ANYONE lost weight Jogging?

KarinaPerez87

Anyone lost weight by jogging or running? How much did you lose and how long did it take you? Please motivate me, I feel like giving up =(

kmmachado

I did! I lost my 21 pounds by keeping track of my food and running on my treadmill. I ran about 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes.

ladyraven68

You can do all the jogging you like, but if you don't have a calorie deficit you won't lose weight.

Let's say an average person burns 100 calories per mile, you'd need to do 35 miles to lose a lb, if you were eating at maintenance.

MoreBean13

I have been running a long time, and it's my experience that without strength training, running is not terribly effective for weight loss. Let me correct that, It can be very effective at WEIGHT loss, because you burn a ton of calories, but unless you eat enough calories to support the running 1) lo lose muscle with the weight and 2) your running progress peters out because you don't have the energy to do it. I am right now in a position where I've stalled my weight loss by running too much without eating enough and I'm trying to cut back.

NavyIT85

I have lost a lot of weight just by eating like a runner would eat, and running about 3 miles a day 4-5 days a week. I have progressed a lot further than that now, but lost 25lbs initially like that.

omma_to_3

I started out dieting only. 4.5 months later, I added walking 3 times a week. I gradually increased duration, speed, incline, and days per week. In Feb/March of this year, I started doing C25K. I've seen a dramatic decrease in fat loss since starting running, especially in my face and neck (and chest, which is a GOOD thing for me!).

I just posted my one year progress post today: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/588678-1-year-on-mfp-lots-of-pics

ETA: And here's a post I did about the difference just one month of C25K made on my double chin: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/569446-what-running-does-to-fat-pictures?error_user_id=7246266&error_username=omma_to_3

BAMFMeredith

I use running as my main form of cardio (2 days of HIIT a week, plus one long run day) and I've lost 20 lbs total, plus 2 (almost 3!) pants sizes. I also do some serious strength training 3-4 times a week, plus a cardio kickboxing class once a week where I wear weighted gloves. I will say that I noticed the most changes in my body when I added in the heavy strength training, and I don't eat back more than half of my exercise calories generally speaking. I eat around 1400-1600 cals a day, with a ratio of 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats...it's worked great for me! That said, everybody's body chemistry is different. But personally, I love running and have had a lot of success with it

AthenaErr

I find running slims me down pretty quick. I can see what people mean about needing strength for nicer muscles but for jjust dropping sizes well running is fast

skullshank

i can't give the running ALL the credit...but i have accompanied running with calorie tracking and healthy eating and i've lost 18lbs so far.

UponThisRock

Yeah, jogging + shoving less crap in my face.

taso42

jog and eat at a deficit = lose weight
jog and eat at a surplus = gain weight
jog and eat at maintenance = maintain weight

andreacord

Eating healthy + running was what did away with the first 25 lbs. I had a string of personal and fitness injuries spread out over many months though, so I'm starting all over with C25k so I learn how to pace myself again.

EthanJeremiahsMama

Walk, jog/run... with eating healthy/at a deficit, I lost weight

InTheInbetween

I have been running a long time, and it's my experience that without strength training, running is not terribly effective for weight loss. Let me correct that, It can be very effective at WEIGHT loss, because you burn a ton of calories, but unless you eat enough calories to support the running 1) lo lose muscle with the weight and 2) your running progress peters out because you don't have the energy to do it. I am right now in a position where I've stalled my weight loss by running too much without eating enough and I'm trying to cut back.

^^ Similar experience here. Strength training along with the running is best. EFFECTIVE eating to maintain a deficit but also fuel your running is key though. What and how much you eat will depend on your running goals (distance, intensity etc.). You want your food to work for you so I just try to think about how the food I eat day in and day out can actively assist my training process (and in some cases how it might hinder it instead). Keeping that thought at the forefront of my mind often helps me make wiser and healthier food choices all around which will both help your running and your weight/inches loss (don't forget inches are as, if not more, important than the weight number itself!). Keep at it!

Steve_Runs

You can do all the jogging you like, but if you don't have a calorie deficit you won't lose weight.

Let's say an average person burns 100 calories per mile, you'd need to do 35 miles to lose a lb, if you were eating at maintenance.

True! Lots of overweight people jog and are still overweight a year later. It takes 2 things to lose weight. Proper diet for your body and exercise. It is really that simple. The hard part is determining what your body needs and being consistent with your exercise!

omma_to_3

You can do all the jogging you like, but if you don't have a calorie deficit you won't lose weight.

Let's say an average person burns 100 calories per mile, you'd need to do 35 miles to lose a lb, if you were eating at maintenance.

True! Lots of overweight people jog and are still overweight a year later. It takes 2 things to lose weight. Proper diet for your body and exercise. It is really that simple. The hard part is determining what your body needs and being consistent with your exercise!

I guess most of us that replied assumed the OP was eating at a deficit, but you're right, not an assumption we should have made!

thelovelyLIZ

I lost about 20lbs. I lift as well, but running is my true love.

minnesota_deere

Anyone lost weight by jogging or running? How much did you lose and how long did it take you? Please motivate me, I feel like giving up =(

yes, all the weight i have lsot is from running and diet.

Living4Liz2012

I did starting off jogging and in about 8 months running....took me about 8 months to drop 49 pounds....Don't give up just continue to run, eat right and stay focus...feel free to add me:)

JoolieW68

Yessss!! I started last June after I had lost about 60 pounds. By the end of feb I hit my goal after losing another 40 pounds....and I'm still RUNNING. We are runners, not joggers

wisebadger53

I started out walking, and now walk/jog/run both on the treadmill and out on the streets. I also use the elliptical and bikes at the gym for cardio. Doing this and eating at a deficit has worked well for me. I started to incorporate some lifting a couple of months ago, and am doing more of that and less cardio now - along with increasing my caloric intake. This is still working - although a little slower now that I am approaching my goal weight. Bottom line...eat less & exercise more = weight loss.

picassoadagio

I have lost 50-60 lbs. of my 100+ lbs. from running. The last 23 lbs. I lost from watching every little bite that went into my mouth & running longer distances or pushing myself. Don't give up. The voice inside your head is a LIAR. YOU can do this! Feel free to add me if you'd like. I'm training for a marathon right now.

Runnermadre

From February 2011 - August 2011, I went from 146 to 116lbs and from a size 12 to a size 4 jogging 3-5 times/week and eating sensibly. It is true that you will lose muscle mass if you do not fuel your body right. You have to make sure you're getting enough protein and healthy carbs. My energy increased a ton and by adding strength training to my routine, I not only "shrunk," but visibly toned up as well. :-)

lizard053

Running/jogging is an excellent exercise to add to a healthy eating plan to lose weight. I've not lost a lot, but I'm working on it!

TidoWyla

I've been running since January 2012 and I run 3.1 miles 3 times per week, I've gone from 148lbs to 123lbs and a size 12 to a size 3/4 and 5/6 (depending on what brand). I absolutely LOVE running. I've committed myself to a 5K race each month since March. I have tons of friends who run and run the races as well, which is great motivation all in itself. I also do other strength, abs, and Cardio workouts 2 other days a week, but I give all my weight loss credit to running and eating right of course. I highly recommend it, you won't be dissapointed!

Articeluvsmemphis

move more, eat less, and eat better you will lose no matter the activity. pick something you enjoy, or something you're interested in and get at it. most of all remember that it's you who motivate you in the long run. that's gonna keep you on the right path.

bauhausfrau

I just read an article about this recently. I also noticed that every time I needed to lose weight, for the first 2 or 3 months of running I seemed to stay exactly the same and then suddenly the fat just started melting off. The article I read stated that at first your body will burn the fat that is suffocating your internal organs and making their work more difficult. Once the dangerous internal fat is down to the right level you will start burning subcutaneous fat, the stuff you see on the outside. So, even though you don't see a change yet you are actually doing the most important thing you can do for your health. Keep it up and the cosmetic effects will follow eventually.

Bssh

ahockenbrouch do you have a link to this article. Would love to read it.

gfedex

I seem to be in the minority, but in the past, I've found it difficult to keep weight on when running. That said, I was running 50k/week, as well as cross training/muscle work. I also found that hard workouts killed my appetite.

melissanorth35

I've gained weight training for a marathon. This is because if left unchecked, running makes me want to eat constantly. All i crave is pasta and heavy heavy meals. I know pleanty of marathon runners who are quite overweight.

However, I have luckily learned how to curb my hunger after runs and my body has adapted nicely.

I could not even begin to fathom trying to limit calories without exercise. Just today I ran and earned myself an extra 500 cal. If I do no exercise and only eat my allocated 1460 calories, I'm ready to chew my arm off. I now run for more food! I also find that it is quite easy for me to keep under my calorie goals on days that I run. For instance, I ran yesterday and earned an extra 700 cal. I was not even able to eat all of those calories back, too much food. So YES, running is a good tool, but it is not a miracle.

cwolfman13

Use your diet to control weight; exercise for fitness sake, regardless of what that exercise is.

If you use the MFP method you have a baked in deficit for your diet. That is for weight loss. Trying to out exercise a bad diet or calorie surplus is an exercise i futility. Even if you were eating maintenance, you'd have to run 35 miles per week (estimating 100 calories per mile) just to lose 1 Lb per week. For me, that would simply not be sustainable...not to mention, if you have any issues with injury, etc it's just going to set you back.