Running on treadmill when overweight advice?!
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Lucy_Clare_x
Posts: 7 Member
Hello!
Just wondered if anyone had any advice on running on a treadmill when overweight/obese. Obviously running is a great way to lose weight but when the impact hurts your knees that doesn't help! Any advice on how to go about this? Thanks!
Just wondered if anyone had any advice on running on a treadmill when overweight/obese. Obviously running is a great way to lose weight but when the impact hurts your knees that doesn't help! Any advice on how to go about this? Thanks!
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Replies
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If you can't run, walk. If that is still causing pain, move to an elliptical machine that is much easier on the joints. I do both because of injuries that causes walking to be painful sometimes. If the elliptical is still causing problems, jump on a bike. If you don't have access to this equipment, then simply walking in place.
The beauty is that as long as you are doing something and sticking to your goals, you won't be obese for long and your body will adjust to where the treadmill might not hurt after a while? Good luck. I know I'm only stating the obvious, but since I deal with the same issue I thought it might help.0 -
Start with c25k to ease your knees in to it.
Weight loss is all about calorie deficit, but running is a good way of burning calories.2 -
running really isn't a good way to lose weight, its a good way to burn some calories but your best safest way to lose weight is to eat less - eat the right amounts of the right foods. I dont think running while obese is a good idea, do the eliptical or something less impact. As your weight drops and your fitness improves, start adding in a little running if you want. starting out slowly is always a good idea3
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Initially strike the ground more- so towards the front of your foot, not with your heel. It'll take the stress off your knees. Ease into it, because it takes your calves some time to get used to it. Also, a faster pace walk on a higher incline is great for burning calories. Increasing the incline also increases the likelihood you'll strike the ground with the front part of your foot, along with increasing difficulty and results.3
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You dont want to be running on treadmill for distance if you are over weight. You want to be doing interval training and run sprints for 15-30 seconds each set.0
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I'm not a runner-- my boobs and joints don't like all that bouncing one bit! Walk at a brisk pace (3.5-3.7 mph) and that gets my heart rate up and burns calories just fine.0
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Running isn't the reason people lose weight, it's the eating less food part where people lose weight.
If you have bad knees, just walk.0 -
I started @ 330 lbs on the treadmill. I started walking and walking. ~30 mins every morning and then some evenings up to 50 mins. I decided if I'm going to watch a hockey game, I need to walk for 2 of the 3 periods.
I'm down under 275 now and just now starting a C25K program. Pretty sure it would have been too hard on me to start, and I still have to be conscious of one knee that sometimes flairs up. But I had already started doing some intervals and some jogging on it.
My opinion is that the C25K might be a bit much to start with. Walk for a month first and see how that goes with your knees etc.2 -
As someone who is morbidly obese and runs, I don't believe all this don't run when you are heavy nonsense. The important thing for people of any weight is to go slow and ease into it. If something is sore go slower or do less. I am doing C25K for the third winter and I think it is a fantastic program to get into running. If running still hurts try walking instead. Walking for a longer period of time is just as good and easier on the body.2
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Walking briskly can be just as good, especially if your treadmill can incline. Boost the incline and not go quite so fast and you'll be burning quite a bit. My knees and hips don't like to run consecutive days in a row, so I find this alternative can burn almost as much as a run (per my HRM).
Make sure you have good, supportive shoes that fit you well. For my sneakers that I run in I often have to go 1/2 - 1 size up because your foot will swell and it is not pleasant to be hitting the front of your shoe!
If you're new to running - Don't go flat out. Start with run/walk intervals. And run slow! I used to think I needed to be speeding or I wasn't running, so not true
Work yourself into it. 0 -
My advice is to:
* Be sure to have good quality running shoes. Preferably new and purchased from a quality running shoe store (not a chain like Foot Locker). New Balance has a good reputation for shoes with a lot of support for "heavy strikers" and/or overweight people.
* Get a good running bra. It makes a big difference in comfort, and the girls will thank you. Heavier women tend to have more bust, and with more bust comes more bouncing which you don't want!
* Start off with run/walk intervals. Many treadmills have programs that have pre-programmed intervals like this.
* Start a little lower than you think you need. It's better to start off a little too low than too high.
* Don't compare your efforts to anyone else.
* Running is actually one of the best exercise for weight loss, but it can be one of the most difficult for a heavier person to do. The strain on your lower body will be more than someone lighter. Honor this.
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Lucy_Clare_x wrote: »Hello!
Just wondered if anyone had any advice on running on a treadmill when overweight/obese. Obviously running is a great way to lose weight but when the impact hurts your knees that doesn't help! Any advice on how to go about this? Thanks!
15 seconds at a jog/run, 45 seconds walk and repeat.0 -
running really isn't a good way to lose weight, its a good way to burn some calories but your best safest way to lose weight is to eat less - eat the right amounts of the right foods. I dont think running while obese is a good idea, do the eliptical or something less impact. As your weight drops and your fitness improves, start adding in a little running if you want. starting out slowly is always a good idea
Agreed. The best way to lose is via calorie deficit.
I am around 40lbs overweight, but when I was 100lbs more than I am now, I started off by walking on the treadmill or outside. Last May, I started c25k...then hurt my foot. Now I am hoping to get back into it again.
I would not jump right into running. Fast walks are better, then a very slow jog, then progress through the jogging speeds until you can run. Walk-fast walk-walk intervals and walk-jog-walk intervals are good, too.1 -
Running does not make you lose weight. I agree with the other good advice here. Use MFP to establish a calorie goal to eat within. Then start walking to improve your fitness. Unless someone is already quite fit, I don't recommend running until you are within 25 lbs of your goal weight.0
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If you really want to run take it slow, try something like C25K, you can't feel it at first, but going to fast to quickly can really hurt your joints and your feet, so work up to it. But just know, running isn't what is going to make you lose weight, being at a calorie deficit is. so if you burn and extra 200 calories from running, and then go eat an extra 500 because you are hungry because of it, then it doesn't really matter.0
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Lucy_Clare_x wrote: »Just wondered if anyone had any advice on running on a treadmill when overweight/obese. Obviously running is a great way to lose weight but when the impact hurts your knees that doesn't help! Any advice on how to go about this? Thanks!
There is no reason not to run, although as observed upthread it's something that helps contribute to losing weight as long as you're in calorie deficit.
As far as running technique is concerned there are a number of things that can contribute to knee pain, so without knowing a lot more about what you're experiencing it's not something that you can get reliable advice on.
C25K is a good way to get up to running a reasonable distance while minimising your injury risk.
It's worth getting dedicated shoes for running. Some people advocate gait analysis, although personally I'm not as sold on the idea.
When you're building up, leave your pace at a manageable level, the main thing is getting used to running by time, not so much by distance initially. So if you do use something like C25K then in the run periods try to limit yourself to a pace that you can still talk at.
You build endurance over time, so just take it easy. I used C25K about 4 years ago, and remember the challenges. Nowadays I'm comfortable running for long periods, 3-4 hours routinely.
The final point I'd make is a common mistake new runners make is overstriding, tied to a fear of going too slowly. It's worse on a treadmill. As you run, aim to keep your leading foot as close to landing under your centre of mass as possible. You make progress by pushing off, rather than pulling yourself forward with your leg.
Hope some of that helps a bit, but if you are experiencing pain rest until it eases.
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Keep your pace slow, think jog, not run.
If running is too difficult, walk until you can walk easily.
When you do start running, don't do it every day. You can get some form of exercise every day, but mix it up: walking, running, biking, dancing, yoga, etc.0 -
spiriteagle99 wrote: »Keep your pace slow, think jog, not run.
Run, or walk. Never jog unless you fancy being the one that finds dead bodies in the woods.
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Lucy_Clare_x wrote: »Hello!
Just wondered if anyone had any advice on running on a treadmill when overweight/obese. Obviously running is a great way to lose weight but when the impact hurts your knees that doesn't help! Any advice on how to go about this? Thanks!
Any activity that helps burn extra calories and contributes to a calorie deficit is a great way to lose weight. The one benefit of running is that it burns calories at a higher rate than many other types of exercise.
The main detriment of running is the higher impact--it can increase the risk of injury, esp if one is significantly overweight. It can also fatigue your legs more quickly which might limit the duration of your workout. For an unfit beginner, the fact that running burns calories at a 35% higher rate might not be that helpful if it means your workout duration is only 1/3 the duration.
Personally, unless the desire to run is a major motivator, I would recommend starting with something like incline walking. You will likely be able to go longer and burn more total calories. If you want to run, you can then try it out in smaller chunks which will allow you to adapt at your own pace.
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If it hurts, do not do it. Walk or use elliptical or a bike.
Walking when combined with calorie deficit can be super effective and hundreds of people here can attest to that.0
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