Runners ONLY....

DCpaleochick

Just wondering how much weight you've lost from running as your main exercise routine?

I started running a few months ago and I must admit I am in LOVE! Besides Zumba this is the only form of exercise I do. I have lost approx. 18 lbs with about 22 more to go and at this point I want to keep running for weight loss. Would love to hear some running for weight loss success stories and share a pic if you want thx

Paigepres

When I started out I couldn't even run for a minute on the treamill before I wanted to take a walk break. Now, I can run for 30+ min and do so 3-4 times a week and I have registered for a few races this year. I lost my first 15lbs by circuit training and logging my food. I got into running as my main form of exercise I dropped another 15lbs gradually. I'm hoping to lose another 5-10lb by tightening up my diet, running longer distances and adding more strength training. Good luck!

Cheri_Moves

NONE. Sorry to disappoint. I lost 95% of my weight (around 65 pounds) before I started running over a year ago. Ive lost around 5 pounds since my miles went down and quit running so much.
*I am always hungry when I run, I cant seem to have a decent deficit.

I actually plateaued once I began running around 20 miles a week, Been plateaued for a year, while training for triathlon last summer and training for a full this spring. I just developed ITBS, which has forced me to stop running for now: I am taking this time to lose the last 10 pounds that have been plaguing me.

I tell people running is awesome for maintaining loss and having a KILLER fitness level, but NOT for losing the weight. This has been my experience and others that I know of.

squirrelzzrule22

Must agree with the lady above, I do not lose weight running. Been vigorously training for a half marathon and only lost maybe 3 pounds over 12 weeks, and it fluctuates a ton because I retain loads of water after a long run.

Running is WONDERFUL and I would never kick it out of a healthy lifestyle but distance running probably is not going to inspire tons of weight loss in someone who is already about a healthy weight. Keep up the running but add in lots of strength training!

dmeyers1969

20 lbs so far but it is combo of solid training plan and managing calories by tracking daily

Menelaus35

I've lost 55 pounds from running only and eating better.

jensenta3

30 pounds! But I also do some strength training as well.

Erica262

I gained 12 pounds when I was training for a marathon. Running long distances makes me HANGRY. I love running. (Or slogging in my case... slow jogging). But I'm cutting back on the distance for a little while so I can lose weight. I'm doing more weight lifting and yoga. I still run probably 14-20 miles per week, but that's way less than the 35+ miles I was doing each week during training. After I've lost weight and feel like I'm capable of maintaining it while training, I'll do another marathon. Until then I'll stick with 5Ks and fun runs.

RoamingDuck

Honestly I do not know if there is anything more effective for cardio exercise than running. You can burn over 800 calories just running at a moderate pace for an hour. It is my MAIN form of cardio exercise, and I have lost about 60 pounds.

With that said, you must make sure to mix up your routine and cross train. Mixing up your routine will give your body the chance to use muscles more that aren't as engaged when just running. I run about 4-5 times a week and try to do strength training about 3-4 times a week.

I'm the same as most people though. Started out obese, could not run more than a couple of minutes. Now I can easily run for over half an hour and have done much more than that when I've had good reason. Keep it up :]

eatrunstretch

Initially, 30 lbs but since I've started training for races nothing really. I've found that for me personally, it only helps in weight loss if its a light short run, say 30 mins combined with a light training plan like Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30. Its great for maintaining though.

Good luck!

DCpaleochick

Must agree with the lady above, I do not lose weight running. Been vigorously training for a half marathon and only lost maybe 3 pounds over 12 weeks, and it fluctuates a ton because I retain loads of water after a long run.

Running is WONDERFUL and I would never kick it out of a healthy lifestyle but distance running probably is not going to inspire tons of weight loss in someone who is already about a healthy weight. Keep up the running but add in lots of strength training!

I have noticed that when I run for longer periods of time I retain water as well. I am thinking instead of running for 60 mins. maybe only do 30 mins. and add something else for the other 30 IDK. I'll play around with different things to get this 22 lbs off. Def. not giving up running altogether though (ADDICTED*)

Timshel_

Running is my main exercise, but I also strength train at least 3 times per week. Anywho...I've lost almost 10 pounds in just under a month.

TrailRunner61

None. I lost 40lbs while walking, before I became a runner. I haven't lost any weight, in fact, I have gained but I measure smaller in a few places and still wear my small jeans. I started lifting 4 weeks ago and still havent lost any weight so, now I'm adding walking back to my routine.

sozisfitnow

Id say running keeps the weight off, burns so many calories I can eat well that day, and I would venture to say slims the legs and torso, thats from my experience not a science lab on rats ( for the benefit of the miserable trolls on these forums)

runfatmanrun

All of it. My primary means was running, with a little stationary bike, walking with a weighted pack, calisthenics, and physical therapy thrown in .

kjm3579

I lost about 33 lbs. since beginning running which is before MFP days -- then I gained some back most likely due to adding in some strength training following StrongLifts 4x4 -- at present I am only doing running again following a 1/2 marathon training program and have again started slowly losing a few pounds.

hottiebikerchick

I started running last year and this fall started zumba! Love me some HIP-Action!!! between the two I have lost 57 lbs. For me, cardio is the only thing that works. The running improved my stamina and the Zumba helped sculpt those hard to tackle women areas, like the hips and thighs...

k7n2w3

It depends. Weight loss is cals in vs cals out. Any workout that burns calories has to be compared with what your body takes in vs what you expend in your daily activities including any exercise.

Running can be tricky because if you get into "races" and running competitively you may not be able to lose due to having to take in enough to keep your body healthy and ready to train. if you are running for fun then you will lose whatever you are in the deficit of.
if you have a calorie deficit of 500 each day (eat 1500 and burn 2000) then you'll lose a pound a week. I did find running (as it pertains to me and many) to be the highest calorie burning activity in the shortest amount of time though.

That being said when i started running more competitively (for PRs <personal records> not like winning for money) and around race time i am in full maintenance mode as you need to fuel your body to perform the best it can under extreme circumstances and some of my friends who have trained for marathons have gained due to eating more to fuel themselves. It all comes down to cals IMHO.

all that being said i love running and find it to be the best calorie burner for me :-) I hope to keep running for many many years and hope to do my first marathon this fall after doing another Tough Mudder in June.

purpleroxmysocks

At first I lost weight from just running maybe about 40lbs, but it took time. Running is great though! I couldn't even run a mile, and when I was finally able to it took me about 14 minutes...now I can run 6 miles at a time, that is my normal run distance and I can run a mile in 7 minutes! Even if you don't lose much weight keep it up!

dmkoenig

Running is a great form of exercise and I think you can lose weight by changing workout intensity by adding interval training into your regimine. But I would agree with the others that it's really best to incorporate strength training into your program which gets increasingly important as we age. The other cautionary advice is that the accumulated pounding from running over time increases the risk of injury, especially if that's all you do.

So keep on truckin' but also spend some time on building overall body strength...

Huggenkiss27

I started training in October for a half marathon that I ran 3 weeks ago. I lost ZERO pounds running 3-4 days a week and doing boot camp 1-2 days a week in that almost 4 month period. I did count and log all my calories too! I am another one of those people that is in a healthy weight range as well so maybe that's why I didn't see any losses on the scale. I feel like I'm in much better physical shape though.

DCpaleochick

30 pounds! But I also do some strength training as well.

Wow...well done. I am starting to think I should add in some form of strength training too but I thought it would be best to loose the weight first then tone up? Any thoughts on this?.

diddylove

I have never like Running, and detest it totally. I always bought the prettiest apparel, dressed up neatly, went to the park and can't even run for more than 5 mins!

However things changed! I started running on Nov 2012, and begin to love it. Stamina improved, and most importantly that I lose those fats.

I have just enrolled a Women 5km Marathon (coming next week) and 10km marathon (coming this may).

I AM LOVING IT! Woohoo....

beckyboop712

I lost 20 lbs between running and healthier diet. I'm plateaued right now but that's more because I've gotten sloppy with my food choices lately. I've started doing some cross training recently, so I'm hoping that will break the cycle of no weight loss.

AQ3107

I am not sure whether I have lost or gained weight with running. I have been running since high school. I am now 30 years old.
I fit in the same clothes I had back then so I guess am still the same weight. I don't own a scale. But I am a UK size 0/6.
What I can say is running for so long has given me a fantastically toned and lean body. Running has given me a lot of confidence, kept me looking young ( I look like am still 16 ), and makes me feel invincible hehe
But seriously I run because running has never RUN me down.

I know a lot of people take up running initially to lose weight but once you get past that point of wanting to lose weight and

wake up one day - itching to run/ you breathe running/you dream of running/you cannot wait to tie your laces and run out of your door regardless of the weather/your mood/your weight/what's going on in your life etc etc - that's the day you will know that running is simply more than a weight loss tool.
I wish you all the best. Enjoy the freedom that running brings.

DCpaleochick

I have never like Running, and detest it totally. I always bought the prettiest apparel, dressed up neatly, went to the park and can't even run for more than 5 mins!

However things changed! I started running on Nov 2012, and begin to love it. Stamina improved, and most importantly that I lose those fats.

I have just enrolled a Women 5km Marathon (coming next week) and 10km marathon (coming this may).

I AM LOVING IT! Woohoo....

I would love to do a 5k Marathon at some point. I can see this as being a goal I work towards...but right now I am just running for the love of it and to shed pounds! Oh and all the health benefits that comes with it too. Good luck to you.

Ender126

I've lost 40 lbs pretty much from running. I started around May of last year. I went from 29% body fat to about 18/19% body fat as well. In my opinion running increases your overall health IE: Heart, Abs, Legs, ECT. I can do things now that I never could have before getting on my running program. I went from having issues running 2 miles to breezing thru 7-8 miles a day 3 days a week. I will add that I also do push-ups and "Navy" sit-ups every night to increase my Physical Readiness Test (PRT) score. While running won't give me 6 pack abs, it is a GREAT enabler for future endeavors!!!

OtiWanKenobi

about 5 lbs...but I would have lost more if I strength trained. That's what I'm working on now. Cardio in the form of running, zuma and HIIT along with weightlifting.

lbetancourt

i started running about 17 years ago after my 1st son. It's how I was able to lose all the extra weight after all 3 kiddos. So, roughly i lost 20lbs each time. I still run but I combine it with various workouts to work different muscles. I think it's good to shock your body. And, of course, better food choices. You cant run 10 miles and treat yourself to a big greasy hamburger after. ok, maybe sometimes!

good luck!

11MichelleL

Add me in as another runner who did not lose any weight. I spent four months (Sept-Dec) logging and faithfully maintaining a 1200 net calorie amount. As for macros, I kept my protein on the high end and my carbs on the low end. Best part, I could train (and lift) hard. I got a PR in my half marathon by 10 minutes. But I didn't lose a single pound and I did need to lose some weight.

So I switched to a low carb diet, scaled back my cardio to a more interval type, and kept lifting. My cardio has suffered a bit and eventually I had to reduce weight in my lifting. But I have lost 10 pounds since Jan 1. The program I am on allows reintroduction of carbs at eight weeks (very structured, select types, and with gram limits) -- so that is where I am almost. I really hope to keep losing at this new stage but gain back my strength -- it's all a balancing act.

Don't know if I'll go back to running once I'm closer to my goal weight -- we'll see. In my experience, it was tough on my knees but I am hoping with the weight loss it will impact my joints less. Good luck finding your own balancing act.

Brianna716

My SW was 153, I lost some and fell off the wagon. When I got back on MFP I was at 140 the first week of January. I've been doing C25K since then, and I'm currently at 130. 10 pounds in 7 weeks seems decent to me! I'm at the gym 6 days a week, and on the days I'm not running I'm on the elliptical.