Running distances and weight loss

I hear that intervals are best for weight loss because it keeps your heart rate going up and down... Apparently it burns more fat rather than glycogen, which is stored in muscles. I've been listening to the Cut The Fat Podcast and they explain things pretty well. Some of what they say I don't agree with but there are tidbits of information that are very helpful.

Best of luck!

I've heard a few places that you don't lose much weight when running distances, say for like a half or full marathon. Why is that? Would running shorter distances and/or intervals be better for weight loss?

I plan on running short, long, and intervals, but I was just curious.

I've never trained for a full or half marathon, but I have plenty of friends who have run them and thought they would lose weight but didn't. (I've even seen people gain a bit.) I don't think it is the running, per se, but I believe that sometimes people (who aren't using a tool such as MFP) start training hard for something like a marathon and they get the idea "I can pretty much eat whatever I want because I am running so much."

Of course, it can actually be pretty easy to "out eat" that kind of training. Yes, running burns a lot of calories, but those can be pretty swiftly replaced with one visit to an all-you-can-eat buffet!