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Want to lose weight? Pick up jogging, and eventually when you are competent enough in jogging, begin running.
I have been on cross country and running teams for a long time now, and I have seen people lose amazing amounts of weight from running. It is the best way to burn fat, and the quickest. It is also the hardest, which is why if you really don't care about your weight then you shouldn't even attempt it.
Absolutely: I always say if you seriously feel the need to shed pounds or maximize your heart weight, then go the old-fashioned route. Forget the elliptical- there is a reason it seems easy: sort of parallels the old adage that if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. And don't be fooled by those phony calorie and heart rate graphics on the machines. Run, run hard, feel it burn, be exasperated at the end. Or else you are only fooling yourself.
Running/jogging may help you lose weight, but they are the worst excercise for your body due to the wear and tear they place on your knees and lower back. Almost everyone who runs on a regular basis will need knee surgery at some point in their lives. Most health experts would recommend brisk walking as a better choice.
Running/jogging may help you lose weight, but they are the worst excercise for your body due to the wear and tear they place on your knees and lower back. Almost everyone who runs on a regular basis will need knee surgery at some point in their lives. Most health experts would recommend brisk walking as a better choice.
That is simply not true. Not everybody who runs ends up needing knee surgery. Running is a great exercise, and it's cheap! A good pair of running shoes is all you really need. Walking is also good exercise.
That is simply not true. Not everybody who runs ends up needing knee surgery. Running is a great exercise, and it's cheap! A good pair of running shoes is all you really need. Walking is also good exercise.
Greenie
I agree. This is an urban myth used to justify why running isn't the best way to go. If you begin running from an early age and take careful precautions, you could be a runner until the day you die. I've seen grandparents in their 70's competing in races, and holding off on their own amazingly. I think the problems with the knees comes more with the shoes you wear, how long you wear them, and what type of ground you predominantly run on, and if you have a history of arthritis or other bone degenerating diseases. I'd guess that the majority of runners out there never deal with knee surgeries and other things.
No, the real reason most people won't take up running is because it involves a lot of dedication and hard work that people simply won't put in. An hour a day won't kill you but for some people that is a lot of work. It is also hard to start from scratch and development the muscles neccesary to carry on prolonged running. I know I took about a two year break from running, and when I tried to get back in I felt like my lungs were struggling for every breathe, and my muscles in my legs wanted to give out after only four or five miles, which isn't a lot actually. After about a month I was back at running 10-16 miles a day with included sprint exercises. I weight 150 and I'm 6'2. 42 beats per minute in my heart, which means I pump a lot of oxygen with little effort. 7% body fat, which is very low. I think in tenth grade in high school I was at 170. That twenty pounds was difficult to lose, took me four years to get to 150 and now I have maintained 150 for another 2.
I've done the elipticals, walked on the treadmills, done the biking, swimming, and other exercises. Stair masters, etc. Out of all those, running (and biking to an extent) is the best in terms of not only losing weight, but developing and giving yourself a superior body to your peers. Runners who run more than 6 miles a day are probably the healthiest people on the planet.
I agree. This is an urban myth used to justify why running isn't the best way to go. If you begin running from an early age and take careful precautions, you could be a runner until the day you die. I've seen grandparents in their 70's competing in races, and holding off on their own amazingly. I think the problems with the knees comes more with the shoes you wear, how long you wear them, and what type of ground you predominantly run on, and if you have a history of arthritis or other bone degenerating diseases. I'd guess that the majority of runners out there never deal with knee surgeries and other things.
No, the real reason most people won't take up running is because it involves a lot of dedication and hard work that people simply won't put in. An hour a day won't kill you but for some people that is a lot of work. It is also hard to start from scratch and development the muscles neccesary to carry on prolonged running. I know I took about a two year break from running, and when I tried to get back in I felt like my lungs were struggling for every breathe, and my muscles in my legs wanted to give out after only four or five miles, which isn't a lot actually. After about a month I was back at running 10-16 miles a day with included sprint exercises. I weight 150 and I'm 6'2. 42 beats per minute in my heart, which means I pump a lot of oxygen with little effort. 7% body fat, which is very low. I think in tenth grade in high school I was at 170. That twenty pounds was difficult to lose, took me four years to get to 150 and now I have maintained 150 for another 2.
I've done the elipticals, walked on the treadmills, done the biking, swimming, and other exercises. Stair masters, etc. Out of all those, running (and biking to an extent) is the best in terms of not only losing weight, but developing and giving yourself a superior body to your peers. Runners who run more than 6 miles a day are probably the healthiest people on the planet.
I was just commenting on another thread that people nowadays want over-the-counter health and fitness. They don't want to go on diets, they want to take a pill or get an operation that does it for them. They don't want to deal with what gets them down, they want to take a pill that makes them feel better or gets rid of anxiety. And they don't want to exercise. They would rather pay hundreds of dollars for a gym membership that they use twice a week to walk two miles on a treadmill in front of a television set. What is this mindset that our society is stuck in where everything in life is supposed to be easy? Everyone sits around and feels sorry for themselves and moans and groans about how they deserve to be happy, thin, beautiful, rich, fit, healthy, and so on. I'm fed up with hearing about it....
Absolutely: I always say if you seriously feel the need to shed pounds or maximize your heart weight, then go the old-fashioned route. Forget the elliptical- there is a reason it seems easy: sort of parallels the old adage that if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. And don't be fooled by those phony calorie and heart rate graphics on the machines. Run, run hard, feel it burn, be exasperated at the end. Or else you are only fooling yourself.
I can run till the cows come home but I fall down on those ellipticals. I think they are harder than running. Maybe I'm just clumsy?
I agree. This is an urban myth used to justify why running isn't the best way to go. If you begin running from an early age and take careful precautions, you could be a runner until the day you die. I've seen grandparents in their 70's competing in races, and holding off on their own amazingly. I think the problems with the knees comes more with the shoes you wear, how long you wear them, and what type of ground you predominantly run on, and if you have a history of arthritis or other bone degenerating diseases. I'd guess that the majority of runners out there never deal with knee surgeries and other things.
No, the real reason most people won't take up running is because it involves a lot of dedication and hard work that people simply won't put in. An hour a day won't kill you but for some people that is a lot of work. It is also hard to start from scratch and development the muscles neccesary to carry on prolonged running. I know I took about a two year break from running, and when I tried to get back in I felt like my lungs were struggling for every breathe, and my muscles in my legs wanted to give out after only four or five miles, which isn't a lot actually. After about a month I was back at running 10-16 miles a day with included sprint exercises. I weight 150 and I'm 6'2. 42 beats per minute in my heart, which means I pump a lot of oxygen with little effort. 7% body fat, which is very low. I think in tenth grade in high school I was at 170. That twenty pounds was difficult to lose, took me four years to get to 150 and now I have maintained 150 for another 2.
I've done the elipticals, walked on the treadmills, done the biking, swimming, and other exercises. Stair masters, etc. Out of all those, running (and biking to an extent) is the best in terms of not only losing weight, but developing and giving yourself a superior body to your peers. Runners who run more than 6 miles a day are probably the healthiest people on the planet.
6'2" and 150???? Please sit down and have a snack. I have a twinkie with your name on it.
WOW guys! You make running sound like about as much fun as cesspool draining. Yeah I'll sign up for that. The numbers you quoted just aren't for most people. You are talking elite stuff here. 7% body fat isn't realistic for the average person or IMHO desirable.
I run for weightloss/control too. I started out walking and resented the time it took so over time I kept going a little faster. In a few months I was running 5 miles a day. The most I've done is 13 miles but 5 miles, 5 or 6 days a week is enough for me. This is sort of my balance point for results earned vs time invested. I also do weights a couple times a week.
So far, my knees are great. I wear good New Balance running shoes. I have several pairs and I alternate them. I've heard about all the possibilities of knee problems and it does worry me. If I have to make changes in the future so be it.
Running is good exercise and it doesn't have to be totally grim and ridden with guilt and determination. It's also cheap, the streets are free and even the best running shoes are cheaper than gym dues. You get to enjoy the outdoors and actually get to know the area where you live. It's also a great way to meet your neighbors. It is possible to run with a smile on your face.
In short, the average person can run. Just take your time and work up to it.
I have lost 40 pounds since April. I probably started to jog around the end of May. I've slowed down a bit b'c of going back to school but I'm always up for a good jog. I admire those who can run but I simply can't do it at my weight. It's hard for those who are obese to put that much pressure on their bones. I really admire runners, don't get me wrong but for some folks who want to shed the pounds, it's not necessarily "do-able", at least not at the beginning.
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Warning: Long-winded Rant
