I found this great article in the magazine, 'Runner's World.' I thought I'd share and get your opinions and thoughts to see if any of you have lost weight when you started running? Even if you have been running for awhile fee free to comment. As for me, I notice that running doesn't burn as many calories as the epiliptical does, but I also feel like I am working harder when I run. I don't see why I wouldn't burn more calories while running. I also think it depends on how long or fast you run.
With the right food(diet) running and any exercise will melt off pounds. You have to do what you like best otherwise you will quit or not meet your s goals.
Last edited by geobuilder; 12-06-2010 at 12:02 AM.
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it also makes a big difference if you are running on a trampoline or in place(less calories) or outside, hills, in the cold, which could be more cal. than a treadmill inside.
i used to run often. inside, in place. i got really really sweaty. still do. i knew it was a good workout, no matter what the calorie calculator said.
just do what you enjoy. jumping rope and boxing also burn a ton of calories.
building muscle burns more calories than anything. your metabolism is going all the time, even when you are sleeping. or watching TV. but we only exercise for short periods.
I wouldn't say running "melts off the pounds" (but I run like...2-3 times a week which isn't a whole lot) but it has completely transformed my legs from " thunder thighs with some muscle in there somewhere" to "gap between my thighs and nothing jiggles."
And if you're a slave to the scale, nothing guarantees a great weigh-in the next morning like going for a tiring long run and then eating a healthy low-carb dinner.
IMHO, running melts fat rapidly...hasn't done too bad on the lbs for me as well!
Running also makes everything else much easier. I run about an hour 3-4 times/week and now when i do recumbent bike or elipticle, i'm on levels 10 and 11 and while i break a sweat, it is sooooooo much easier than what it used to be.
I also don't follow monitors for calories burned...my body lets me know where I get the most bang for my buck...and it's definitely RUNNING (as identified by the pool of sweat I leave behind)
I have been running on and off for years (cause I love it, but I'm lazy!), but in March or so this year I decided to stop with the sweets, cookies etc that I always over indulge on. I also started training for a 10k run that was to take place in August.
During this time, with on average 2-3 5k runs a week, I lost 7kg (about 15lbs?) going from 89kg to 82kg in June. I didn't count calories, but ate 3 meals per day of "real food" only.
Then in August I hurt my knee (not running, but doing squats) and had to stop running. My race was pretty much the last run I did. I fell off the wagon with my eating shortly after that, and the scale crept back up to 87kg. I decided to stop faffing about and I once again went back to the exact same eating plan. Nothing what so ever happened on the scale.
Without the running my "healthy, intuitive" eating kept me maintaining, but not losing.
My knee is still not 100% so I'm doing other lower impact workouts just now, and I have also started to mind my calories by logging them daily.
I can't wait to get back to running to start shift this weight at a faster pace again!
Last edited by timkerbelle; 12-06-2010 at 10:56 AM.
Yes, in terms of weight loss, your eating habits are the biggest driver. But I think more exercise should always accompany weight loss efforts, right from the beginning, even if someone can only walk more. Exercise is such a positive behavior change
The above quote sums it up for me. Running is a great cardio workout for me. So is Spin class and the elliptical. But it isn't about the exercise. It's about the diet.
Running hasn't changed weight loss for me at all, though I know a lot of people who say it does.
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I use to think the same as you Jojo but then in the past two months I decided to change my workout and start running 3 miles twice a week. I've noticed that my stomach muscles reacted more to the running then to the eliptical. My waist size is going down but my weight is stubbornly remaining the same I figure that means I'm gaining muscle.
You know...I was just thinking about this post again and reflected on my past weight losses. This is the conclusion I came up with:
1. I've lost 50+ lbs dieting (atkins) and doing only elipticle (45 min 5 days/wk);
2. I've lost approx 30 lbs dieting (calorie counting) and running 45 min-1hr, 4-5 days/wk);
What's the difference?
While I lost weight doing both forms of cardio...I lost more FAT running than elipticle...and my muscles got waaaaaaayy more toned/developed running than doing elipticle.
Conclusion: Proper diet and exercise will lose weight for you, but nothing beats running for FAT BURNING and leaving you with a nice "toned" body
Thanks for the responses. I found the article quite interesting, and thought I'd ask all of you runners, if you have indeed lost weight running now or in the past.
I agree that diet plays a big part because if you aren't eating right, you won't lose much weight even if you are doing cardio. I enjoy running, and am building up to the 5k. I like to cross train and do running three times a week, and do other cardio the other days either on epiliptical or bike. I noticed that I burned more calories on the epilitical than running, but right now I am only doing 3 min intervals and 90sec walking. I figure the longer and more intense I run, the more calories I'll burn.
I always feel amazing after I run (runners high), and I do feel like my legs getting toned and smaller. I look at marathon runners and not many of them have extra fat on them eh.
Jojo, I don't trust the calorie counts on the machines. It tells me I burn the same calories at 2.5 on a 0% incline as 2.5 on a 10% incline. My lungs tell me otherwise! Not to mention they're just plain inaccurate as we are all different and most machines are calibrated to your AVERAGE athlete.
Also this makes me think of Darius from last season's Biggest Loser. After running the marathon with a really commendable time, he came back to the ranch having gained weight, like four pounds I think. Everyone was stunned. But he was eating to train and running puts a lot of stress on the body. The body doesn't like stress.
I haven't gained weight, but my pants have started fitting tighter since I've been running more. I also burn fewer calories than when I do just the elliptical. I've started varying my workouts some, with elliptical, lower body strength training and abs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a combo of the elliptical, bike and treadmill with upper body strength training Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
See, the machines always tell me I burn more when I'm running and I'm not even inputting my weight, which I know I actually burn more because I'm still larger.
Yes, my husband lost 100lbs real quickly from running- much faster that I did thats for sure, of course we know men are so different. But I've really accounted my great loss so far from just loving the cardio routine from running! Especially the more you run- the longer you run - the more you burn.
Yesterday I ran for 40 minutes and burned 600 calories- I could NEVER get that kind of a burn on an elliptical.
Yes I'm completely bias, I LUV running, hahahahaha!
Jojo, I don't trust the calorie counts on the machines. It tells me I burn the same calories at 2.5 on a 0% incline as 2.5 on a 10% incline. My lungs tell me otherwise! Not to mention they're just plain inaccurate as we are all different and most machines are calibrated to your AVERAGE athlete.
Also this makes me think of Darius from last season's Biggest Loser. After running the marathon with a really commendable time, he came back to the ranch having gained weight, like four pounds I think. Everyone was stunned. But he was eating to train and running puts a lot of stress on the body. The body doesn't like stress.
As a runner and watching that episode I was SO UPSET! What a bad representation of what running will do to a body. He ate and binged and he admitted it. Running didnt cause his weight gain, his binging in the middle of the night did. He didnt fuel properly and so he was ravenous with his caloric intake. Sad really that he made amercia feel that way. But i totally agree with you, it can take a toll on the body and the first day or two post major runs it's common to have a small rebound of weight because your body is protecting itself.
Does Running Melt Off the Pounds?
