Running for sustainable maintenance

Danbo!

Hi - A couple of years ago I took up walking and it did absolute wonders for me. I was very overweight and had tried a bunch of fad things but it seemed to click when I started walking. I went from 18.5 stone to 12.5 stone over the course of about 12-18 months, obviously with an overhauled diet too. Since getting to 12.5, I've fluctuated up and down, as high as 15st at one point, but generally between 13 and 13.5, would ideally like to maintain between 12.5 and 13.

Thing is, I cycle a lot but it never seems as effective for weight loss. I do about 110km a week commuting, and even did this when I was 18.5 stone. Obviously diet played a part back then, but when I find myself creeping up on the scales, I alternate cycling into work/walking home then vice-versa next day, and it eventually comes off. While effective it's 11km each way, and it takes 1.5hrs.

I've never run in my life, but was chatting to a friend who says at the speed I walk (avg ~8m per km) I'm almost at a slow jog and if I built it up over time, I could still use my commute as workout time but do the 11k faster.

Basically I'd love to work something into my routine that's permanent. Any advice on whether moving to running would be as effective and what the best approach would be to move from walking to running?

bucketybuck

Danbo! wrote: »

Basically I'd love to work something into my routine that's permanent. Any advice on whether moving to running would be as effective and what the best approach would be to move from walking to running?

In my opinion replacing your cycle with a run will make little difference, its still all about your diet.

Danbo!

bucketybuck wrote: »

In my opinion replacing your cycle with a run will make little difference, its still all about your diet.

Thanks, I'm guessing from the fact I was cycling even at my heaviest that diet is a much big factor and that while walking sheds the weight well, keeping it off is about keeping the diet in check. Damn.

Alf Veedersane

Danbo! wrote: »

Thanks, I'm guessing from the fact I was cycling even at my heaviest that diet is a much big factor and that while walking sheds the weight well, keeping it off is about keeping the diet in check. Damn.

You could cycle when you were 18.5 stone but you could cycle harder at a lighter weight, I'm assuming. If you put in more effort, you burn more calories. So it's not as simple as saying walking > cycling for calories burned.
It's possibly it would burn more calories but that's not a given.

But you're already alternating between walking and cycling so I'm not sure if the difference between always walking versus alternating between walking and cycling is all that big.

You have a history of fluctuating weight which suggests diet is the big problem. The walking won't be the difference if you're struggling to get a decent sustainable diet

Macy0161

Danbo! wrote: »

Thanks, I'm guessing from the fact I was cycling even at my heaviest that diet is a much big factor and that while walking sheds the weight well, keeping it off is about keeping the diet in check. Damn.

You burn less cycling now, than you did when you were 18.5stone, and you will burn less as you got fitter too.

I find running to give best time for bang buck, but it's also harder on the body, so niggles/ injuries may become an issue.

If you do "diets" to drop the weight when it fluctuates up, I'd suggest that's the problem. It's not "diets" you need, it's sustainable change to your diet.

Danbo!

Macy0161 wrote: »

If you do "diets" to drop the weight when it fluctuates up, I'd suggest that's the problem. It's not "diets" you need, it's sustainable change to your diet.

You know I think it's just that. Like I said I tried the fad diet stuff originally and it didn't work, but walking and a sustainable diet improvement is what worked in the end. Basically not being 'on a diet' but just changing what I eat from then on. I guess the fluctuations come from when I'm not as strict on that as I should be. Regular exercise obviously attributes to maintenance but would running 10km be as effective as walking 10km, the benefit being less time exercising.

bucketybuck

Running 10km will of course burn more calories but your issue doesn't seem to be losing it, its the putting it back on.

And that is diet, so focus on that as opposed to trying to squeeze more out of the exercise side of things.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I've a long post on this in another thread.

Basically I've always been strong, healthy (to a point) & fit.. I compete at Judo, and was always happy to compete anywhere from 120-130kgs.

Hey I knew I was over weight, don't we all. Apart from Judo I cycle daily, my commute is 40km to and from work. I swam and lifted too.

Last April/May I was diagnosed with type II diabetes. My bloods weren't too high, but it was type II none the less.

Apart from going very low carb, which will always help with weight loss. I downloaded a coach to 5km app from 'Fitness22' and started to run.

I'll start by saying I detested running.

So I started the C25k app, and between that and the low carb diet my weight dropped from 130kg to 97kg when I competed in November 2017.

I'm staying in around 95kg, and with the cold weather most of my running is done on the treadmill, I usually spend 30-45 minutes on it.

The C25k app is an incredibly easy way to get into (and enjoy) jogging.. After that you can start a 5 to 10km app from the same developer (which I did).

In my experience both as a competitor and coach to fighters there is no better way to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight and routine than diet and running.

Initially the c25k app is easy and you'll be tempted to out run it, DON'T. If you do as instructed in eight weeks you'll be running out an easy 5km and wondering how you got so fit so easily.

After that its like all things, making time for training. There are 24hrs in everyone's day, you just have to make the time and be selfish with it.

Best of luck

caviardreams

I have nothing to add here except to say I am in awe of your walking speed at 8m per km! :eek: props - I walk at approx 10mins per km and thought that wasn't bad. I blame my short legs

Danbo!

Alfredo Worried Gentleman wrote: »

I've a long post on this in another thread.

Basically I've always been strong, healthy (to a point) & fit.. I compete at Judo, and was always happy to compete anywhere from 120-130kgs.

Hey I knew I was over weight, don't we all. Apart from Judo I cycle daily, my commute is 40km to and from work. I swam and lifted too.

Last April/May I was diagnosed with type II diabetes. My bloods weren't too high, but it was type II none the less.

Apart from going very low carb, which will always help with weight loss. I downloaded a coach to 5km app from 'Fitness22' and started to run.

I'll start by saying I detested running.

So I started the C25k app, and between that and the low carb diet my weight dropped from 130kg to 97kg when I competed in November 2017.

I'm staying in around 95kg, and with the cold weather most of my running is done on the treadmill, I usually spend 30-45 minutes on it.

The C25k app is an incredibly easy way to get into (and enjoy) jogging.. After that you can start a 5 to 10km app from the same developer (which I did).

In my experience both as a competitor and coach to fighters there is no better way to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight and routine than diet and running.

Initially the c25k app is easy and you'll be tempted to out run it, DON'T. If you do as instructed in eight weeks you'll be running out an easy 5km and wondering how you got so fit so easily.

After that its like all things, making time for training. There are 24hrs in everyone's day, you just have to make the time and be selfish with it.

Best of luck

Thank you. I know the diet is a massive part of it and I'm aware where/when I'm going wrong with it. But for me diet plus exercise is an absolute must as I want to maintain a fitness level too. I love walking and cycling, it's just the former takes more time if I'm trying to wedge it into my routine. But good to know that running is an alternative.

caviardreams wrote: »

I have nothing to add here except to say I am in awe of your walking speed at 8m per km! :eek: props - I walk at approx 10mins per km and thought that wasn't bad. I blame my short legs

I'm not overly tall myself (5' 10") but I certainly didn't start that fast. I only realised it was fast last week when google timeline guessed I had been running due to time/distance.

The Mulk

Most athletic clubs do a Couch 2 5K programme this time of year. I joined a Fit4Life in my local one a few years back, mainly because i kept messing up the couch 2 5K programmes:pac:. I couldn't get my pace right and then would get wrecked, lose interest.
Once I got in with a group, got info on pace, warm ups, stretching etc, i found it easy enough to get up to 10k after a while.
I don't run as regularly as I used to (hoping to get back into it), but still can do 5k handy enough

Also look at Parkruns, free and something to aim for

arybvtcw0eolkf

The Mulk wrote: »

Also look at Parkruns, free and something to aim for

Park runs are great, plus most good one's have pace setters who's group you can jog with.

Someone here walks at 10kph!!! :eek:

Mellor

bucketybuck wrote: »

Running 10km will of course burn more calories

Running burns only slightly more per km tbh.
The benefit of running isn't that you burn more for 10km, it's that you do a 10km in half the time.