Is running bad for you? Are weights better? Very confused.

I think your expectation to loose 2 pounds a week being so close to your goal is unrealistic.

Also I think eating below your TDEE will be what makes you loose weight. running and lifting are there to make you healthy and awesome.

How can any exercise be BAD for you????? :grumble:

How can any exercise be BAD for you????? :grumble:

Running for an overweight person can be bad for them. Just walking can be a challenge. You have to work up to it. You can't just get off the couch and run a marathon (most people can't). That would be bad exercise.

I've lost over 125 pound mostly from running. I now run and lift weights. Running burns a ton of calories, helps your endurance, strengthens your cardiovascular system. However, if all you do is run you will hit a wall and will not get faster. Lighting weights makes you stronger (crazy I know). This will help you run faster and feel more in control of your body.

Don't listen to the myths. Running is not bad for your knees. Running with bad form and bad shoes is bad for your knees. Studies have shown that the knees of life long runners are stronger than those of active adults there same age. Weight lifting does not make everyone look bulky. Weight training will make you smaller because you'll replace fat with muscle which is denser, thereby you look smaller. I've shredded two inches off my waist in the past three months and haven't lost a pound. This loss is largely due to lifting three days a week. Look not only at weight loss, but for any shrinking in your measurements. Sometimes the pounds will not come off but everything will look better.

Both are good, I don't think one is better for overall health, but I'm no expert.

Mix up your exercise activities. Do some sort of cardio workout certain days and do some weight lifting on other days.

My knees don't agree with running so much, although after having my ACL reconstructed, I'm able to run again, just not nearly at the pace or distance I once did.

I suggest mixing it up a great deal. You can be fit in some regards from running, but the minute you try to do an activity that requires muscle strength/stamina, you will see you are not as fit as you think you might be. Mix in resistance training, body weight exercises, so some stretching type work like yoga (I love Ashtanga yoga myself!). Work on balance, staminia, cardio, and core strength. Doing all of these should transform your body in a great way as well as give you a well rounded level of fitness.

Your body can get used to repetition, so mix things up often. Many of the things done in crossfit type workouts can be done at home with little or no equipment with exception of the rack work & Olymipic lifts. Videos & youtube are a great resource. Google is also your friend.

I enjoy a good walk, but I so love the endorphin high after lifting weights or a very intense crossfit workout.

hmm.. I never got a high from lifting. Running, yes. Cycling, yes. Lifting... I did cross fit and loved it, but never got a high. I never ended a lifting session with that "ohmygodIlovetheplanetandwanttodonothingbutthisfortherestofmylifeeverthisistheawesomest" like I do from distance running. I've ended it with "I am Jell-o Girl, moving is unpossible!", and was happy to do what made me strong, but never a high. Maybe I was doing it wrong.

I agree with others - keep walking, especially with the pup. Dogs are super smart, they know that spending time together outside, investigating the neighborhood is awesome. (Ok, they also think rolling on dead things is awesome, so maybe pick and choose the advice you take from your pup, but in this instance it's solid).

Other than that... experiment! Do what feels good, so long as it's moving. It sounds like you have a pretty healthy idea of what exercise is and how to approach it. Make sure you eat enough if you up your activity significantly, but keep at it, you're doing great!