How many miles to run?

[Anonymous]

I like to cross train (yoga, weights, outdoor activities) but want to run as well in order to get in some dedicated fat burning cardio. I don't really enjoy it and want to just get in the proper amount and make it time effective. I am hoping to lose about 10 pounds of fat. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Don't worry about miles and just run for about 30 minutes (if you can't do 30 start out with whatever you can and then build up). As far as losing 10 pounds, though, you really have to eat less. Running and other exercise will not help nearly as much as you would think.

[Anonymous]

Couch to 5k if you're just starting out. Or some other training program

[Anonymous]

On average, and this is a ballpark, running and walking both burn about 100 cal/mi.

The key is to run in your fat-burning zone. Lots of ways to describe this but easiest is to say that if you are able to sort-of talk while running then you are at a good aerobic, fat-burning pace. If you try to go too fast your body will switch to burning primarily carbohydrates.

Ease into it. 3-5mi two to three times a week would be a nice addition to your program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On average, and this is a ballpark, running and walking both burn about 100 cal/mi.

The key is to run in your fat-burning zone. Lots of ways to describe this but easiest is to say that if you are able to sort-of talk while running then you are at a good aerobic, fat-burning pace. If you try to go too fast your body will switch to burning primarily carbohydrates.

Ease into it. 3-5mi two to three times a week would be a nice addition to your program.

This is complete crap and has been debunked many times over. The harder you run the more calories you burn, but the increased net is no where near proportionate to perceived exertion.

[Anonymous]

I have recently lost about 15 pounds of fat and re-started running. I run every day, 4 to 5 miles. Running is great for me for cardio fitness and because I love it, but it's not a great way to lose weight. It makes you hungry (unless you are doing hard intervals, which tend to mess with digestion and make you less hungry).

To lose fat, you need to eat less and you should consider lifting.

Also, AFAIK, 20:55 is right --- the whole "fat burning zone" idea is total crap. It is of course more complicated that that the bottom line is that you should do what works for your lifestyle. I like to burn calories exercising because I like to be fit and because I like to eat. If you are only looking to lose weight, you can just eat less, although you might end up skinny and out of shape.

In terms of what to do and for how long, it depends on your schedule and your fitness level. For a 50 mile per week runner who runs 7 minute miles or faster to burn the same calories walking would be boring as hell and take a long time, so it's more efficient for that person to run. OTOH, if one 7 minute mile would exhaust you and mean that you could not do more, you are way better to walk or run slower.

[Anonymous]

I recommend a combination of weight lifting and cardio, plus controlling your calories intake.

Do 30 minutes weight training, followed by 30 minutes of cardio, 4 times a week. Throw in yoga or what ever other stability/stretching exercise you want to add into the mix on other days. But your core goal is to maintain strength and lose fat - for that you need weight training and burn calories.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the whole "fat burning zone" thing is a myth. Being able to carry on a light conversation is good for not pushing yourself too hard, but it has nothing to do with a "fat zone" or something like that.

Agree with Couch to 5k. If you're in reasonable shape, you can probably start somewhere in the middle of the program. Experiment, and see what looks like a good starting point for you.

If you're a new runner, I highly recommend taking a day off between runs, to avoid injury and strain on your joints. You can do other things on off-days (walking, yoga, swimming, weights etc), but have those off days be less impact - especially on your knees and ankles. Every other day is great.

[Anonymous]

I'm a semi-fat person who by nature dislikes running. But I run to get exercise and (try to) lose weight. I've started (and stopped, and started again) running many times over the years. My advice is that you start slow with low mileage (maybe 2 miles), 3 times per week. Wear a watch (or put some app on your phone) to measure roughly how long it takes you. Every week, you try to (1) increase your total mileage by just a little bit (maybe only a couple blocks farther), and/or (2) run it just a tiny bit faster than the previous week (maybe only 30 seconds faster). Keep your goals simple and manageable. You will get positive feedback quickly because you're not trying to bite off too much. You are less likely to be injured because you're only increasing your effort each week by a tiny amount. Those tiny increases will grow though, and you'll get better. You won't want to quit, because you'll hate breaking the streak of positive improvement you've got going. Best of all, you might learn to like running more.

That's my best advice. (I think I'm sort of learning to like running at long last.)

[Anonymous]

I did couch to 5k postpartum and lost ten+ pounds. I had to start at the beginning and took a few extra weeks but you could prob start further on like PP said.

[Anonymous]

I started running a year ago and agree with a few of the pp's. 1. I am always more hungry when running more.
2. Start out slowly. Do 1.5 miles and add on by 25% each week. Also aim to shave some time off about once a week.
3. Go every other day and definitely add in strength training. Particularly a leg workout on an off day. It will seriously help your leg muscles and save your knees and ankles.

I started running to lose the last ten lbs of baby weight a year ago. I lost that and then some and am now in the best shape of my life at 38. I am not saying that it works for everyone and diet absolutely plays a role in it. But it is an efficient form of excercise and one that hopefully you will enjoy! Happy running!