Article titled "Why women should not run" - opinions?

KaltieEm
KaltieEm Posts: 73 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey Guys,

A friend of mine sent me this article (link below) saying how regular intense cardio sessions (HR > 65%) eventually make you gain weight instead of losing it. The author supports his statements with an impressive number of references (80 scientific publications), although I have not read the references. Any thoughts on that topic?

http://www.dangerouslyhardcore.com/5343/why-women-should-not-run/?fb_action_ids=10151550067824313&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={"10151550067824313":593369744006366}&action_type_map={"10151550067824313":"og.likes"}&action_ref_map
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Replies

  • hayleyxx93
    hayleyxx93 Posts: 12 Member
    Bump

    If people know what they're on about, this could be interesting!
  • m4ttcheek
    m4ttcheek Posts: 229 Member
    Compare a sprinters body to a marathon runners body.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
    Ummm, yeah. The women in the Boston Marathon were real "queen-sized" ladies.

    Seriously- I'm not fond of running but it's been part of my routine for years. As for cardio, my daily workouts are at least 65% of target for over half an hour (I have a HRM and this is the requirement to get credit under my company wellness program). The results are in my picture, which was taken last week.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I'm not buying that.
  • stefa711
    stefa711 Posts: 196 Member
    Ummm, yeah. The women in the Boston Marathon were real "queen-sized" ladies.

    This. This. This.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    there was an entire discussion thread on this article yesterday (I can't remember the title or I'd point ya there).

    I love running and the spirit of the running community I'm involved with, so I will continue running--I also do strength training and other activities so I think I have a good balance.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    Ummm, yeah. The women in the Boston Marathon were real "queen-sized" ladies.

    This. This. This.

    Ugh, I hate being such a fatty runner.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    i say do what makes you happy. i personally don't like running, but some of my friends say it's the only time for themselves, clear minds, just them and the pavement.
  • sophiedalton22
    sophiedalton22 Posts: 45 Member
    This is so interesting. what is defined as weight.... what you see on the scale or body fat %.... my weight has increased since HIIT training and weight training but, my body fat % is starting to strip a hell of a lot quicker than it was when i was doing long low intensity cardio!! I am all for high intensity.... i think weight on the scale pfft. As long as my body fat is stripping and im getting power to hit the track again thats all i care about! :) xx
  • Kmanouchehri90
    Kmanouchehri90 Posts: 81 Member
    I've never seen a fat runner in my life. Although I do think strength training is extremely important, there is nothing wrong with running if that's what you enjoy doing.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Honestly, there is a huge difference between people who do proper marathon training and people who work on an elliptical at 85% HR for an hour at a time 5x/week (the latter is what is targeted by this article, though it is poorly edited).

    In my experience (anecdotal), massive amounts of moderately high intensity steady state cardio are a crap way to lean out and get in shape. Lift 3x/week and do occasional HIIT or prowler work for conditioning, OR, if you actually LIKE to run...look into proper runner's training and don't spin on a hamster wheel 20 hours a week.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,659 Member
    Hey Guys,

    A friend of mine sent me this article (link below) saying how regular intense cardio sessions (HR > 65%) eventually make you gain weight instead of losing it. The author supports his statements with an impressive number of references (80 scientific publications), although I have not read the references. Any thoughts on that topic?

    http://www.dangerouslyhardcore.com/5343/why-women-should-not-run/?fb_action_ids=10151550067824313&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={"10151550067824313":593369744006366}&action_type_map={"10151550067824313":"og.likes"}&action_ref_map

    I don't care to be honest, what the article says.

    I love running and will continue to do so. The end. :flowerforyou:
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Running will not make you fat. Long, Intense cardio sessions can cause your body to hoard what it already has - there have been many cases of slightly overweight women training for marathons without losing weight, eating what teams of scientists deem adequate for their expenditure. There are even more studies of people eating back what they work off in the gym, if they aren't tracking.

    However, despite what body builders will tell you, the best overall programs *combine* cardio with strength training. And it doesn't have to be heavy lifting to get results most women will be proud of. Body weight exercises, including yoga, can have excellent results.

    Every time someone tells us to STOP DOING CARDIO, I want to slap them. Cardio has many benefits, it just isn't sufficient. For most people to achieve the results they want. For long term fitness and health, heavy lifting isn't sufficient, either.
  • turboturtlepower
    turboturtlepower Posts: 79
    We need cardio - if not for weight loss, for our hearts. I'm currently doing Body Beast, and even Sagi Kalev says you MUST do cardio to burn the fat in order for the muscle to show.

    I was one of the "chubby" runners when I marathoned (5'4 - 140lbs.) and I seen the number it did on my body over the course of a year when I recovered from a hamstring injury. I never lifted weights. This time around I am, and it's really making a difference.
  • glassxxballerina
    glassxxballerina Posts: 48
    Is this a joke?

    My 58-year old running buddy is about 5'4-5'5 and probably weighs 100-110. She's an elite masters marathon competitor who runs about 2,000 miles a year and usually a race every weekend.

    So please, tell me again about how running makes you fat. I can understand "train gain," i.e., overcompensating how much you need to eat after a strenuous exercise, but this is ridiculous.
  • xneonpinkx
    xneonpinkx Posts: 3
    there are these people in some country (okay i sound ignorant, but I can't remember the proper name!) I saw it on weird or what. They run EVERYWHERE. their only means of communication is running from place to place, and that is alllll they do, for days at a time even. And none of them are overweight, Just thought I'd put in my two cents! :)
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    Looool.

    Maybe if you are not tracking your calorie intake and therefore unwittingly increase your calorie intake above maintenance to compensate for increased hunger from steady state exercise (which admittedly can and does happen.)

    Personally, I hate running and avoid it at all costs but come on now....
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    My opinion...

    Still going to work up to 25 running miles a week.
  • DavidMartinez2
    DavidMartinez2 Posts: 840 Member
    The last time I looked at a picture of Deena Kastor I was struck by how fat she was
  • RunFarLiveHappy
    RunFarLiveHappy Posts: 805 Member
    This article should not have targeted running specifically. #RUNNERSUNITE

    I do think there should be a balance between cardio (I love running, but I do other cardio!) and strength training.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
    Running will not make you fat. Long, Intense cardio sessions can cause your body to hoard what it already has - there have been many cases of slightly overweight women training for marathons without losing weight, eating what teams of scientists deem adequate for their expenditure. There are even more studies of people eating back what they work off in the gym, if they aren't tracking.

    However, despite what body builders will tell you, the best overall programs *combine* cardio with strength training. And it doesn't have to be heavy lifting to get results most women will be proud of. Body weight exercises, including yoga, can have excellent results.

    Every time someone tells us to STOP DOING CARDIO, I want to slap them. Cardio has many benefits, it just isn't sufficient. For most people to achieve the results they want. For long term fitness and health, heavy lifting isn't sufficient, either.

    Your first paragraph is a key answer to the "Did you ever see a fat marathoner?" as a rebuttal to this.
    How many marathoners were ever overweight and used nothing but running to slim down? How many marathoners were ever overweight, period?
    Running won't make you fat if you're NOT fat -- but running alone will not make you slim, either.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    I'm no expert but this is my take after reading the article -

    He's talking about 20+ hours a week of intense cardio. And he's not talking about it making women fat, he says that it contributes to hypothyroidism which causes the body to retain fat, as well as the excessive cardio causing the body to burn muscle. This results in what a lot of people call "skinny fat," which simply means that you may be skinny but you have no muscle mass. The bottom line for me from this article was the same concept as for food (or anything else for that matter) - anything is excess is not good for you. I do 30 minutes of cardio 5 days a week and do strength training 4-5 days a week as well, changing up the areas I'm targeting every day. My body fat, weight and inches are steadily decreasing and my muscles are getting stronger.
  • Chainbreaker
    Chainbreaker Posts: 124 Member
    This keeps poppoing up and seems to be causing many some anxiety. Notice the 'article' is essentially a blog, not any sort of scientific study. While the author cites sources his ultimate conclusions are not supported. He is clearly, even if not intetntionally, stretching unrelated elements together to support his own bias and ultimately to promote his business.

    Doing any one activity exclusively will have negative effects on the body over time. Cross training should always be employed regardless of one's activity of choice. There is always a girl or two at any gym who fits this familiar stereotype he chose to target. Its more often woment because more females avoid resistance training and its far more common women to severely undereat.

    If anything this article says working out too much and consuming too few calories wreaks havoc with one's body. Not a news flash in any way.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    My opinion. It's a rather dumb article.

    Is running the most effective exercise for everyone, no. But for many its more than effective. When I am in marathon training I can't stuff enough food down my pie hole to keep from dropping more weight than I'd like.
  • jsickman12
    jsickman12 Posts: 139 Member
    Really wish I could have the last 5 mintues of my life back after reading that nonsense......oh yeah one of the "scientific sources" was a study on lab mice.
  • mortyfit
    mortyfit Posts: 354 Member
    Ridiculous. I've run over 100 races just in the past three years, and the women whom I see often at races, who put in just as many training miles as I do, look fantastic. The more elite female runners like Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan are wonderful combinations of fitness and beauty. This "author" is an idiot.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    he says that it contributes to hypothyroidism

    That is a casual (not causal) connection at best.

    I doubt you will ever hear the following conversation go down:

    Doctor: "I'm afraid you have hyperthyroidism"
    Patient: "Tell me what to do Doc, please""
    Doctors: "Stop running for the love of all that is good!"

    Ok, I do think that lots of women in particular, if improving their body composition is their primary goal would do well swapping out some cardio for resistance training.

    But this kind of scare tactics helps no one...
  • FussyFruitbat
    FussyFruitbat Posts: 110 Member
    Should be called "Why sexist writers should be sacked."
  • RunForChai
    RunForChai Posts: 238 Member
    Oh please....30 marathons. I love my life, I'm in great shape---I have rarely met anyone who runs distance who is heavy.
    Being a runner is not a free pass to eat as much junk as you want, but I eat lots of healthy food and rarely am hungry.

    Run women, run!
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    It's a fairly subtle issue, so knee-jerk reactions of the sort you see in this thread are not going to do it justice.

    I have known some long-distance runners with a significant amount of body fat. I have also known people who went from obese to a normal BMI through long-distance running. There are obviously quite a lot of people on MFP who never bother with cardio and look and feel great. Endurance steady-state cardio is not the only, and possibly not even the best way to lose fat, and it is not going to knock your thyroid out of whack in every case. But for some people who *only* do steady-state cardio and do not get the fat loss results they are hoping for, it may not be a bad idea to switch to HIIT or weight lifting.

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