Will i actually lose weight running...?

[Bra_1977]

I see lots of conflicting advice that i will or that i wont. I have changed my diet (doing slimming world) but will the increase in muscle make me gain weight?

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Better diet will make you lose weight. Running will tone you up. It messes up the figures a bit as a pound of muscle is much smaller than a pound of fat. Your jeans will feel looser even if the scales don't move much to start with. Keep at both and results will follow for sure!

[ridingstar Graduate]

I am doing Slimming World too slightly longer than I have been running and at first it made little difference to my weight loss to add the running, I was losing weight anyway. Then as the runs got longer weeks 6 and 7 it actually seemed to slow down! My consultant at Slimming World said it has something to do with your body hanging onto water to repair the muscles. Since week 9 it has been 11/2 lb a week lost so think things are evening out (I do only have 6lb to loose now) I have definitely toned up and concentrate much more on running than losing weight ! Good luck with Slimming World and running !

[Bra_1977 Graduate]

I fit in a pair of shorts i couldnt do up in March over the weekend... But i stayed the same weightwise this week

[rmnsuk Graduate]

You will not gain much muscle running. If it was that easy every bodybuilder in the world would be running. None of them run. It's possible that your weight loss will stall while you start running, due to water balance as mentioned above.

So carry on with slimming world to lose weight and run to get fit. Good luck

[hopelessCause in reply to rmnsuk]

The reason they don't run is because they're bodybuilding so they have a much better way to build muscle!

[Pen11 Graduate]

Also doing slimming world and I wouldn't say it's helped at all so far. I'm only at the end of week 4 of the program mind but some weeks I've busted a gut to stick to the bloody thing and ran 3x and tried to keep active in between and lost half a pound 😮 I've found SW harder going this time than I have in the past - I am putting that down to running.

[Sharonb9999 Graduate]

I started C25K a year ago. At the same time I started to eat a more healthy diet. I haven't followed a particular diet but I've shifted just over 4 stone in that time. Obviously my body has changed but the running has toned me up - I still wobble but my thighs are firmer! The best thing I've gained from running is better stamina - I don’t worry about walking up stairs or walking uphill anymore.

[misswobble Graduate]

You only build muscle by doing body building at the gym . For c25 k you won't be running long or far so you won't lose lots of weight.

It's beyond the programme when you start running longer, faster and more often that the weight really starts to shift ☺

[Rignold]

You do not build muscle from running. At all. Not ever.

Look at a Kenyan marathonner. Look at the 100 mile ultra runners. If running built muscle they would look like Schwarzenegger. They are are tiny and wiry.

Running burns calories and calorie deficit = weightloss. The time/distanc you are running during the C25k programme is going to be pretty negligible weightlosswise, but its an extra 1000 cals a week and more importantly it gets you fit enough to carry on running after that and burn more significant amounts.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Rignold]

1000 calories a week? I wish! I am chuffed when Runkeeper awards me 200 calories for a half hour run.

[Wristy Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Calorie burn will be different dependent on weight and height - Garmin told me I burnt 550 calories for my 5k today but then I am well over 200lb!

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Wristy]

And I'll bet you ran faster!

[Wristy Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

did it in 30:40 if it makes any difference...

[Bra_1977 Graduate]

Thanks everyone, i have every intention of sticking to a better diet, im doing this to get fitter and live a healthier lifestyle... I also wanto to see the lbs come off and be fit for my childrens sake.

[GoogleMe Graduate in reply to Bra_1977]

That is the great thing about being more active - even if you weren't to lose a gramme, your health would still be better and your risks lower.

[Fixer-Upper]

Hey Bra. Maybe I can post a question back at you. Does it matter if you dont lose weight just by running??? The reason I ask is that I had the same concern when I first started running and gymming combined with changing my diet for the better. And then I had the thought "so what!!!".

Even if you do build some muscle, or ypu don't lose as much weight, surely the act of transforming fat to muscle is still a worthwhile activity to help you achieve your goals??

Personally I am trying to change my thinking away from a weight as a target, to a different body shape. Weight is easier to measure small changes in, but to me, shape is more important. Rugby players are heavy but (in general) they are still healthy athletes.

Just my personal thinking!!

Good luck with it all

[Chrissy_b123 Graduate]

I am so pleased to see people's comments here. I have been on slimming world for a year and have lost 2 1/2 stone, slowly but steadily as I have a thyroid problem, but I knew it would be slower for me and I am happy with that.

I started the couch to 5k 7 weeks ago and haven't lost a pound, in fact I have gained a few, however, I feel amazing, I can tell my body is changing shape and I am loving the new level of fitness.

I guess the pounds will start shifting again soon, but I agree with some other comments, it has to be a balance, and weight loss isn't always the most important thing .

[Jigglypuff_62 Graduate]

As I've already posted here in the last few days, I'm eating sensibly (measuring/weighing portions based on advice given by a dietician) and doing C25K plus the S&F podcasts. I did W1, part of W2, then stopped for about 10 days, then started again from the scratch and am now on W3. Realistically I've probably been doing the programme for about 3 weeks and have lost 2 inches off both waist and hips, but not one solitary pound in weight. AFAIC that's a result.

[Tomas Graduate]

I totally agree with Fixer-Upper. Weight doesn't matter at all (unless you're a jockey trying to be kind to your horse, a professional boxer trying to get into a lower weight class or a pro runner worrying about the effort it takes to carry every ounce for a marathon distance). What matters is your body shape, and weight is just a proxy for gauging that.

Good luck with the diet

[frannyfran Graduate]

A year ago I was half way through the program and struggled a bit to keep playing with my grandchildren..

Last week, I amazed my son by playing football with his son for well over an hour. My weight is roughly the same, but my clothes are a size smaller.

Don't put too much emphasis on the scale, use a measuring tape instead.

Good luck and well done for starting the program.

[Ugifer]

The trick is not to lose weight for its own sake, but to lose the fat and increase your general health and fitness. Scales can be very deceptive - if you did some weight training and built up a load of muscle at the expense of fat you could put on weight and _still_ drop a dress size.

Running will help your energy balance (help you use more calories than you eat) and will help with your health. It might help you lose a little weight and it won't seriously disrupt your weight loss. What it will do is make you feel a lot fitter and generally more comfortable. It's nice to be able to run for a buss or walk up a long escalator without panting independent from any loss of weight.

[Bra_1977 Graduate]

Thanks all, my clothes certainly feel bigger i think its important i keep hold of the bigger picture here. Im not particularly over weight but i was particularly unfit 9 weeks ago...

[Diane57 Graduate]

I started SW, I have lost 2st, but it has been hard since I started running I haven't lost but my shape has changed and I am happy with the results. My friend also goes to SW, she doesn't do any exercise and looses weight most weeks