Run-Down Forums

[Guest]

hi,
I am slightly over weight and want to lose the extra pounds by healthy eating and exercise. However I have been told that if you do exercises like running, swimming etc that the extra pounds will turn into muscle, and we all know that you can't get rid of muscle, it just goes flabby if you stop exercising - so what exercises can I do to lose the extra pounds and not get muscles
And is there any good diet that I can follow,that I don't have to half starve myself

[Dan]

Hmm, the advice you were given sounds very iffy. Running and swimming are probably the two best exercises for losing weight and not gaining excess muscle. Lean muscle mass is less advantageous to swimmers than it is to other athletes, as muscle is not bouyant. Distance running is a weight bearing activity that is hindered by unnecessary weight. Muscle demands oxygen, which becomes a liability over longer distances. Different bodies respond differently to specific exercises, but it is normal for these activities to result in weight loss to the point that the body is comfortable with.

In my mind, there is only one diet that is worthy of your time -- avoid unhealthy foods. Stay away from processed and packaged garbage, and you should be fine. I won't even charge you a dollar a pound for that advice.

Dan

[Guest]

Thanks Dan, I'll try my best!!

[Dan]

You're welcome!

Best of luck,
Dan

[Guest]

Hello, I have been viewing the various discussions for about a month now and must admit this really is a great site. I am not a big talker but when I saw your note I just had mention my experience. Over the years I have tried many different exercises from cycling to aerobics..but never running, it was always too hard! Well just under a year ago I started and I can not express in words how wonderful it is. For all of the great benefits one side effect has been weight loss I have never seen with me. my body has responded by toning and becoming much more lean. I do weight for my arms but nothing else. I must admit I never weigh myself but dropping TWO dress sizes in less than a year has been motivational...and guess what I don't diet....I just try to eat healthy, with a few bags of potato chips thrown in for good measure!
I know this message is a bit long, (I get so excited) but try running ...it really works!

[Anonymously Posted by: 'Ana']

[Dan]

Hi Ana,

Thanks for chiming in! It's great to hear people relate their positive experiences with such a simple (and free) lifestyle approach. I think the best thing you can do when you're serious about losing weight (aside from running) is to *not* look at the scale. Watching the scale is like treating the symptom instead of the illness. Focus needs to be placed on what causes the scale to change, as you obviously discovered.

Glad to have you aboard, but with running and the forum!

Dan

[training2run]

If you're running and eating correctly, it is certainly possible to lose muscle mass. That is the very reason some body builders avoid (in error, I think) aerobic activities.

Eating correctly should be fairly easy. As a general (smart *ss) rule, read the label. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't eat the stuff.

My personal approach to weight (fat) loss is to eliminate baked goods, added fats and oils and sugar. Eat lots of vegetables and fruit, and run at least 40 miles a week. Mad Dog Mike www.training2run.com

[Paul]

One of the real benefits of any weight bearing aerobic activity over swimming is the increase in bone density it causes, especially in women. 40 miles might be too much, but with enough running and occasional walk breaks, might be built up to.
Paul

[Dan]

I've often wondered what role bone density (increases due to repetitive stresses, i.e. repeated foot strikes) plays in distance running. One one hand, it's good that it builds stronger bones which can handle the pounding. On the other hand, more weight that isn't directly related to conducive muscular strength means slower running...

Dan

[Distance_Guru]

I've wondered the same thing. At one time I theorized that one of the reason Lance Armstrong came back so well from cancer was that one of the side effects of the treatments for cancer is loss of bone mass. Now with cyclists doing everthing that they can to shave an ounce or two from there bike if he lost two pounds of bone mass and was able to keep it off it could explain some of his success.

As for runners I have to think that the time you save from not having stress fractues in your feet, legs and back have to make up for any time lossed do to gaining a pound or so of bone mass.
_________________
Time is the fire in which we burn

[training2run]

Most of the increase in bone mass, from repetative load-bearing stress, takes place during the formative years.

In later life, load-bearing stress, in the main, helps prevent the loss of bone mass. Mad Dog Mike www.training2run.com

[Micah Ward]

Guest, the optimum result of exercise is that you decrease body fat percentage and firm up the muscles. Don't worry about developing bulky muscles...unless you are into 5 hour weight sessions daily then that just isn't going to happen. You may get a small increase in muscle size but if you are a male, what is wrong with that? And if you are a female it is highly unlikely that you will increase muscle size without the serious concentration on weights.

And don't fall for that old myth that muscle turns to fat when you quit exercising. It is biologically impossible for a muscle cell to turn into a fat cell.

And finally, don't stop exercising. Make good health and physical fitness a lifestyle for the rest of your life!!!

[Micah Ward]

Ana,

Welcome to the nuthouse.

Please jump in on some of the other discussions as well. It might be enlightening to have a ladies perspective on some of our topics.

Micah
Fat, dumb and happy in Hot&humid, GA

[Distance_Guru]

When I was a personal trainer I used to love people telling me that they didn't want to get big. Like it can be done by accident. I can just hear some Arnold look alike going "Yeah I just went to the gym three times a week and two months later I'm Mr Universe". Women especially were worried about it. One of the other personal trainers at the gym was a natural body builder. She looked totally normal, nobody could tell she was a bodybuilder unless they saw her compete otherwise she just looked like a female personal trainer, fit but not big at all. Her training was wild when she was getting ready for a compition she would do a ton of cardio, but at very low intensity just a quick walk usually. It always looked so boring waking on a treadmill at a easy pace for 90 minutes. Of coarse the wieght training and cardio workouts are the easy part of bodybuilding, the diet is tougher than all the workouts put together. On a side note, if you know a serious body builder try to avoid them the first two weeks of their diet, a person can get really cranky when they suddenly go from normal eating habbits to no carbs and very little fat.
_________________
Time is the fire in which we burn

[training2run]

I used to tell newbies to park as far from the gym as possible, and walk the rest of the way. They never liked that advice .

Something I get a kick out of is folks *driving* to the track, then walking in circles .

When I ask them why they don't walk to the track, they look at me like I'm nuts. After all, "walking around the track is *exercise,* and walking to the track doesn't count. "

I used to tell women not to worry about building big muscles from weight training, then they began bringing pictures of lady bodybuilders. Took awhile to convince them that most of those gals were on "roids. "

Had a girlfriend, Peggy, who was Miss Galveston. She quit after that contest because, she said, to continue she'd have to take steroids.

Weight training, applied properly, is great for anyone, athlete or no. It firms you up, makes you stronger, and will only build big muscles if you train your brains out .

If you have any questions concerning weight training and other exercises, please feel free to contact me through my website . Mad Dog Mike www.training2run.com