help I move on to week 8 today but completely disheartened by the fact I am gaining weight.I would have thought I would be losing by now

[A1nsworth]

I would like to lose about 12lbs

[crox Graduate]

Are you tracking what you eat? I can recommend myfitnesspal, almost all goods are in it's database and it's not often that I need to add things. Since I started with myfitnesspal and c25k in March last year I've lost about 70lbs.

[Malcy Graduate]

See healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

I lost 33kg (5 stone) and tracked stats for all sorts of things that helped me understand where I got the most benefit. I found that exercise has very little impact. It's puzzling because ultimately the amount of weight loss is down to calories eaten minus calories burned.

But here's my view of where it "gangs aft aglay".

The theory would say that if I do 300 cal exercise 3 times a week, that's equal to not eating 900 cal that week (and doing no exercise). The thing is that to lose 1kg in a week, you need to under-consume by 1000 calories EVERY day. Thus all that sweat over the week isn't even hitting one day's reduction in calorie intake. 900 cal exercise is about 0.12 kg of fat loss and that's much less than you lose in a trip to the loo! It's insignificant.

So in terms of dropping a waist size, exercise simply isn't worth it and won't get you there. However (and it's a BIG however) the real benefit of exercise in in fitness, overall health and self esteem. I reckon the more you exercise, the better you feel. And, because weight control seems to be largely an emotional thing, the better you feel the more likely you are to stick with your weight loss regime.

I guess where this leaves my thoughts is this - exercise won't itself cause a significant loss of weight. But it will bring about the conditions that will lead to a significant loss of weight.

Of course, every one is different and these views are based only on my own experience. But they do seem reasonable conclusions?

[suzybenj Graduate in reply to Malcy]

very interesting Malcy - I have read a ton books on dieting and never seen it put quite as succintly as that. Great reading and good advice

[Jaynew01]

Hi, don't get too disheartened. Things that I've found useful are not eating before a run, your body will use your glycogen stores. When you return eat a healthy snack or make a glass of fruit smoothie. Until you are running 5plus miles each run, your calorie intake should be relatively low. Keep a diary of what you eat and don't buy low fat versions of food, they are usually high in empty calories. Eat sensibly rather than diet. In addition do strength training, this will help too. I buy runners world every month and they have some great tips as well as useful recipes. Good luck and keep going. It will be worth it as a last thought. As you run you are building muscle, it weighs heavier than fat, go off the fit of your clothes rather than the scales. I've dropped 3 dress sizes in 3 plus years but haven't lost masses of weight, if you see what I mean. However, I'm fitter, healthier and slimmer at 47 than I was in my 20's and early 30's. you will get there!

[EMG1 Graduate]

Hi ! I have just printed off the 12 week NHS healthy eating plan and have started tracking from yesterday. I'm like you not lost much and worked by backside off running, although I look better and clothes feel better I've lost very little. I find just tracking food via my fitness pal app is good although go by NHS calories rather than what my fitness pal says as 200 less cals. You should be so proud of yourself getting to week 8. I'm on week 7 and maybe that's when the penny drops... exercise and diet is the only key to weight loss. Keep positive you have done so well !

[birdistheword Graduate in reply to EMG1]

I looked into the 12 week plan, how is that? Don't you have to be mega strict and organised?

[MinxyMissK Graduate]

Exercise really isn't the answer if you want to lose weight. It can help tone you up and up your fitness levels, but to lose weight you do need to eat healthy food.

[A1nsworth Graduate]

That's the point I'm not classed as overweight,just in my eyes I'd like to lose 3or4pounds.I am a very healthy eater and drink a glass of wine or beer on a weekend.I am honest about it unlike some people who think they are dieting.I even put weight on when I return from the gym.Im going to go on a scale fast. X

[shinjin Graduate]

I agree with some of the replies. I used my FitnessPal on my iPad and lost 11kg. My original target was 9, but I got competitive with a colleague and it was the first to lose 11.

Once I was there, I knew the value of the exercise and food and the balance between them and stopped the reduction and held my ideal weight almost immediately.

It is a good software to fall back on and give you a reality check. I will certainly return to it if I need to lose a few kg.

[Beads Graduate]

Yes, you can lose weight just exercising (sorry everyone, playing devil's advocate for a minute). A couple of weeks ago I ran just under 10k on the Sunday morning, followed by going out with hubby for a bike ride, that was about 2.5 hours and covered 20+ miles. According to MFP that exercise burnt off 1300 calories. Now if you can continue that level of exercise day in, day out while still limiting yourself to the 'standard' 2000 calories you will lose weight, and it will come off quite quickly, about 2lb a week (counting 3500 calories as 1lb of fat). However maintaining that exercise level each and everyday (without eating more as a consequence) is hard for us mere mortals who are not professional sportsmen and who have to go to work, ferry the kids around, do the cooking, cleaning, ironing etc: a one off, fair enough, but not everyday. So the only alternative is to log foods and eat less, control portion sizes but eat a balanced diet.