I love running, but I am not contented with the results with regard to my weight. I am running but not losing weight. Well, I have only lost 4 pounds, despite all the work I am doing.
I have been running for about 2 months and I am now able to do a 10k run in 1 hr and 10 minutes, which is 10 minutes less than my previous record of 1 hr and 20 minutes.
Can you give me some advice or some insight into why I am not losing weight running?
Answer by Dominique:
Colin,
Thanks so much for your question about running and weight loss.
I think there are a lot of positives here:
You are already able to run 10k and to run for more than 1 hour at a time.
You love running.
You have lost some weight already.
I would like to congratulate you on being able to run a distance of 10k in two months time. That in itself is a great achievement already. And shaving of 10 minutes out of your 10k time is far more than most runners could achieve given the short span of time you have been training. You are doing a great job!
Running and not losing weight can be frustrating though.
Consider these elements in running and weight loss:
Weight loss happens gradually in the beginning of your running program. You will start to build more muscles, which are actually heavier than fat. Some people may think they've gained weight, but if you continue your training program, you will eventually notice a more toned body. So you may have lost 4 pounds, but maybe you have lost 8 pounds of fat and gained 4 pounds of muscle.
Weight loss is a combination of exercise and diet. No matter how hard you exercise, you won't achieve you ideal weight if you do not watch what you eat. Be conscious of your food intake and try to count your daily calorie intake. The recommended daily calorie intake is 2,500 calories for men and 2000 calories for women. There are many websites that can help you track your calorie intake. This will help you determine the amount of weight you need to lose, and the level at which you need to exercise.
A good no-nonsense guide to weight loss is How to Lose 10 Pounds. There is a lot of good advice in that book about diet, the types of foods to eat and the types of foods to avoid etc. It takes a lot of guesswork out of your diet.
A healthier lifestyle requires a conscious effort to be committed to your healthy eating habits and your exercise routines. Take things one step at a time. Be persistent with your decision and you will achieve your goal.
So do not worry, you are on the right track with your running! Simply making changes to your diet will speed up your weight loss. I think you are doing a lot of the right things and it is showing results. You just need to commit to it and stick with it and you will lose more weight while running.
Hope I have helped a bit.
Good luck with your running.
Cheers,
Dominique P.S. You might find the following page helpful: Lose Weight by Running.
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