Does running help with weight loss

marjoleina

I have weighed the same for the past year or so - I did lose when I had a really stressful personal event -- and now that I am back in Europe I am not able to join a gym. So I commute to work 30 minutes 2x a day by bycicle, and I eat at TDEE-20%. I just joined a running club and am starting to run. I did a little internet research and it seems that running is not that much help with weight loss (Runners' Magazine article). Does anyone have personal experience they are willing to share? I would really like to see some downward change here! I am F, 48, 5 ft 4 and weigh around 72 Kg. Eat 1500 cals a day.

4legsRbetterthan2

Running, and really any exercise, is helpful if you estimate your burns as accurately as you can. Where running can be a problem is sometimes it ramps up your appetite and if you do not eat smart when that happens then you will eat more than you burned and just wasted your time. I run and it helps me lose alot, but I accurately track my runs and my calorie intake.

mghuss

I have lost all my weight through running. I carefully track both food and exercise and make sure that my net calorie intake is 1200-1500 cal.

HavtaLose

Pre-baby I lost about 30 lbs in 6 months with running as my main cardio. So yes it can be used. Any exercise that gets your heart rate up is good. BUT watch your form though. If you're running for the first time, don't run too fast. Start slowly and build up your speed everyday.

marjoleina

. If you're running for the first time, don't run too fast. Start slowly and build up your speed everyday.

That won't be a problem. I am moving at turtle speed. And there is a trainer that has running class so that will help I hope. I did get some good shoes, but other than that I am clueless!

4legsRbetterthan2

its ok, be proud of you turtle speed, eventually you will turn into a hare and not even remember when!

jimmmer

Being in a calorie deficit helps with weight loss.

That can be done by diet alone, by leading a more active life in general or doing more exercise (or a combination)

Roadie2000

Running or any exercise should help you lose weight, but it still mainly comes down to diet. The more calories you burn, the more you can eat and still stay in a caloric deficit.

AJ_G

Running helps increase calories burned. All you need for weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. Burning 200 calories from running, or eating 200 calories less of food yields the same result in terms of body composition.

marjoleina

its ok, be proud of you turtle speed, eventually you will turn into a hare and not even remember when!

Thanks for the encouragement! And hares are a better shape than a turtle too...so I hope for change!! :flowerforyou:

marjoleina

Running helps increase calories burned. All you need for weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. Burning 200 calories from running, or eating 200 calories less of food yields the same result in terms of body composition.

I agree, but I can eat 1200 calories a day, days on end and nothing happens...so I hope increasing my exercise will do something. I weigh my food with a food scale. But my calorie expenditures are estimates, I may buy a calorie counting Garmin or something like that.

ninerbuff

Just remember that exercise is for fitness and overall health. Weight loss is going to depend on calorie deficit and most of the time that's going to have to do with what and how much you're consuming.

You can't out exercise a bad diet. Lots of people (including myself) have tried and failed miserably.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sjp_511

Weight loss is all about having a calorie deficit. Running helps burn calories and can fit wonderfully into a weight loss plan. But you also need to watch what you eat. I have gained weight while training for half marathons because I wasn't counting calories. You can't out run a bad diet.

marjoleina

You can't out exercise a bad diet. Lots of people (including myself) have tried and failed miserably.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

My diary is open if anyone has suggestions for improvement, that be great.

KeithAngilly

My personal opinion is to keep the reasons for trying to lose weight and the reasons for getting some exercise separate. I run simply because I enjoy it and love the challenge. I try to lose weight for health reasons and to be a good example to others, especially my family. If your running enjoyment is tied to the scale, I suspect your running career will be pretty short.

Good luck!

deksgrl

As others said, losing weight is about the calorie deficit, not what type of exercise you are doing. I know you recently increased your calories, but are you now also increasing your activity and ultimately your TDEE? Or are you replacing some other activity with the running? If you are increasing activity, you might be creating the same type of deficit you had before when you were eating low cals. Your body just might need some more time to get used to the new amount of calories before dropping weight.

ElliottTN

caeteris paribus = yep, sure does.

GonnaBFit4Me

As many have said, it's all about the caloric deficit, first and foremost. I am 5'0" and to lose weight, my daily calorie intake should be no more than 1000 calories! I aim for 800-850 ea. day with a daily protein intake of 75g.

Typically, the calorie calculators you use online are WAY off! I would deduct 200-400 calories from what they say. Then have one "maintenance" day (meaning you won't gain or lose weight, just maintain) where you eat what they originally told you! Do this pattern in a 5:1 and recycle doing the same thing. So, the 7th day, you start back with the 5 deficit days and then 1 maintenance day.

Secondly, if you struggle due to poor eating habits, try fasting. By fasting for 12 hrs., you free up calories for those special treats you like and can't give up! Remember, "dieting" isn't suppose to be painful or unrealistic. You want a lifestyle change that you can work with!

Also, if you want to speed up the weight loss process (only as fast as your body will release the fat, mind you), do weights! You burn more calories and as you lose the fat you are toning the muscles underneath.

Hope this helps! Good luck on your journey!

deksgrl

As many have said, it's all about the caloric deficit, first and foremost. I am 5'0" and to lose weight, my daily calorie intake should be no more than 1000 calories! I aim for 800-850 ea. day with a daily protein intake of 75g.

Typically, the calorie calculators you use online are WAY off! I would deduct 200-400 calories from what they say. Then have one "maintenance" day (meaning you won't gain or lose weight, just maintain) where you eat what they originally told you! Do this pattern in a 5:1 and recycle doing the same thing. So, the 7th day, you start back with the 5 deficit days and then 1 maintenance day.

Secondly, if you struggle due to poor eating habits, try fasting. By fasting for 12 hrs., you free up calories for those special treats you like and can't give up! Remember, "dieting" isn't suppose to be painful or unrealistic. You want a lifestyle change that you can work with!

Also, if you want to speed up the weight loss process (only as fast as your body will release the fat, mind you), do weights! You burn more calories and as you lose the fat you are toning the muscles underneath.

Hope this helps! Good luck on your journey!

Dafuq?

mjpTennis

I started exercising to lose weight and came across running. There are so many different ways to balance the calories....burn more, eat healthier. For me it really taken time to adjust to changes. For instance, I first started doing a couch to 5k. Didn't change too much with my diet, but got in a groove with that. After I had made that a ritual per say, I started to focus on drinking more water. From there, I would move onto something else. In the end, running has been the best exercise for me because I can run anywhere at anytime with just a pair of running shoes...no gym, no need to drive anywhere....I have come to value my running time and to Keith's point, it wasn't tied to dieting so there was no subconscious resentment or challenges with it.

Good luck. Asking these kinds of questions is a good sign that you are going to make this happen.

runfatmanrun

Not sure if I could have lost as much as I did without running...or at least not as quickly as I did. But like has been said, you don't need to run to lose weight. The big benefit of running while trying to lose weight...getting to eat more and knowing that extra slice of pizza won't hurt.