Running and Losing Weight - Why Am I Not as Skinny as a Stick?
I heard it again last weekend at practice: “I am running a lot, but I’m not losing weight.” I’ve said it myself. One consolation is that I’m not gaining weight.
There is a reason that people who exercise regularly stay at about the same weight all the time: that is, your body adapts to the level of exercise it is accustomed to, and you train your metabolism to work within that level. Not fair, you say. You’re exercising way more than the average person, and you’re still not losing weight.
There are several options that can help kickstart your metabolism and help you lose some weight:
- Kick up your training pace just a little bit by running faster one day a week. You can do this in intervals - you don’t have to run your entire workout faster.
- Add hills to your training if you don’t already have them in your schedule. The tougher workout will burn more calories. Even walking up some of the hills will burn more calories than running (or walking) on flat ground.
- Add a strength training day (or two) at a different time of the day than right after your run. This way you are getting in 2 workouts and your body is continuing to burn calories after you workout - twice in one day!
In the meantime, I’ll be on the hunt for a good guide to help the “already active” exerciser shed a few pounds to be leaner and faster. It will definitely help me, too!