[KimberlyP]

Hi Everyone!

Just curious but have any of you that run experienced a plateau or slow weightloss after you started?

I started running a few weeks ago and I've noticed the scale is moving much slower and this week it actually stayed the same. I'm dreading going to my weigh in Wednesday because I know the scale is going to show a gain. If this is a plateau I'm experiencing, it's the first one I've ever had since I started Weight Watchers. My weightloss has been steady and while I've had a few gains over the course of the year, I've never stalled completely. Completely frustrated at the moment!

[Jinksie]

you did lose a chunk last week, no?
perhaps your body has become efficient to running, and you need to do some different activities? walking and running intervals? (you can burn roughly the same calories in a fraction of the time (so i've read)).
weights - for muscle? do you still go to zumba?

there's also the possibility that because you are so close to your goal, your body if of course going to slow the heck down - i think this happens to everyone near goal

[dragonlady1978]

Don't forget that in starting a new fitness routine you may be developing muscle you didn't have before.

I know it can be disheartening for the scale to stop moving in the right direction, but you did have a big loss last week also, about 4 pounds if I remember right? Couple that with some muscle toning and it's not at all surprising that you might not see a lower number right now. Also I think Jinksie is right that you are so close to goal right now it might be slower going from here on out.

Just hang in there Kim. You are an inspiration to so many of us! You have accomplished so much that pride and self confidence should carry you through any stalls that might dare to cross your path

The only thing I might add is to make sure you are eating enough. If you have added a significant amount of exercise that you weren't doing before-I'd just keep an eye out for your metabolism by getting enough fuel for those workouts.

[uncontentgirl]

ive been running for quite a while and I also experienced a plateau... i think my body just got used to the running so what i did was two days a week i did running intervals for 25 minutes instead of just a steady jog. ran at full speed for 2 minutes, walked briskly for 1 minute, etc.. it really helped and i lost a couple inches.

[Sheila53]

I started doing intervals, too, after experiencing a plateau and that really helped. As someone else mentioned, make sure you're getting enough calories to fuel your exercise. I also had a problem with that--once I started eating more, the weight started coming off again. Always seems to weird, but it worked for me.

[LitChick]

I would chalk the scale slowdown to you being so close to goal, rather than the running, and don't panic about the dreaded P word - you'd have to be stuck at the same weight for a few weeks to really be in one.

I've been running regularly for about a year and a half or so, starting when I was around 275 lbs. and never experienced a true plateau. Some questions/suggestions I would have for you are:

- are you mixing up your running with cross-training activities? Many running experts recommend alternating your running days with other exercise like dancing, swimming, cycling, etc. I run 3x a week but generally not two days in a row. This helps prevent overuse injuries and allowing your body to become too efficient (i.e. not burning as many calories) at a particular exercise.

- are you varying your runs? I run one day with a focus on hill training, one one tempo/speed and one on length/endurance. This will not only improve your running, but again keeps your body from becoming too comfortable.

- what do you eat pre and post run?

[KimberlyP]

Originally Posted by LitChick

I would chalk the scale slowdown to you being so close to goal, rather than the running, and don't panic about the dreaded P word - you'd have to be stuck at the same weight for a few weeks to really be in one.

I've been running regularly for about a year and a half or so, starting when I was around 275 lbs. and never experienced a true plateau. Some questions/suggestions I would have for you are:

- are you mixing up your running with cross-training activities? Many running experts recommend alternating your running days with other exercise like dancing, swimming, cycling, etc. I run 3x a week but generally not two days in a row. This helps prevent overuse injuries and allowing your body to become too efficient (i.e. not burning as many calories) at a particular exercise.

I do Zumba 3 days per week but I also run on those days so I actually get two workouts in a single day. I've been trying to add strength training in but I'm finding it hard to actually work up the motivation to want to lift weights. I should have been toning since day one but I was so scared I'd build muscle and look like a body builder. At the moment I'm running pretty much EVERYDAY and my legs are killing me! I've noticed my legs are toning up nicely some of the loose skin on my legs is going away.

- are you varying your runs? I run one day with a focus on hill training, one one tempo/speed and one on length/endurance. This will not only improve your running, but again keeps your body from becoming too comfortable.

I either run at the gym or take the same 3 mile route outside. Some days I'm able to do more than 3 and others I can barely even get to 3, I have to push myself really hard. Sunday I ran almost 7 miles and while my legs ached, I felt like I truly accomplished something I never thought I could do.

I pretty much stay at the same speed which is a nice, easy jogging pace. It usually takes me 38 minutes to run a 5K so I'm pretty slow at the moment. When I'm outside I like to go by the number on my HRM because I can kind of judge how fast I'm going by my heart rate. I try to stay between 150/160 but yesterday I only managed to reach 143 and I think it's because I ran that long distance the day before.


I pretty much load up on carbs before and after I eat a banana along with some protein or a protein shake. The shakes I have contain 30g of protein so I like to drink those if I don't have time to actually cook something when I return from a run.

I know I need to take breaks in between but I REALLY REALLY like the high I get after which is why I think I run so much. Even when I'm in pain and think I can't go any further, I look forward to the feeling I get after, so I push myself.

- what do you eat pre and post run?

!

[Tuca125]

I did to me ... i was losing weight slow, and a soon i star running my weight loss stop. The think is I do love running so I am no giving up running for to make the scale move.