Confused - Is running bad... or good... ?!

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nataliejulie
nataliejulie Posts: 35
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm hearing two sides to this story and I'm hoping someone can clarify this. I've heard, and done research, that running is useless in regards to weight loss. But the other side to this, I've read that running is one of the best types of cardio exercises.

I don't just run, but do other exercise as well (including weight training).
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Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Running doesn't cause weight loss; a deficit does. You can use running to create a deficit of you can simply eat less foods. The choice is yours
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Running doesn't cause weight loss; a deficit does. You can use running to create a deficit of you can simply eat less foods. The choice is yours
    This
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Running is GREAT for your fitness and feeling good.

    But it's not how you lose weight.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
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    Someone posted this a few days ago I found it fascinating as when I was running last year my weight loss stalled and I am running again and I'm trying to avoid possible non lean gains. (I am maintaining my weight training while doing my running training but not actually bulking at all until the races are over. Until then I'd hate to change muscle to fat or something horrific like that.!)

    http://www.kellysfitness.net/files/Futility_of_Aerobic_Exercise.pdf

    basically to coincide with this plan I want to keep up with my cross training and focus on speed work.
  • littleknownblogger
    littleknownblogger Posts: 67 Member
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    There are different types of running... If you are talking about long-distance running, then it may cause WEIGHT loss, but it actually isn't good for FAT loss, or for cardio.

    ---Why is it not good for fat loss? Because it is fueled by bodyfat. While this may sound ideal for fat loss, you are actually training your body to depend on fat reserves to fuel your most-demanding activity of the day. Your body will, therefore, seek to maintain a fat reserve. See how many marathoners have six-packs (almost none).

    --Why is it not good for cardio? Because you are training your heart a relatively low intensity, and your body will attempt to become more efficient. While this also SOUNDS great, it really means that you will start shedding any heart muscle your body decides that it doesn't need to pump blood during the non-maximal training.

    Sprinting, on the other hand, is also running. Because it is too intense to be fueled by fat, you will train your body to store energy in muscle tissue instead (see how many sprinters have six-packs? Most of them). It is also much better cardio, because it taxes the heart beyond its comfort zone. Much like training your biceps to lift a two-hundred pound dumbbell once instead of a two-pound dumbbell a hundred times; the first will increase muscle mass, the second will not. Why do you want more muscle mass? Because sometimes you may NEED it. If you heart has a sudden shock, and you've shed a lot of cardiac mass to endurance training, you may have problems. Cf. Jim Fix, the inventor of the jogging craze, who died when his heart actually started LEAKING blood because he lost so much cardiac tissue...
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
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    There are different types of running... If you are talking about long-distance running, then it may cause WEIGHT loss, but it actually isn't good for FAT loss, or for cardio.

    ---Why is it not good for fat loss? Because it is fueled by bodyfat. While this may sound ideal for fat loss, you are actually training your body to depend on fat reserves to fuel your most-demanding activity of the day. Your body will, therefore, seek to maintain a fat reserve. See how many marathoners have six-packs (almost none).

    --Why is it not good for cardio? Because you are training your heart a relatively low intensity, and your body will attempt to become more efficient. While this also SOUNDS great, it really means that you will start shedding any heart muscle your body decides that it doesn't need to pump blood during the non-maximal training.

    Sprinting, on the other hand, is also running. Because it is too intense to be fueled by fat, you will train your body to store energy in muscle tissue instead (see how many sprinters have six-packs? Most of them). It is also much better cardio, because it taxes the heart beyond its comfort zone. Much like training your biceps to lift a two-hundred pound dumbbell once instead of a two-pound dumbbell a hundred times; the first will increase muscle mass, the second will not. Why do you want more muscle mass? Because sometimes you may NEED it. If you heart has a sudden shock, and you've shed a lot of cardiac mass to endurance training, you may have problems. Cf. Jim Fix, the inventor of the jogging craze, who died when his heart actually started LEAKING blood because he lost so much cardiac tissue...

    Right...because elite distance runners never sprint. :laugh: Do you actually know anything about how elite runners train? They're not simply slogging through 100+mpw at low heartrate. And the best sprinters still will have a pretty solid base of higher miles than most non-runners would ever imagine. The primary reason for elite distance runners and elite sprinters looking so different is body type. There are very few mesomorphic elite distance runners, because this body type tends to carry a greater deal of muscle mass and is therefore less efficient at distance. It's also fast-twitch vs. slow-twitch muscle makeup. The ectomorphic distance runner is blessed with slow-twitch muscles...these are the people who struggle to have defined muscles, but they also don't tend to gain weight easily, period.

    Jim Fixx (2 xs) had congenital heart defect (inherited. His dad died in his 40s) AND years of smoking 2-packs/day prior to taking up running at 35. He also was convinced that diet was of little importance as long as one was active. Most of us are smart enough to know that we can't outrun a bad diet. As others said upthread, it's primarily a calorie-deficit thing. The makeup of those calories is of great importance, though.

    The best exercise for losing weight is the thing that a person enjoys and will stick with. Many of us find that exercise of any type isn't the ultimate key to losing and keeping it off, but what we put in our mouths and in what quantity. Arguing about which exercise is best for weight loss sort of misses the mark entirely if there's little focus on diet.
  • Paul_Collyer
    Paul_Collyer Posts: 160 Member
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    I think its almost certainly going to help....but...

    - Your leg muscles will build up which is heavier than carrying fat on them
    - You will be very very hungry if you run beyond short distances ( ie an hour or more )
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I lost weight over 2012 and only ran for about 10 minutes tops (to test minimalist running). The only times I run is to get to the ball when playing tennis. Or when I sit in front of the computer playing Battlefield for too long and ignore the need to have a pee. :laugh: Call it sprint training if you will.

    Pick an exercise/sport/activity that you enjoy and you will do it for the rest of your life. Or until you injure yourself from over-enjoying. :embarassed:
  • joolywooly33
    joolywooly33 Posts: 421 Member
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    All exercise is good ... do something that YOU enjoy x
  • Mareebzz
    Mareebzz Posts: 45 Member
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    All exercise is good ... do something that YOU enjoy x

    THIS!
  • Collier78
    Collier78 Posts: 811 Member
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    All exercise is good ... do something that YOU enjoy x

    ^^This for the win! IF you enjoy it DO IT! I run..I like it..I'm slow..I don't care...I'm running for the exercise..I eat less and healthier foods to lose weight...
  • long2know
    long2know Posts: 49 Member
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    Yes, it helps. But as someone else said, it's less about running and more about creating a deficit. It also has to be something you enjoy and/or want to do. If these two criteria are not met, then no, it is useless.

    But, outside of injuring yourself, anyone that tells you running is bad is spreading fallacious FUD.

    I'll give you a good corollary. I ran the Knoxville Marathon in April and the NYC marathon a couple weeks ago. As such, I run no less than 100 miles per month because I am constantly training. Yet, I have not lost any weight since early March. Prior to March, I shed pounds like crazy and lost a total of about 120 lbs as a beginning runner.

    I don't see the current lack of weight-loss as good or bad. I am aware of my calorie intake and (estimated) calorie burn. I purposely eat back most of the calories that I burn now because I am not overly concerned with weight loss anymore. I run for fitness. And I can say unequivocally that I am in the best physical condition of my entire life. The level of fitness I have achieved lends itself to all other activities such as biking, hiking, sports, etc.

    Bear in mind that I do other strength-training exercises (push-ups, chin-ups, pull-ups, and other calisthenics) to maintain my upper-body and core muscles. I don't do it hard enough to (in my mind) qualify as CrossFit or something like that, though. I also mix up my training runs between sprints, hill-training, low-intensity (slow) long runs, etc.

    I have a lot of running friends (100's) and not a single one of them is over-weight.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I think its almost certainly going to help....but...

    - Your leg muscles will build up which is heavier than carrying fat on them
    - You will be very very hungry if you run beyond short distances ( ie an hour or more )

    For the hunger thing I do find that but not for everyone, as for the leg muscle comment, GTFO. You will not gain any muscle doing distance running, if anything there is a better chance of losing it (if in a deficit, not strength training, or not getting enough protein).
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    I exercise to add exercise calories to my day and have the option to eat more food while still maintaining a deficit. I started running because it can burn a LOT of calories per minute and more than any other activity I could do (or at least enjoy) I never wanted to become a runner, hell I made fun of friends who were runners. But you know what I fell in love with running. I exercise 6 days a week and 4-5 of those days I run maybe a little, maybe a lot (depending on how I train) I ran my first half marathon last month. I've done several MOB runs (Mud, Obstacles, Beer) and they've all been a blast.

    I've ran dressed as Santa, a Bandito, in a Kilt, in Lederhosen, and just for the sheer joy of it.

    That being said, running is bad, I get up in time to be out the door for the sunrise on the weekends, my new catchphrase is "I'm sorry I can't go (have to be late), I have a race that day" and I just planned my next 2 vacations around having a Marathon to run while I'm away. Running has eaten my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.
  • ekz13
    ekz13 Posts: 725 Member
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    .... Or when I sit in front of the computer playing Battlefield for too long and ignore the need to have a pee. :laugh: Call it sprint training if you will.

    Kewl... I've been sprint training for decades now.. BAM! :drinker:
  • kmorris246
    kmorris246 Posts: 312 Member
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    I have been doing a combo of running and strength training for over 2 years. I normally run close to 20 miles/week (6-7 miles 3x week) and strength train/lift heavy 2x week. The running has had no impact on either weight gain and/or inability to gain muscle. As others have stated, weight gain/loss is all based on your caloric intake.

    To get the best results, you should do what you enjoy.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    The reason it is sometimes stated that running or other "cardio" type activity is not good for weight loss is due to a number of studies where the participants were told to incorporate this type of activity and tracked over time. There was little change in weight or body composition noted.

    However, these studies are usually based around ad libitum eating (in other words eating as you like) or fail to control adequately for calorie intake.

    It can very much be the case that running or exercise can ramp up appetite and cause people to eat more. Alternatively, people think "I have done 30 minutes of running so I can eat all the things"

    However, if you control calorie intake sufficiently and incorporate running it can be a great combination for weight loss.

    Re: the fitness and mental benefits of running (or other such cardio activities_ - there are too many to mention ;)
  • hazeljordan1974
    hazeljordan1974 Posts: 107 Member
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    I love running and for me a mix of walking when I was at my heaviest (217 lbs) and didn't want to risk my joints with running and then running really was instrumental in helping me lose about 60 of my 70 lbs. But when I was walking I was walking 13 1/2 miles at a time 5 - 6 times a week and switched to running to up the loss while reducing the time I spent exercising.

    That being said - while I was losing the weight I was losing some muscle as well as fat and now I am getting into weight to redress the balance somewhat.

    I really wish that I'd incorporated more strength and weight work earlier in my program to help me get the look I want. So I think balance is the key - and don't be like me and try to get to the end too quickly - lose weight moderately and don't over train.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    I do not run unless chased.
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
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    I'm hearing two sides to this story and I'm hoping someone can clarify this. I've heard, and done research, that running is useless in regards to weight loss. But the other side to this, I've read that running is one of the best types of cardio exercises.

    I don't just run, but do other exercise as well (including weight training).

    Running is not bad as long as you include variety (weight training) which it looks like you do. If all you do is run, you risk injury. That said, if you love to run then run... it is a cost benefit deal.

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