Weight loss

[Jack81]

Hi There

Has anyone had any weight loss success stories doing couch to 5k?

Thanks

Jackie

[pinkaardvark Graduate]

Running for 30 mins depending on weight and speed will burn a very rough estimate of 400 calories. Or a healthy sandwich. So you won't lose much weight on c25k as most of programme your burning even less than that. If people have lost weight it is because the act of becoming fitter has focused them on other health aspects such as what they eat.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

There are people here who have transformed their lives with C25K and gone into lose loads of weight by changing their diets and lifestyle, but until you run for over an hour, you are not burning enough calories to make a significant difference. The best way to learn to run for an hour is to learn to run for thirty minutes. The best way to do that is to do Couch to 5k, a tried and tested programme that has countless thousands of successful graduates.

Read the guide to the plan, which covers the issue to a degree. healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[DebJogsOn Graduate]

I've lost some weight over the programme (I started in August, graduated in November and have been running 30 mins 3x a week since) - but as others have said nothing amazing - about 10 lbs. However I have to say that I've lost inches according to my clothes and my legs look great. Even better than that is that I feel fantastic - fitter than I have for years with loads of energy and a really positive attitude (in everything) and I've become much more aware of eating more healthily. So life changing if not overly weight shifting as a programme I'd say.

[Theziggy Graduate in reply to DebJogsOn]

I would willing accept a 10 lb weight loss from running! I agree as you say, running does seem to tone one's body!

[Carly1122]

I’ve just started C25K but walk every day as well And have a health diet I’ve lost 2 stone x

[damienair Graduate in reply to Carly1122]

Well done Carly that’s fantastic.

[misswobble Graduate]

It’s a launchpad to better health, fitness and being slimmer. Once you start getting into the programme you just sort of evolve better habits around food and drink, as you want to make the runs go well. Getting more sleep too as you’re more tired, but you want to be at your best if you have a run lined up the next day

I combined the programme with walking a neighbour’s dog, being a WW member and walking much more in general. With all of it I managed to lose 4 st 7.5 lbs I’ve kept it off for 7 years because I keep doing it all 😃👍💪

[MickGJ Graduate]

As mentioned above the calories burnt on a 5k run are surprisingly low. It's a shame this isn't more widely known because a lot of people cause themselves a lot of unnecessary pain and frustration trying to lose weight by exercise alone, and end up feeling very negative about exercise.

That said, if you are reducing the calorie intake the running will also be chipping in. Not much, but every little helps.

[Lordi Graduate]

I posted a version of this reply on another thread but maybe it belongs here...

I've been gaining weight ever since I increased my mileage! I've mistakenly assumed running many kilometres a week meant I could eat like a horse. For me 3hr of running is about 2500 calories, so weekly only about 350 calories a day deficit from exercise assuming a normal diet. My diet has not been normal though! I think I assume that having run I can have an extra portion here, and there, and a treat, and whoops.....I did the c24k before Xmas and now on the b210k prog. I don't eat sweet stuff which helps a lot, trouble is I'm a carbohydrate junkie now due to the running.

You have to maintain diet discipline and then the running will payoff. I need to follow my own advice! (Xmas never helps though!)

I'm sure I can get things back under control soon, maybe it has just been my body rebelling and demanding I put back the running calories.