Do running or other forms of endurance exercise age a person

Blondieeee26
Blondieeee26 Posts: 12 Member
edited December 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I was googling something and came across an article saying that running (especially for long periods of time) can drastically age a person. I am a runner and this is somewhat scary to me, since I run often and am 25. I feel if I am not careful I could end up aging terribly. My cardio sessions are only 60 min average. I used to do 90 minutes but found it to be a waste of time and it made me incredibly hungry.. so aside from a rare 90 minute session all my sessions are 30-60 min. Some are even shorter at 20 min if I just run 5k.

Opinions or experiences ?
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Can you post that link from Google?
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    For what it's worth, the people I run with sure don't look their ages - they all look YOUNGER.

    My mom turned 50 this year and people think she's in her 40's, lol. She runs a LOT.

    In my experience, the opposite is true.

    ~Lyssa
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,341 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a comparison pic of me.

    Left, a year ago when I first started running. Right, now, after doing 1,500 km including three half marathons.

    F28AF5A5-495A-4F8D-ADB7-0C79A676092F_zpsdlris5ii.jpg

    Were the dozens of people saying I look 10-20 years younger lying? :open_mouth:

    <3<3<3
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    edited October 2016
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a comparison pic of me.

    Left, a year ago when I first started running. Right, now, after doing 1,500 km including three half marathons.

    F28AF5A5-495A-4F8D-ADB7-0C79A676092F_zpsdlris5ii.jpg

    Were the dozens of people saying I look 10-20 years younger lying? :open_mouth:

    You look great! :)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    .
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    edited October 2016
    I don't run ( do lots of other stuff) and I've still managed to age- 63 times so far.

    Must be a dammed of you do, dammed if you don't kind of thing.

    Cheers, h.
    ( sp so I don't get 'kitten'ed)
  • Kellikat80
    Kellikat80 Posts: 591 Member
    I started running a few months back. The only thing I can think that would age me is the running time in the sun. I wear sunscreen, but think I'll get me a running hat!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Hi! I was googling something and came across an article saying that running (especially for long periods of time) can drastically age a person. I am a runner and this is somewhat scary to me, since I run often and am 25. I feel if I am not careful I could end up aging terribly. My cardio sessions are only 60 min average. I used to do 90 minutes but found it to be a waste of time and it made me incredibly hungry.. so aside from a rare 90 minute session all my sessions are 30-60 min. Some are even shorter at 20 min if I just run 5k.

    Opinions or experiences ?

    can you define 'long periods of time' and 'drastically'??
  • btrsun10
    btrsun10 Posts: 37 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a comparison pic of me.

    Left, a year ago when I first started running. Right, now, after doing 1,500 km including three half marathons.

    F28AF5A5-495A-4F8D-ADB7-0C79A676092F_zpsdlris5ii.jpg

    Were the dozens of people saying I look 10-20 years younger lying? :open_mouth:

    No they are absolutely NOT lying. You look fantastic! <3
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Hi! I was googling something and came across an article saying that running (especially for long periods of time) can drastically age a person. I am a runner and this is somewhat scary to me, since I run often and am 25. I feel if I am not careful I could end up aging terribly. My cardio sessions are only 60 min average. I used to do 90 minutes but found it to be a waste of time and it made me incredibly hungry.. so aside from a rare 90 minute session all my sessions are 30-60 min. Some are even shorter at 20 min if I just run 5k.

    Opinions or experiences ?

    I do not think that running for 20-60 minutes is running for long periods of time.
  • pebble4321
    pebble4321 Posts: 1,132 Member
    I don't think that's the case... I've been running on and off for the past 5 - 6 years and most people say I look younger than my age.
    The thing that I notice is that when I lose weight, my face gets thinner and the wrinkles are more obvious. That's not a reason to stay fat though (oops!)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited October 2016
    OP are you talking about "runners face".. was it like something from this article?

    btw: stop reading stuff on line.. and no running does not age you..

    http://www.self.com/story/fitness-runners-face-myth-or-fact
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Wut?!? :o

    On the contrary, it's actually the couch potatoes who are looking and feeling sluggish and worn-out. I am the only runner in my family (including extended family like cousins, etc.) and the only adult who is physically fit. I have a nicer figure than most people half my age, to be honest. People routinely think I'm much younger than I am. I don't necessarily think it's the running so much as it's just being so active. (You could do any type of exercise you enjoy, really.) I wouldn't let a fear of aging keep you from a great form of exercise. Consult your doctor. If you are healthy enough to run and you enjoy it, DO IT! B)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a comparison pic of me.

    Left, a year ago when I first started running. Right, now, after doing 1,500 km including three half marathons.

    F28AF5A5-495A-4F8D-ADB7-0C79A676092F_zpsdlris5ii.jpg

    Were the dozens of people saying I look 10-20 years younger lying? :open_mouth:

    Hope I don't offend, but from my perspective, you went from looking like somebody's decent-looking grandma to looking like somebody's hot mom! Huge difference. What a win! <3
  • goldengirl111
    goldengirl111 Posts: 684 Member
    You look fantastic.
  • goldengirl111
    goldengirl111 Posts: 684 Member
    Not a runner...but walking...yes that's the thing for me.
  • rightoncommander
    rightoncommander Posts: 114 Member
    Hi! I was googling something and came across an article saying that running (especially for long periods of time) can drastically age a person. I am a runner and this is somewhat scary to me, since I run often and am 25. I feel if I am not careful I could end up aging terribly. My cardio sessions are only 60 min average. I used to do 90 minutes but found it to be a waste of time and it made me incredibly hungry.. so aside from a rare 90 minute session all my sessions are 30-60 min. Some are even shorter at 20 min if I just run 5k.

    Opinions or experiences ?

    "Google" does not count as a source. I see links to those articles in the Outbrain/Taboola section at the bottom of articles on Runner's World and completely ignore them. Maybe there really is "one weird trick" to losing weight, and maybe cardio will age me, and if so I was wrong to ignore these articles. Nah, not really, they're total bunkum.

    Here's a way to test the theory: look up Olympic 1500m champions from the 1950s on the internet, and find pictures of them today. You will find they are mostly alive, sprightly old folk. Sure, some die young of something unrelated to running. But the surviving champions look amazing for their advanced years.

    If you're running 20-minute 5kms just as a training run, you are phenomenally fit. I run that distance weekly at Parkrun, and only 1 of the female runners there regularly does that distance in under 20 mins. She also wins local races. You should turn up at your local running club, I'm sure they'd love to have you. You could see for yourself how good the older runners look for their age. They'd also help you see the point of longer runs.

    As an aside, it's ok to eat rather a lot after a run of 90 minutes or more. Calories in calories out really works in your favour when you burn 1000+ in a single workout!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,687 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Being fat and unfit on the other hand is terribly aging, both in appearance and health issues. I look at my (mostly) unfit peer group (mid 50's) and it's shocking how old most of them look and act.

    That was one of the things which triggered me to join MFP. I could see myself starting to become one of them ... and I didn't want that! I wasn't ready to look and act old.

  • Cbestinme
    Cbestinme Posts: 397 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    Here is a comparison pic of me.

    Left, a year ago when I first started running. Right, now, after doing 1,500 km including three half marathons.

    F28AF5A5-495A-4F8D-ADB7-0C79A676092F_zpsdlris5ii.jpg

    Were the dozens of people saying I look 10-20 years younger lying? :open_mouth:

    You look amazing!! Great job <3
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