Running for Weight Loss? Slow Down.
debmac63
Posts: 459 Member
I found this article and thought I would try what it suggests. I usually run at 4.5 to 5.0 mph on the treadmill for 35-45 min. everyday. However, now that I have my hrm that kind of running puts me in the 80%-90% heart beat range. If I want to lose the weight the article said I had to slow my heart rate down to 60%-70% range. Now I barely get over 3.4 on the treadmill but the hrm says I'm burning at 55% fat instead of 30% fat which I would do if I was running.
I'm actually going to trying this for the month of December. I'll let you all know if it works, however, it may take more than a month to really know for sure.
Running For Weight Loss??.Slow Down
You may be out running your fat burning hormones
So you've loved running since your track days of high school. It's simple, you can do it anywhere and all you need is some good running shoes and pair of comfy cotton footies. But now it's taken on a sub-purpose. Age has allowed those extra pounds you use to leave choking on your dust to catch up with you and hit you right in the gut, literally. There are a billion reasons (or excuses) that justify your 10 or even 20 pounds that keep you company.
You are busier now, so you don't run as often, or as fast, or as long as you use to. You're getting older and your body can't take the as much. Or maybe it was the curse of the evil eye of all those non-runners over the years. (you know they were really jealous they can't run and sweat and look as good doing it
Whatever your justification, the bottom line is it's time to lace up the old running shoes a little more often. For the last few weeks you've hit the ground running. Enjoying the days of old. Marveling at your new found dedication to your workout schedule. But as you get on the scale once again the numbers barely budge. The problem may be your love for running. The pure exhilaration for the sport. If you consider your self a runner then your gut instinct will tell you to run faster. Try to shave another 2 minutes off your course time.
This time however DO NOT follow your gut feeling or you will be left with your gut to feel. As runner you are use to trying to run faster, cut your course time, beat your personal best or at least don't get any slower than you already have. But if you want to drop those pounds you have to slow down and work at a lower intensity. Using a heart rate monitor is the best way to determine if you are exercising at the proper intensity to reach your weight loss goal. Heart rate monitors due exactly as the name implies. They monitor the rate in which your heart is beating. (By the way, Heart Rate monitors are an invaluable tool for any serious or even semi-serious runner, no matter what your goal is. )
Knowing your personal heart rate percentage numbers can mean the difference in reaching your goal and trying to reach your goal. For weight loss you want to work at 60% to 70% of your heart rate max (HRM). Your hear rate max is the maximum amount of times your heart can beat in a minutes. To determine that number use the standard formula of subtracting your age from 220. Then take that number and multiply it by .60 and you have 60% of your heart rate max. Follow the same steps except replace .60 with .70 and you will come us with 70% of your heart rate max. Stay between these two numbers on your heart rate monitor and you are on the straight and narrow path to weight loss. (For example someone who is 30 years old. 220-30=190 190 x .60= 114 190 x .70 = 133. A 30 year old must stay between 114 and 133 HRM for a weight loss workout)
Over these percentages of your HRM your body tells your fat burning hormones (epinephrine, nor epinephrine and growth hormones) to shut down so it can use their energy, along with all other available energy, to your respiratory system to maintain your pace.
Working above 70% of your heart rate max over an extended period of time, like your whole 45 minute run, may allow you to burn more calories but less of those calories will be from fat. In the end you don't just want to burn calories, you want to burn fat calories for lasting weight loss. When your body can't use your fat stores to burn the next place it turns is to lean muscle stores, which is the last thing you want. Lean muscle is what keeps your metabolism up and running allowing you to keep off the extra pounds. For efficient and effective weight loss we want our calories to come from our fat stores not our lean muscle store. Working over 70% HRM may be beneficial speed training but it's just not an efficient way to loose weight. Despite popular opinion of "more is better" and "faster is the best", slowing down is a faster route to loosing weight. Don't misquote me you will burn calories no matter how fast or slow you run but for weight loss you want to burn as many calories from fat as you can.
Lastly and probably most importantly when trying to loose weight weather it's 5 pounds or 50 pounds. Now isn't the time to multi-task. Pick one goal and stick to it. Don't practice for a 5K to loose weight. You'd do yourself and your recorded time a favor if you loose the weight first then start a race prep running schedule. ( To be detailed in the next article) At 60% to 70% of your HRM you may not be running at your fastest pace or pushing your personal best time. In fact you may even have to slow down to a speed walking pace. And that's okay because you will arrive at your weight loss goal a lot faster if you slowed down.
I'm actually going to trying this for the month of December. I'll let you all know if it works, however, it may take more than a month to really know for sure.
Running For Weight Loss??.Slow Down
You may be out running your fat burning hormones
So you've loved running since your track days of high school. It's simple, you can do it anywhere and all you need is some good running shoes and pair of comfy cotton footies. But now it's taken on a sub-purpose. Age has allowed those extra pounds you use to leave choking on your dust to catch up with you and hit you right in the gut, literally. There are a billion reasons (or excuses) that justify your 10 or even 20 pounds that keep you company.
You are busier now, so you don't run as often, or as fast, or as long as you use to. You're getting older and your body can't take the as much. Or maybe it was the curse of the evil eye of all those non-runners over the years. (you know they were really jealous they can't run and sweat and look as good doing it
Whatever your justification, the bottom line is it's time to lace up the old running shoes a little more often. For the last few weeks you've hit the ground running. Enjoying the days of old. Marveling at your new found dedication to your workout schedule. But as you get on the scale once again the numbers barely budge. The problem may be your love for running. The pure exhilaration for the sport. If you consider your self a runner then your gut instinct will tell you to run faster. Try to shave another 2 minutes off your course time.
This time however DO NOT follow your gut feeling or you will be left with your gut to feel. As runner you are use to trying to run faster, cut your course time, beat your personal best or at least don't get any slower than you already have. But if you want to drop those pounds you have to slow down and work at a lower intensity. Using a heart rate monitor is the best way to determine if you are exercising at the proper intensity to reach your weight loss goal. Heart rate monitors due exactly as the name implies. They monitor the rate in which your heart is beating. (By the way, Heart Rate monitors are an invaluable tool for any serious or even semi-serious runner, no matter what your goal is. )
Knowing your personal heart rate percentage numbers can mean the difference in reaching your goal and trying to reach your goal. For weight loss you want to work at 60% to 70% of your heart rate max (HRM). Your hear rate max is the maximum amount of times your heart can beat in a minutes. To determine that number use the standard formula of subtracting your age from 220. Then take that number and multiply it by .60 and you have 60% of your heart rate max. Follow the same steps except replace .60 with .70 and you will come us with 70% of your heart rate max. Stay between these two numbers on your heart rate monitor and you are on the straight and narrow path to weight loss. (For example someone who is 30 years old. 220-30=190 190 x .60= 114 190 x .70 = 133. A 30 year old must stay between 114 and 133 HRM for a weight loss workout)
Over these percentages of your HRM your body tells your fat burning hormones (epinephrine, nor epinephrine and growth hormones) to shut down so it can use their energy, along with all other available energy, to your respiratory system to maintain your pace.
Working above 70% of your heart rate max over an extended period of time, like your whole 45 minute run, may allow you to burn more calories but less of those calories will be from fat. In the end you don't just want to burn calories, you want to burn fat calories for lasting weight loss. When your body can't use your fat stores to burn the next place it turns is to lean muscle stores, which is the last thing you want. Lean muscle is what keeps your metabolism up and running allowing you to keep off the extra pounds. For efficient and effective weight loss we want our calories to come from our fat stores not our lean muscle store. Working over 70% HRM may be beneficial speed training but it's just not an efficient way to loose weight. Despite popular opinion of "more is better" and "faster is the best", slowing down is a faster route to loosing weight. Don't misquote me you will burn calories no matter how fast or slow you run but for weight loss you want to burn as many calories from fat as you can.
Lastly and probably most importantly when trying to loose weight weather it's 5 pounds or 50 pounds. Now isn't the time to multi-task. Pick one goal and stick to it. Don't practice for a 5K to loose weight. You'd do yourself and your recorded time a favor if you loose the weight first then start a race prep running schedule. ( To be detailed in the next article) At 60% to 70% of your HRM you may not be running at your fastest pace or pushing your personal best time. In fact you may even have to slow down to a speed walking pace. And that's okay because you will arrive at your weight loss goal a lot faster if you slowed down.
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Replies
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I found this article and thought I would try what it suggests. I usually run at 4.5 to 5.0 mph on the treadmill for 35-45 min. everyday. However, now that I have my hrm that kind of running puts me in the 80%-90% heart beat range. If I want to lose the weight the article said I had to slow my heart rate down to 60%-70% range. Now I barely get over 3.4 on the treadmill but the hrm says I'm burning at 55% fat instead of 30% fat which I would do if I was running.
I'm actually going to trying this for the month of December. I'll let you all know if it works, however, it may take more than a month to really know for sure.
Running For Weight Loss??.Slow Down
You may be out running your fat burning hormones
So you've loved running since your track days of high school. It's simple, you can do it anywhere and all you need is some good running shoes and pair of comfy cotton footies. But now it's taken on a sub-purpose. Age has allowed those extra pounds you use to leave choking on your dust to catch up with you and hit you right in the gut, literally. There are a billion reasons (or excuses) that justify your 10 or even 20 pounds that keep you company.
You are busier now, so you don't run as often, or as fast, or as long as you use to. You're getting older and your body can't take the as much. Or maybe it was the curse of the evil eye of all those non-runners over the years. (you know they were really jealous they can't run and sweat and look as good doing it
Whatever your justification, the bottom line is it's time to lace up the old running shoes a little more often. For the last few weeks you've hit the ground running. Enjoying the days of old. Marveling at your new found dedication to your workout schedule. But as you get on the scale once again the numbers barely budge. The problem may be your love for running. The pure exhilaration for the sport. If you consider your self a runner then your gut instinct will tell you to run faster. Try to shave another 2 minutes off your course time.
This time however DO NOT follow your gut feeling or you will be left with your gut to feel. As runner you are use to trying to run faster, cut your course time, beat your personal best or at least don't get any slower than you already have. But if you want to drop those pounds you have to slow down and work at a lower intensity. Using a heart rate monitor is the best way to determine if you are exercising at the proper intensity to reach your weight loss goal. Heart rate monitors due exactly as the name implies. They monitor the rate in which your heart is beating. (By the way, Heart Rate monitors are an invaluable tool for any serious or even semi-serious runner, no matter what your goal is. )
Knowing your personal heart rate percentage numbers can mean the difference in reaching your goal and trying to reach your goal. For weight loss you want to work at 60% to 70% of your heart rate max (HRM). Your hear rate max is the maximum amount of times your heart can beat in a minutes. To determine that number use the standard formula of subtracting your age from 220. Then take that number and multiply it by .60 and you have 60% of your heart rate max. Follow the same steps except replace .60 with .70 and you will come us with 70% of your heart rate max. Stay between these two numbers on your heart rate monitor and you are on the straight and narrow path to weight loss. (For example someone who is 30 years old. 220-30=190 190 x .60= 114 190 x .70 = 133. A 30 year old must stay between 114 and 133 HRM for a weight loss workout)
Over these percentages of your HRM your body tells your fat burning hormones (epinephrine, nor epinephrine and growth hormones) to shut down so it can use their energy, along with all other available energy, to your respiratory system to maintain your pace.
Working above 70% of your heart rate max over an extended period of time, like your whole 45 minute run, may allow you to burn more calories but less of those calories will be from fat. In the end you don't just want to burn calories, you want to burn fat calories for lasting weight loss. When your body can't use your fat stores to burn the next place it turns is to lean muscle stores, which is the last thing you want. Lean muscle is what keeps your metabolism up and running allowing you to keep off the extra pounds. For efficient and effective weight loss we want our calories to come from our fat stores not our lean muscle store. Working over 70% HRM may be beneficial speed training but it's just not an efficient way to loose weight. Despite popular opinion of "more is better" and "faster is the best", slowing down is a faster route to loosing weight. Don't misquote me you will burn calories no matter how fast or slow you run but for weight loss you want to burn as many calories from fat as you can.
Lastly and probably most importantly when trying to loose weight weather it's 5 pounds or 50 pounds. Now isn't the time to multi-task. Pick one goal and stick to it. Don't practice for a 5K to loose weight. You'd do yourself and your recorded time a favor if you loose the weight first then start a race prep running schedule. ( To be detailed in the next article) At 60% to 70% of your HRM you may not be running at your fastest pace or pushing your personal best time. In fact you may even have to slow down to a speed walking pace. And that's okay because you will arrive at your weight loss goal a lot faster if you slowed down.0 -
Great article, so glad you are sharing. I am actually going to set it as a favorite!0
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Great article, so glad you are sharing. I am actually going to set it as a favorite!
Just hope it works!0 -
You and me both! Today I used a new video and had to really hold back to keep my heart rate in the 'zone' It is hard once you are used to working in a higher HR...We shall see my friend!:flowerforyou: :ohwell:Great article, so glad you are sharing. I am actually going to set it as a favorite!
Just hope it works!0 -
Just a suggestion....when you post an article, post its source. Then we will know how to reference it. Thanks.0
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Hmmm.
That article mentions 'hormones' in the title but nowhere does it explain them in the following paragraphs. They don't explain how you're supposed to be burning 'more fat' in a certain zone or how you really need to consider both intensity and duration. There's no math concerning % of fat burned in certain zones either.
Needless to say, I disagree with the article but I've written about this so many times I don't really enjoy it as much now. Oh well. :laugh:0 -
Hmmm.
That article mentions 'hormones' in the title but nowhere does it explain them in the following paragraphs. They don't explain how you're supposed to be burning 'more fat' in a certain zone or how you really need to consider both intensity and duration. There's no math concerning % of fat burned in certain zones either.
Needless to say, I disagree with the article but I've written about this so many times I don't really enjoy it as much now. Oh well. :laugh:
As I said in the beginning...It's something I'm going to try and see if it will put a stop to a plateau. If it doesn't work what am I out?0 -
As for the concerns of a "reference for future posts" and "weight loss tips that supposedly don't work"...
You need not worry as I won't be posting anymore tips, help or weight loss articles that I find. I will share them with my MFP Friends who will take them for what they are, just something to try that might or might not work.0 -
I feel bad because I asked you to post a thread on this.
I think it is good food for thought, and have read a LOT on the fat burning zone.
My Cardiologist
suggested I work out at 135-140 4 x week. He said to do 20 minute high HR workouts 2 x a week for the heart but as for fat loss, longer lower workouts are better.
I am listening to my Cardio on this one!!! Your posting of this article just reminded me of his words!
SBS I know where you are on this one!!! :smooched: :flowerforyou: 0 -
As for the concerns of a "reference for future posts" and "weight loss tips that supposedly don't work"...
You need not worry as I won't be posting anymore tips, help or weight loss articles that I find. I will share them with my MFP Friends who will take them for what they are, just something to try that might or might not work.
I didn't mean to upset you. Some people just want to see where the information comes from. No one's saying you aren't credible, it's just nice to see who writes what. I have had my information referenced in my profile for a long time, I did it as requested by another member. We can't all agree on everything, but that's no reason to stop posting things you find. You might come across something no one else has found. I didn't mean to offend you, I was just critiquing the article itself. I'm sorry. :flowerforyou:0 -
Sorry, I can't provide refernce to back you up, but I think your theory is actually correct (running slower burns more fat). I think it has to do with your body selectively going for the glycogen (your muscle carbs) when you are working at max capacity, because it is a 'quick burn'. When you work at a lower heart rate, you are in a more aerobic state and your body 'takes the time' to burn your fat reserves.
Maybe that's just an urban legend, but it is a long-time belief of many trainers.
FWIW0 -
As for the concerns of a "reference for future posts" and "weight loss tips that supposedly don't work"...
You need not worry as I won't be posting anymore tips, help or weight loss articles that I find. I will share them with my MFP Friends who will take them for what they are, just something to try that might or might not work.
I didn't mean to upset you. Some people just want to see where the information comes from. No one's saying you aren't credible, it's just nice to see who writes what. I have had my information referenced in my profile for a long time, I did it as requested by another member. We can't all agree on everything, but that's no reason to stop posting things you find. You might come across something no one else has found. I didn't mean to offend you, I was just critiquing the article itself. I'm sorry. :flowerforyou:
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This is a great article...but I wanted to share this too...
"The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat in the 'fat burning zone' or at lower intensities. But, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight."
http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm
I DO think this is a great way to break a plateau though!
P.S. Keep posting articles
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Hi Deb, thanks to a very generous person on this site, I have a Heart Monitor coming my way:) I couldn't afford one and she is mailing it. I can't wait to use it because this is important to me as well, staying in my training zone. I walk but I do 4 miles per hour. I can talk the whole way so don't think I am out of my zone, but, to know for sure with an HRM is going to be a real blessing:)
Good article, thank you much, denise:bigsmile:0 -
I am probably just not getting this but isn't fat what we want to burn when losing weight? What else is there to burn beside lean muscle mass? I should go read the article you posted, ok, Im doing that, LOL!! deniseThis is a great article...but I wanted to share this too...
"The body does burn a higher percentage of calories from fat in the 'fat burning zone' or at lower intensities. But, at higher intensities, you burn a greater number of overall calories which is what you should be concerned about when trying to lose weight."
http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm
I DO think this is a great way to break a plateau though!
P.S. Keep posting articles0 -
Hi Deb, thanks to a very generous person on this site, I have a Heart Monitor coming my way:) I couldn't afford one and she is mailing it. I can't wait to use it because this is important to me as well, staying in my training zone. I walk but I do 4 miles per hour. I can talk the whole way so don't think I am out of my zone, but, to know for sure with an HRM is going to be a real blessing:)
Good article, thank you much, denise:bigsmile:
I hope you love yours as much as I love mine. I use it everyday now! That's great that someone is sending you one.0 -
I just noticed your weightloss and congratulations on that!!! Way to go:) denise PS Yes, it is going to be fun to use:)Hi Deb, thanks to a very generous person on this site, I have a Heart Monitor coming my way:) I couldn't afford one and she is mailing it. I can't wait to use it because this is important to me as well, staying in my training zone. I walk but I do 4 miles per hour. I can talk the whole way so don't think I am out of my zone, but, to know for sure with an HRM is going to be a real blessing:)
Good article, thank you much, denise:bigsmile:
I hope you love yours as much as I love mine. I use it everyday now! That's great that someone is sending you one.0 -
I thought the article was great and I'm going to try it also. Thank you for the info!:flowerforyou:0
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Well, Deb, I thank you for taking the time to share with all of us. It also makes me feel a lot better about my workouts this week because I haven't yet been able to get up to the intensity I was at before my surgery and you gave me a lot of hope that I am still accomplishing a lot! Thank You!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:0
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I thought the article was great and I'm going to try it also. Thank you for the info!:flowerforyou:
You're welcome 0 -
Well, Deb, I thank you for taking the time to share with all of us. It also makes me feel a lot better about my workouts this week because I haven't yet been able to get up to the intensity I was at before my surgery and you gave me a lot of hope that I am still accomplishing a lot! Thank You!!:bigsmile: :bigsmile:
You're welcome! Don't be pushing it if you're recovering from surgery...you'll get back in full swing in no time I'm sure.0 -
As for the concerns of a "reference for future posts" and "weight loss tips that supposedly don't work"...
You need not worry as I won't be posting anymore tips, help or weight loss articles that I find. I will share them with my MFP Friends who will take them for what they are, just something to try that might or might not work.
I didn't mean to upset you. Some people just want to see where the information comes from. No one's saying you aren't credible, it's just nice to see who writes what. I have had my information referenced in my profile for a long time, I did it as requested by another member. We can't all agree on everything, but that's no reason to stop posting things you find. You might come across something no one else has found. I didn't mean to offend you, I was just critiquing the article itself. I'm sorry. :flowerforyou: Don't worry about it. All is well 0
This discussion has been closed.
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