i think jon wrote about this recently....i'm struggling with running goals vs. losing weight goals. oddly enough they don't really go hand in hand. at least i couldn't make them go hand in hand this year. not running real long anyway. i look back through the years and i was able to shed pounds by running in 30-45 minute bursts.
this is my big internal struggle right now. the big push/pull. the heart really wants to make running goals like running another full or maybe seeing how close i could get to a 2 hour half. but on the other hand i really want to cut weight.
i would feel defeated if i found myself in this same chair next year, having finished another marathon (in PR fashion?) but contemplating how to lose 25 lbs. wow that would be an absolute killer. i would be so bummed out.
yet i cannot fathom a summer without long 10 mile runs on saturday morning. i cannot fathom it right now. greeting a bright sunny morning with a 10 miler on the schedule, its awesome. but i need to lose weight. need to lose inches. i don't know. i hate dieting. i hate dieting while trying to exercise, it sucks. the results are great though, and you sure do feel good when its said and done.
so in conclusion, i don't know. i think i know but i don't want to.
this is my big internal struggle right now. the big push/pull. the heart really wants to make running goals like running another full or maybe seeing how close i could get to a 2 hour half. but on the other hand i really want to cut weight.
i would feel defeated if i found myself in this same chair next year, having finished another marathon (in PR fashion?) but contemplating how to lose 25 lbs. wow that would be an absolute killer. i would be so bummed out.
yet i cannot fathom a summer without long 10 mile runs on saturday morning. i cannot fathom it right now. greeting a bright sunny morning with a 10 miler on the schedule, its awesome. but i need to lose weight. need to lose inches. i don't know. i hate dieting. i hate dieting while trying to exercise, it sucks. the results are great though, and you sure do feel good when its said and done.
so in conclusion, i don't know. i think i know but i don't want to.
posted by brent at
10:18 PM
9 Comments:
it's hard to believe that running more will prevent you from losing weight. what jon was saying, was that listening to everyone tell him to eat and carb-load all the time is what prevented him from losing weight. if you run long and diet i'm sure you'll lose weight.
(that being said, i lost weight only in the beginning of my training. because you're running so much there's a tendency to "allow" yourself to eat certain things or more than normal. that's where the problem is, not the actual running long.)
as usual this is not based on any experience, only my understanding of physiology and psychology...
By
Danny, at 1:38 AM
I think it's funny how we both used the word "struggle" in first sentence of our latest posts, and both ended up being about health.
I also find that I sometimes "allow" myself to eat more/bad things from time to time after an especially good workout, with the assumption that it's okay because hey, I just ran 4 miles or whatever. But the truth is, you can't get away with doing that as Danny says.
Some day you'll have to explain the larger picture to me of why running so much and weight loss don't go hand in hand. I feel like if I ran 10 miles I'd drop weight faster then ever. Of course, I'd end up killing myself in the process, but that's a different issue.... :-)
By
Shawn, at 8:16 AM
I'm in agreement with everyone. When I first started running long distances I thought the weight would be falling off me, not the case. I am guilty of, as Danny says, allowing myself certain things more than normal. My portion size increased, and I justified it by saying I ran 10 miles. Then a once a week treat day turned into 3 times a week, then 5.
This year, I am going to watch my portion sizes and eliminate all the treats that I forget about the minute I eat them.
Try writing down everything you eat, maybe that will help.
P.S. Danny's pic is freak'n me out it keeps winking!
By
Anonymous, at 9:51 AM
It really IS tough to both train for long distances and diet because your body needs more fuel for the demands you're putting on it. You deplete your glycogen stores with long runs and eating a little Lean Cuisine afterwards just doesn't seem to cut it. Perhaps you could do a half and diet, though? (I've done that before and it worked quite well.)
By
Denise, at 1:38 PM
I think if you spend the first half of the year with shorter distances and the second half with longer/marathon training you could still lose weight. It seems like Runner's World had an article about losing weight while training a few months ago.
Happy New Year!
By
Rae, at 1:45 PM
I know exactly where you are coming from. I face the same dilema but right now am making the losing more important. However come March I must start training for my Marathon in July.
Good luck with it all.
By
Dawn - Pink Chick Tris, at 9:10 PM
yeah! I am with Dawn - if they don't go hand in hand then prioritise. Which is more important to you? If you lose first then ultimately will your running be better off (run with a 25 pound backpack on and I am sure you will realize the benefits) on the other hand, if your running becomes a priority will the weight loss follow?
i prefer the first scenario i think!
By
Anonymous, at 11:59 PM
Happy new year, Brent!!
By
Mia Goddess, at 10:08 PM
I understand completely. It wasn't until I quit running that I was able to lose 15 pounds. Strange but true.
By
lainb, at 11:28 PM
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