Weight loss

Is there a weight loss forum on here? Not so much about how to lose weight ("move around more, eat less crap" as I once read somewhere), but what effect will my weight loss have on my running? I read on a thread last night that every lb of weight lost will knock 2 minutes per km off running times. Is this a generally accepted fact? Is there even a way to calculate it? How much difference did it make to you if you've lost weight?  And how do you know it's the weight you lost and not the fact you were running more?

At the moment I'm probably carrying 4 stone of excess weight (having lost a stone so far this year), which clearly if I loaded that into a rucksack and tried to run with it, I can imagine how massively it would slow me down. I'm just getting back to running 5k distances, having done couch to 5k about 4 years ago and having been out of the habit of it for 2-3 years. I can just about do the whole 5k without walk breaks, but it's hard hard work. Really hard. And slow. I'm interested in how much difference 'simple' weight loss would make. Not that it matters - I'm planning to continue to run and to continue to lose weight either way, but I'm interested. 

Comments

  • Lol. I think that's overstating it.



    2 secs per lb per mile is what I've seen. Sound more realistic than minutes.



    It's definitely going to be easier to run if you lose weight. And you have to diet to do it. You can't do it with running alone.
  • Ah yes, that makes no sense! I meant seconds!

    And yes, I am dieting. I know well enough from my experience a few years ago that the weight won't come off just from exercise. 

  • limperlimper ✭✭✭

    I can't give you any exact measurements as evidence, but I used to be a bit heavier than I am now and was used to running taking a certain amount of effort. Now that I'm a tad lighter I still put in the same effort, because that's psychologically what I'm used to doing, and it takes me further faster. And I get over it quicker image

  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭

    I'm lighter now than I was 9 years ago, but I was faster then - but I'd been running regularly for a few years including halfs and marathons.  I then had kids, and ,y running took a back seat for quite a long time. 

    I'm pretty sure if I was the weight I am now, but was as fit as I was then, I'd be considerably faster than then and now.  I'll keep plugging away, and hopefully my times will keep improving. Carrying excess weight is definitely going to slow you down - as you say, carrying a couple of stone in a rucksack would do it, so packing it under your skin will have the same effect.

    I'd say the formula is "move more, eat less" - eating too much healthy stuff will keep the weight on too - it's not just the crap that does it.

    Well done on losing the stone - you must be feeling the benefit of that.

  • Hi! I have lost some weight recently and I must admit it does help running faster as you do feel lighter. Although I haven't been overweight (174 cm-64kg) I have noticed a change when I dropped to 59kg. But be careful, do not overdo it as this might return as a boomerang and lose all your energy. You have to eat the right food in the right quantities to be able to run properly.
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