Will it shift a fat tummy?

[paterson]

Will C25k help shift large midriff? Have huge waist which is a health hazard

[beatasthma]

Hi there. I think the general thing with trying to lose weight is a combination of a sensible, healthy diet along with regular exercise.

I started looking at C25K because I have weight to shift. I'm now on week 4 of the programme and addicted, which I think is really important part of trying to get fit...doing something you enjoy so you'll stick at it.

And doing C25K makes me more motivated to keep to a healthy diet because I want to run better and don't want to ruin my good efforts with binges that will put me off getting up and going out on a run. It's a kind of virtuous circle.

The fact that you've got as far as posting shows you're thinking about it...now get up and go for it! This site is great for finding motivation, support and advice.The programme is really well designed and enjoyable (even when a run is tough, nailing it is a great feeling). Losing the belly will be a positive side effect but not the main preoccupation once you get going.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes

[paterson]

Tks, 2beatasthma, will keep going well done getting to Week 4

[Legion Graduate]

I'd like to echo exactly what beatasthma said. I too started with a view to losing weight, having never had an interest in running before. I've lost a few pounds (eating healthily too - check out myfitnesspal.com if you want a really useful tool) and the desire to run makes me stricter than I've ever been before about healthy eating. c25k has a whole host of positive benefits. Look forward to reading your first post-run blog.

[happierswimming Graduate]

there is no evidence that exercise will make you lose weight, although you will find plenty of people with anecdotal evidence that it worked for them. Running uses about the same number of calories as walking but it is vigorous exercise and will improve your stamina so that you can exercise on the "rest" days too (anything other than running). If you are calorie counting you will need to keep careful account of any extra recovery snacks and drinks you consume, otherwise you might find you gain weight. And, of course, if you do lose weight, it might not come from your belly- Nature is weird like that: it doesn't really matter where we would like to lose it from, weight losss has its own rules! However, do come and join us- you might like c25k and be inspired to do other things like cycling, walking, dancing or swimming and how great would that feel!

[Gazter Graduate in reply to happierswimming]

"Running uses about the same number of calories as walking but it is vigorous exercise and will improve your stamina so that you can exercise on the "rest" days too (anything other than running)."

Really? Are you sure about that? It could only possibly true when talking about a fixed distance. If someone walks for an hour or runs for an hour, the running will use significantly more calories.

The efficiency of your body at burning energy drops off a cliff the faster you go once you move into anaerobic respiration your body is burning at a rate so high that the body cant feed itself with the necessary requirements.

[happierswimming Graduate in reply to Gazter]

sorry about the confusion- walking 5k will use the same amount of calories as running 5k so if you have a limited amount of time and want to lose calories running is great because you run faster than you walk and will lose calories quicker but it is disingenuous to lead people to believe that you will lose more by doing 5k at a run than you would if you did it at a walk.

[rm2000 in reply to happierswimming]

Sorry, but this is not true. Running 5K will use more calories than walking 5K. See, e.g. peakperformance.runnersworl...

[tantrumbean Graduate in reply to rm2000]

Agreed! Vigorous exercise burns more calories than light exercise, so a 5k run will shift considerably more than a 5k walk!

[Nevertoolate Graduate]

Yes, it shifted my large tummy! I'm sure the others are right, that this running becomes immediately addictive and it changes your attitude to what you eat, but I also found my waist and hips slimmed down. I've only just graduated, and although I only lost about 8 pounds, I've lost 6cms off my waist and 4cms off my hips. I think I read that it's running regularly for 30 minutes (eventually) three times a week that really helps to shift the weight - together with a balanced food intake. I hope this encourages you to start - you won't regret it, I promise.

[Soozz Graduate]

I would like to think so!!! But like the others said, your initial motivation changes, in my case from lose weight / get fit to just enjoying the running programme for itself - even when it's a big challenge. The other good thing is I haven't felt so hungry as I would after swimming or other exercise, and then I try to eat healthily rather than hitting the carbs. All the best for the programme - keep blogging.

[NewbieLisa Graduate]

I myself have had great success with running, core strenghening on "rest days" and better diet. I just started week 6 and have lost 21 pounds, 4 inches off my waist and 2 off my hips. I do eat, but I am eating far better than I ever have...and I feel amazing! I do agree with the others that this is addictive and I find that I just can hardly wait for my next run. Good luck and get going...the only thing in your way is you!

[Soozz Graduate in reply to NewbieLisa]

Wow! Inspiring, well done.

[paterson in reply to NewbieLisa]

Feel inspired now to carry on. Tks

[svenena]

Wow Lisa, 21 pounds is amazing in 5 weeks! I've lost 7lbs in that time, lol. But I'm happy with that. I think the main reason exercise can help weight loss is that it'll make you want to eat healthier, so you're well-fuelled for your runs.

Someone mentioned above that walking and running burn around the same number of calories per mile, which is true, but if you wouldn't usually be going out for a walk, and the run is instead of sitting on a couch, then you are burning more calories than you otherwise would. The other thing is, you run a mile quicker than you walk a mile, so you can burn more calories in less time.

Here's the science part: To lose one pound of weight, you need a deficit of around 3500 calories, which can be through a combination of eating less and exercising more. So if you cut out 400 calories per day through eating less/better, and walk or run for a mile per day (or 2 miles every other day), you'll lose around a pound a week. There are other factors though - remember gaining muscle can make you weigh more, but you'l look more toned despite that.

I started calorie-counting at the same time as starting C25K, and aim for about 1500 calories a day. I do this by cutting out unhealthy snacks (mostly cakes which seem to be constantly bought into work) and weighing out my portions for my evening meal (I have the same lunch and breakfast every day, and know the calorie-content of these). And as I said above, on average I've lost slightly more than 1 lb a week.

[Gazter Graduate]

My waist has reduced by 14 inches since i started twenty weeks ago. It's more about diet than the exercise though.

[jaajh Graduate]

I have lost quite a bit of weight around my tummy and C25K has played a big part in this, but as others have said, you need to watch those calories going into your mouth too! Someone above mentioned myfitnesspal.com - I HIGHLY recommend that as a tool. It encourages you to count calories and to exercise. Worked for me! I have lost 25 lbs in 8 months. (Slow maybe, but I have built lots of muscle too so am looking and FEELING so much better than I did.) And I graduated from this programme and can now run 5k - which in and of itself (even ignoring weight loss) has me grinning from ear to ear each time I go out and run!

[bonnie68 Graduate]

Hi! I have always kept to about 2000 calories a day as was not really overweight to start with. However, in the 8 months I have done the programme and exteneded my mileage to 10k once a week have lost about 8 pounds and reduced waist size from 34 inch waist to 29 inches! So gradual, but definitely down a dress size, Would be more if had dieted. I think your metabolism changes too, more muscle that burns more fat day to day. But it is the runners glow and lovingfelling so well that I love most. Good luck with your journey and let us all know how it goes!!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

No, not in my case, not yet and I've been doing this six months now (definitely a case of Could Try Harder with portion control) I lost a small amount of weight early on but not a single centimetre. However I think I must have had my 'bustle' somewhere the tape measure doesn't usually go because that's gone. If I was to do some form of abdominal muscle toning exercise on non-running days I'm sure that would help

The other very important thing to remember is that whilst health outcomes when you are overweight are worse, the real killer combination is being overweight and unfit, so getting active is well worth doing for its own sake.

[TrickyHicky Graduate]

My wife and I started couch to 5 k at the end of January this year and also started using myfitnesspal.com to track our calories. We are both now eating more healthily, definitely much fitter and I've lost 2 stone and my wife has lost nearly 3 stone. So I would say yes it can help get rid of that belly, but you need to combine it with healthy eating. The support on this site has been brilliant, so please do keep posting and I'm sure you'll get the results you desire.

Good running