Running Won't Help You Lose Weight?

bonnykate
bonnykate Posts: 123
in Health and Weight Loss
Reading this article today -- can't say I'm terribly surprised, but it is a bit of a downer to think of physical exercise as good for your health, but not necessarily the main factor in getting into better shape.

http://beta.active.com/a3_articles/c9d1380f-ce51-4621-bdf2-cc337ca05b1f?page=1

Anyone have a different experience? The same?
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Replies

  • Dori_Gaga
    Dori_Gaga Posts: 50 Member
    It's fairly widely accepted now that the man factor in weight loss is diet, not exercise.
  • ruwise
    ruwise Posts: 265 Member
    My husband lost 65 lb's and his main exercise is running. Of course he looked at his diet as well but he is very sedentary other than his running. He works from home so doesn't even need to leave the house each day.
  • MCLA4mom
    MCLA4mom Posts: 219 Member
    It doesn't help you lose but it REALLY chnges your body. Totally worth it
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    It's fairly widely accepted now that the man factor in weight loss is diet, not exercise.

    ^ This. Exercise of any form is fantastic but weight loss comes down to a caloric deficit.
  • doc800
    doc800 Posts: 148
    Not a very well written article, IMO.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Calorie deficit for weight loss. Exercise for fitness.
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    It's fairly widely accepted now that the man factor in weight loss is diet, not exercise.

    ^ This. Exercise of any form is fantastic but weight loss comes down to a caloric deficit.

    Yup. From what I've read, exercise can help give you marginal calorie burns, but the majority of your deficit (and therefore weight loss) comes down to diet. Different types of exercise have other benefits, strength, cardiovascular etc. So they are definitely crucial to overall fitness.
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    Wrong. Running will certainly help you lose weight.
  • lee91356
    lee91356 Posts: 330 Member
    its not saying that running wont help, this poorly written article is mainly saying is the general weight loss rule 80% diet, 20% exercise or whatever similar breakdown you've heard. its not the only the truth its common sense.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Running won't help you lose weight. Running helps make you awesome!
  • cschiff
    cschiff Posts: 209 Member
    you can lose fat by calorie restriction alone, yes, but running does AMAZING things for your body. i would know (when i started i couldn't run more than 3 minutes without thinking i'd die and i was winded from 1 flight of stairs... now, stairs are no problem and i am running 3.5 ish miles and looking to increase).

    also, running has helped to develop the look of my legs.

    so either way, i would definitely recommend running or another exercise along with calorie restriction.

    woohhh :)
  • TequillaLover89
    TequillaLover89 Posts: 260 Member
    With my eating/drinking habits I should weigh a lot more. I credit running 6-8 miles a day to keeping the weight I lost off.
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    Running won't help you lose weight. Running helps make you awesome!

    ^^^this (although running and diet have helped me lose weight)
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    Running won't help you lose weight. Running helps make you awesome!

    It's helped me lose weight AND be awesome! Yay!
  • juliegrey1
    juliegrey1 Posts: 202 Member
    I think being healthy and fit is so much more than just loosing weight!I agree exercise wont loose weight alone you have to work on diet also!But it certainly does wonders for how good you feel! you could be very thin unfit and unhealthy also you can be overweight and very fit,it needs a balance!But you can run for ever or indeed do whatever it is you do,you wont loose weight on a terrible diet!
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
    I don't see how anyone could possibly argue that burning calories, in any manner, would not help you lose weight.
  • KateRunsColorado
    KateRunsColorado Posts: 407 Member
    Yes Diet is more important than excercise, but if you happen to catch the running bug, you have more energy, you WANT to workout, and sometimes you even WANT to eat healthy. For example, I just ran my first half marathon and training for that inspired me to eat healthy for the last few months leading up to my half marathon, and because of that I lost 10 lbs. Now I want to keep it off so I can stay lean and get faster!

    I think it's great for you not only physically but mentally too!

    So pretty much running is AWESOME and everyone should do it!!!
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    Wouldn't the running put you in a caloric deficit...therefore causing you to lose weight?
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    I don't see how anyone could possibly argue that burning calories, in any manner, would not help you lose weight.

    This..................
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I don't see how anyone could possibly argue that burning calories, in any manner, would not help you lose weight.

    As long as you're burning enough cals to put you into a deficit.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Wouldn't the running put you in a caloric deficit...therefore causing you to lose weight?

    Well now that depends on how much you eat now doesn't it? *LOL*
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I hate running... but imagining how much more awesome I would be if I ran may get me out there yet....

    I resemble this remark.
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    Dumb article is dumb.
    Knocking off 100 calories a day from your evening snacks can theoretically result in 10 pounds of fat loss in a year. Does one less cookie a day seems simpler than hours of sweating...?

    So they're saying skipping a cookie > running. Derp! Running can help you lose weight and running will do a lot more for your health than skipping a cookie. Of course you can still get fat running. Eating calories is easy but adding running to your plan can help with weight loss because it raises your daily calorie need.

    What if I told you that you could not only eat that cookie, but that you could have 3 cookies and still lose weight and have fun. Yep, that's running.

    (For me it's like 12 cookies, but I digress)
  • shrinkingbrian
    shrinkingbrian Posts: 171 Member
    Personally, I think for weight loss, especially if you are obese, walking is better than running. Running puts a lot of stress on your knees and joints which can cause long term problems. Walking is more enjoyable than running for most people who are overweight. Plus, you can walk longer than running. You also avoid more injuries with walking. You can burn about the same calories walking or running a mile-it just takes more time to walk a mile. I think walking is a much better option for losing weight. You just have to stick with it. I have used walking, swimming, and lifting weights for my main forms of exercise to lose over 180 pounds in the last 15 months.
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    Interesting how "they" say to lose weight it is diet AND exercise. While eating at a caloric deficit is the primary reason for weight loss, exercise helps maintain and build LBM, which is a metabolically superior for burning calories. If you want to "just lose weight," then you can do it by diet alone, however, with running or any other form of exercise, you're losing weight in a way that will be more beneficial in the long run, especially for helping keep the weight off.

    Or..something like that.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Interesting how "they" say to lose weight it is diet AND exercise. While eating at a caloric deficit is the primary reason for weight loss, exercise helps maintain and build LBM, which is a metabolically superior for burning calories. If you want to "just lose weight," then you can do it by diet alone, however, with running or any other form of exercise, you're losing weight in a way that will be more beneficial in the long run, especially for helping keep the weight off.

    Or..something like that.

    ^ Five.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Exactly. I can walk and burn around 420 calories in an hour. If you compare that to Keebler Pecan Sandies, that is only cutting out around 5 cookies.

    Diet alone can help you lose weight.
    Cardio also burns calories to increase the caloric deficit, helping you lose weight.
    Strength training also burns calories and increases your bodies need for calories and helps you lose weight.

    Diet does not improve your cardiovascular system, nor improve your fitness level.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Uhhh. It's a poorly worded way of saying...you can't out exercise a bad diet. Not only is it common sense, it's just math.

    All that being said...running really helped me with losing weight and keeping weight off, and feeling good. So, not sure why running is singled out here other than someone has an axe to grind.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    That article is dumb. Weight loss=caloric deficit. Running is fun, makes me awesome and helps create a caloric deficit so I can eat lots of food and lose weight. However, I am very cognizant of how many calories I consume and how many I burn running (and otherwise). Provided I maintain a deficit, I'm good. I know people that think because they ran 2 miles they have "earned" a super-sized Big Mac value meal. Then say they didn't lose any weight when they were running. Running has helped me be awesome and lose 75lbs. That article is dumb.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    yes it will
    just like walking will

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