Question about running to lose weight

[rowech]

Am I better off running longer distances, say 2-2.5 miles every other day or running shorter distances, 1-1.5 miles every day?

[Icy]

Am I better off running longer distances, say 2-2.5 miles every other day or running shorter distances, 1-1.5 miles every day?

Umm, if you have never ran before, I would say 2-2.5 miles every other day so you have the day in betwen to recover your sore body. Have on mind the body starts to burn fat after 20 or 30 minutes of continued aerobic effort, so try to do at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, as probably you can't run that much at the begining, you can run 5 minutes, walk other 5, run 5 etc but always to add at least 30 minutes and keep adding more minutes of running/walking every 15 days.

The key is to keep your body burning fat, not to train to win races, so start slow, do at least 30 minutes at slow pace, to burn fat is even better to walk 1 hour than to run fast 15 minutes.

[MikeVic]

Hmm interesting. So if I run on a treadmill for what it tells me is one mile (and it takes me around 15 minutes to do this)... should I instead go at a slower speed and try to run for 30 minutes regardless of distance? Or after my 15 minutes, should I walk for the other 15?

I'm usually very tired after my 1 mile run.

[Icy]

Hmm interesting. So if I run on a treadmill for what it tells me is one mile (and it takes me around 15 minutes to do this)... should I instead go at a slower speed and try to run for 30 minutes regardless of distance? Or after my 15 minutes, should I walk for the other 15?

I'm usually very tired after my 1 mile run.

If you run to lose fat, you better do it slower and run/walk for 30 minutes regardless of the distance, you are not going anywhere anyway :D
And don't do 15 running and then 15 walking, do better 10 running, 5 walking, 10 running and 5 walking, or 5-5-5-5-5-5 whatever makes you feel better. It said that a good running speed to lose fat is the one that would let you talk with a partner running with you without getting out of breath.

[rkmsuf]

If you run to lose fat, you better do it slower and run/walk for 30 minutes regardless of the distance, you are not going anywhere anyway :D
And don't do 15 running and then 15 walking, do better 10 running, 5 walking, 10 running and 5 walking, or 5-5-5-5-5-5 whatever makes you feel better. It said that a good running speed to lose fat is the one that would let you talk with a partner running with you without getting out of breath.

so basically sitting is the right speed

[rowech]

I've been working to lose weight since last Feb. I've lost 40-45 pounds and can run/walk 2.5 miles fairly well. Usually run 10 minutes, walk 5, run 10 and I get finished. Lately though it isn't losing me weight at all and I've wondered why.

I should say this workout, at one time, took me closer to 40 minutes to finish.

[CU Tiger]

Monitoring you heart rate is key to burning fat.
If you push too hard and get your HR above target range you will greatly diminish results.

Theer are expensive tests to determine your target range, but if you search the web you can easily find the formula based on your resting HR.

A good HRM and gettting used to running by it will allow your body to tell you how fast to run.

[BTW this is coming from a fat bastard that has lost 17lbs since Jan 1 by using these techniques and very small diet tweaks. And I have been running 2 miles a day for 4 years]

[Icy]

Monitoring you heart rate is key to burning fat.
If you push too hard and get your HR above target range you will greatly diminish results.

Theer are expensive tests to determine your target range, but if you search the web you can easily find the formula based on your resting HR.

A good HRM and gettting used to running by it will allow your body to tell you how fast to run.

[BTW this is coming from a fat bastard that has lost 17lbs since Jan 1 by using these techniques and very small diet tweaks. And I have been running 2 miles a day for 4 years]

Agree, I have a close friend who was a pro runner, being in the state team and now keeps running for pleasure as he is getting old to compete. When he runs, he never pays atention to the distance, he just wears a clock that meassures the heart rate, and once he reaches his target range, he tries to keep it constant for X time not caring about the distance at all.

[KevinNU7]

I've been working to lose weight since last Feb. I've lost 40-45 pounds and can run/walk 2.5 miles fairly well. Usually run 10 minutes, walk 5, run 10 and I get finished. Lately though it isn't losing me weight at all and I've wondered why.

I should say this workout, at one time, took me closer to 40 minutes to finish.
You have hit your current workout's max potential. If you reduce your calorie in take and continue the same workout you will lose weight. If you continue consuming the same amount and work out more you will lose weight. Continuing to do the same thing on both ends will see little results.

[duckman]

I've been working to lose weight since last Feb. I've lost 40-45 pounds and can run/walk 2.5 miles fairly well. Usually run 10 minutes, walk 5, run 10 and I get finished. Lately though it isn't losing me weight at all and I've wondered why.

I should say this workout, at one time, took me closer to 40 minutes to finish.

The key is that you have to get 60-70% of your max heart rate in order to burn fat. To get your max rate, subtract your age from 220 and times it by .60 to .70 to get your target rate. Then you must keep your heart rate within that range for 30-45 minutes. Do not go over 45 minutes, or you will begin to lose muscle. As your heart becomes stronger, you will need to increase the intensity of the run or run more often to keep getting results.

Another trick is to eat right after you have ran because you are still burning calories. I would suggest doing some low intensity weight training to build on muscle mass because it will help with fat loss.

[MikeVic]

Thanks, looks like I have some research to do tonight. How much do heart rate monitors usually go for, and what is a good brand/where do I get one?

[duckman]

You have hit your current workout's max potential. If you reduce your calorie in take and continue the same workout you will lose weight. If you continue consuming the same amount and work out more you will lose weight. Continuing to do the same thing on both ends will see little results.

This is also important. Figure out how many calories it takes to keep your current weight and go down 20%. Be sure to fluctuate your calorie intake because your body adjusts quickly and fat loss will stop. Also, you can trick your thryroid gland into cranking out more hormones when you take a short break every 6 weeks which is about the time the gland cuts down on its hormone output. Take a week long break where you eat normal for that current weight and do minimal exercise. Once the week is over, you can start back up on your routine and the weight begins to come back off again.

[Danny]

Sex is the best exersize

[CU Tiger]

Sex is the best exersize

Its hard to lose weight in 45 second bursts.

[lordscarlet]

I've used HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and thought it worked wonderfully. If you can run for 45 minutes, you should be fine.

HIIT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training)

[rowech]

I think I knew/know my workout has reached it's max. What bothers me though is I can't run my distance fully without walking a few minutes so I think I can't be ready to move up in terms of distance/speed. Feels like I should be able to run a whole distance/time before I think of bumping it up a notch.

I do do some light weights, etc. to keep my muscle mass underneath. Like I said, I've lost 40 pounds already so I have the right things going but need to go where next. More workouts? Longer workouts?

[lordscarlet]

I think I knew/know my workout has reached it's max. What bothers me though is I can't run my distance fully without walking a few minutes so I think I can't be ready to move up in terms of distance/speed. Feels like I should be able to run a whole distance/time before I think of bumping it up a notch.

I do do some light weights, etc. to keep my muscle mass underneath. Like I said, I've lost 40 pounds already so I have the right things going but need to go where next. More workouts? Longer workouts?

Sometimes you just have to mix up your routine. Your body gets used to it and you stop making progress. Change how you do your weights, the time/length/intensity/type of cardio, etc.

[KevinNU7]

switch from "run" to "jog"

[Ksyrup]

I started with 40-45 minute cardio workouts and now am doing 20-25 minutes of cardio and 20-25 minutes of weights. Now that I have lost the weight, I need to build back muscle, and it's slowly working. Between restricting my diet and exercising 3 times a week), I've lost just over 65 pounds.

[BishopMVP]

I think I knew/know my workout has reached it's max. What bothers me though is I can't run my distance fully without walking a few minutes so I think I can't be ready to move up in terms of distance/speed. Feels like I should be able to run a whole distance/time before I think of bumping it up a notch.Intervals (Running, then walking, or we used to do walking/jogging/sprinting ones for soccer) are good for maintaining your heart rate in the ideal zone while still allowing you to finish the time you want to hit. I do it as much to be better at lacrosse as losing weight, so when I'm running I find it a lot better to go fairly hard, then walk for a little bit to recover before going hard again than jogging at a very slow, almost walking pace. I doubt for losing weight you want to do a lot of sprinting, but just because you have to walk occasionally doesn't mean you aren't ready to extend the time you workout for.

It's also good that you're doing some weight training as well. Lower weight with a decent amount of reps will help maintain muscle and cut body fat much more than running alone. If you want different things to do, I can try helping you out, but for all the working out I do I really don't know the science behind it and other people are probably more qualified.

I don't know how much you weighed, but especially if you haven't run for a while it might be good to add some biking or swimming in to take some pressure off the knees.

For the other people, I heard from a runner that, in addition to the start losing fat around 30 minutes, you start building up red blood cell count with 45-50 minutes or so of a high heart rate and lung capacity with 90+ minutes at once. Any truth to those claims?

[Icy]

Sex is the best exersize

Its hard to lose weight in 45 second bursts.

Same applies for everything:

You need to monitor your heart rate, run, walk run walk instead of run run and you will improve a lot your distance.

[duckman]

Sometimes you just have to mix up your routine. Your body gets used to it and you stop making progress. Change how you do your weights, the time/length/intensity/type of cardio, etc.

This is very true. You can't keep doing the same thing and expect the same results. You have to mix it up in order to keep your body "on its toes" because it will find ways to "cheat" to hold onto body mass.

[ctmason]

Hey, just get out and jog for awhile, walk when you feel you need to and run for awhile. The advice to do this for at least thirty minutes is the best.

People make exercising so needlessly complicated.

[JeffNights]

8 miles over uneven road, ups and downs, HOOAH!

[Raiders Army]

Biking sucks. I was on the stationary bike this morning for 45 minutes and burned 525 calories. On Saturday, I burned 710 calories on the treadmill running in the same amount of time.

One of the best things is to stop drinking beer.

[lordscarlet]

Biking sucks. I was on the stationary bike this morning for 45 minutes and burned 525 calories. On Saturday, I burned 710 calories on the treadmill running in the same amount of time.

One of the best things is to stop drinking beer.

Erm. I hope you don't take any stock in the numbers those machines give you. They are horribly inaccurate.

[Greyroofoo]

Biking sucks. I was on the stationary bike this morning for 45 minutes and burned 525 calories. On Saturday, I burned 710 calories on the treadmill running in the same amount of time.

One of the best things is to stop drinking beer.

Biking plus gameboy works wonders.

[Raiders Army]

Erm. I hope you don't take any stock in the numbers those machines give you. They are horribly inaccurate.

Noted. I also am leery of the distances. It didn't feel as if I ran over 6 miles on Saturday nor did it feel as if I biked over 12 today. When it gets warmer out and I start running outside I'm always slower.

[MikeVic]

I'd like to run outside, but it's cold here for 8+ months of the year. :(

[Grammaticus]

I'd like to run outside, but it's cold here for 8+ months of the year. :(

Suck it up and hit the snow. Once you are used to it, no big deal.

[Ksyrup]

Erm. I hope you don't take any stock in the numbers those machines give you. They are horribly inaccurate.

No kidding. My gym has 3 types of ellipticals, and they all seem to have wildly varying distances and calories burned readings. One of them told me I ran 3 miles in 17:30 minutes - riiiiiight! Is there some way to accurately assess calories burned from these things?

[Raiders Army]

I'd like to run outside, but it's cold here for 8+ months of the year. :(

This guy doesn't mind and he beat the crap out of the guy who staying inside and exercised.

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[Telle]

Here's a good article on starting a running program.. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

[MikeVic]

Bought a HRM last night for $50. It seemed to give an accurate resting rate, so I'll try it out tonight to keep me in my target range.

[AgustusM]

Bought a HRM last night for $50. It seemed to give an accurate resting rate, so I'll try it out tonight to keep me in my target range.


FOFC is a marketing machine - I bought one last night as well after reading this thread.

my entire life I have stayed in shape with the simple formula:

1. eat whatever I want
2. lift weights five days a week
3. play softball/basketball/football/etc at every opportunity

problem is with 4 kids I am lucky to lift 3 days a week and the time limit and my fading knees make it difficult to play sports very often.

hopefully I can find a way to get back into my S-LB body instead of the LB-DT body I am moving towards.

[Marathoner]

Ditto the coolrunning website, www.coolrunning.com. They have lots of good programs and info. They have a nice starter plan (couch-2-5K) if you haven't run before.

[digamma]

Marathoner--noticed your screen name before, but this thread seems to be a good place to ask. How much running do you do? How many marathons?

[Marathoner]

Marathoner--noticed your screen name before, but this thread seems to be a good place to ask. How much running do you do? How many marathons?

Base between 20-30 mpw, when training for a specific race I get up to 50-60 mpw. Have run for the health benefits for a couple years, then got the marathon bug last year and ran 3.

[wbatl1]

I would definitly vary your workout with some biking and swimming. A great way to lose weight quick is running every other day with biking/swimming on the off days. Of course, just about all weight loss comes from watching your food intake and eating healthy food (even if you eat a lot of it).

[MikeVic]

I started yesterday with the Couch-5K plan. Although I walked an extra 5 minutes for that first week plan in order to get to 30 minutes. My heart rate was between 125-150, instead of the 118-138 that I calculated as a target... but I was perfectly fine after my walk&run.

But this leads me to a question. I want to run to first get my weight down by about 10-15lbs. When I used to workout and run, I weighed 155. Then I stopped and got up to around 170. And now I'm at 165. Nothing has changed in my eating (when I started working out, I changed a lot in how I eat). So I figured it was because I wasn't doing enough activity anymoe.

So, if I'm above my target, can I still lose weight? Or should I definitely be in the 118-138 range? Like I said, I felt fine after the run&walk that I did... and I'm not sore today. So I don't really want to lessen the intensity. But does that mean I'm not really doing what I should be...?

[digamma]

Base between 20-30 mpw, when training for a specific race I get up to 50-60 mpw. Have run for the health benefits for a couple years, then got the marathon bug last year and ran 3.

Nice. Which marathons?

I've run two and am hoping to get two in this year.

[Marathoner]

Nice. Which marathons?

I've run two and am hoping to get two in this year.

Ran Chicago, the Martian (Northville, MI) and Stockholm, Sweden.

I am going to run Nashville and maybe Chicago again or Indianapolis depending on work.

Which ones did you run and are planning to run?

[Marathoner]

I started yesterday with the Couch-5K plan. Although I walked an extra 5 minutes for that first week plan in order to get to 30 minutes. My heart rate was between 125-150, instead of the 118-138 that I calculated as a target... but I was perfectly fine after my walk&run.

But this leads me to a question. I want to run to first get my weight down by about 10-15lbs. When I used to workout and run, I weighed 155. Then I stopped and got up to around 170. And now I'm at 165. Nothing has changed in my eating (when I started working out, I changed a lot in how I eat). So I figured it was because I wasn't doing enough activity anymoe.

So, if I'm above my target, can I still lose weight? Or should I definitely be in the 118-138 range? Like I said, I felt fine after the run&walk that I did... and I'm not sore today. So I don't really want to lessen the intensity. But does that mean I'm not really doing what I should be...?

Remember if calories out > calories in you will lose weight. Remember your net loss needs to be 3500 calories to equal 1 lbs of weight loss. Even at 500 calories/day that is a week for a pound. I always seem to train well over the recommended heart rates, probably in the high aerobic range. In fact I gave up checking my pulse and started to run by how I felt; if I felt good I kept up that pace and if I felt poorly I slowed down. This has allowed me to run much quicker than running by heart rate alone. In doing so I go further, burn more calories which is the key to weight loss.

I do think it is easier to cut calories than to burn more. For instance if you cut out a fast food meal and eat something healthy, you can make up 500 cal. easily. But you need to run quite a ways or at a quick tempo to burn 500 calories. Thus, I think diet is the fastest way to lose weight. But it has to be a daily commitment.

I would certainly follow the C25K when starting out, starting slowly and a gradual progression will certainly cut down on injuries, which you will experience if you start out going too far, too fast or suddenly increase your mileage.

Final thoughts on heart rate training: too complex for me, I run on how I feel, I don't pay any attention to it. If you get it going too fast, you'll go anaerobic and your body will tell you quickly and painfully.