went from 130lbs to 158 by last January. (Intirely my own fault) Then I found this web site and started tracking my calories and slowly s-l-o-w-l-y started running again. I started with just a very easy baby jog. Like you're trying to be quiet. Very important to wear good shoes and be careful with the feet. Weight loss has been slow, and I have fell off the wagon a few times, but I am at 135lbs right now! I can run for over a hour easy. And my big thing is I love LOVE hills! They are a challenge to me and they do great things to the body!
Now my problem is I'm worried I won't get below 135. I have been here for a while.
OH! I also highly recommend an Mp3 player with music that will push you!!!!!

rybo

Along with eating properly, just running works quite well for me. Anywhere from 3-5 days a week is typical, 3-10 miles a clip.

JustBeckyV

I do some strength training and yoga in the mornings but most of my cardio comes from running or walking. I do an elliptical maybe once a month. I do monitor what I eat as well. I have lost over 100 lbs with this so ya I think you can lose weight. Like someone else said I don't think you can shovel it in and expect to lose but that goes for a lot of different activities.