I was halfthinking of sticking this in the thread i already started buy figured others may benefit from it being more clearly marked.

Anyway I've hopefully started on a beginners program with the aim of primarily losing weight. Being 11 odd stone when you're only 5,2" is not good.

I was wondering if there is anything I should think about bar improving my diet along with the running. Heck I'm not really even sure how to improve my diet to the amount I'd need to. Maybe need to look that up.

Has anyone else taken up running for the main purpose of shedding pounds? If so how long did it take you to notice a difference?

11 stone at 5'2'' isn't too terrible, is it? I was about that (although managed to lose >1 stone recently )

Good luck with it anyway The running will definitely help, I found that cutting out snacks between meals worked.

I suppose if I really put my mind to it (which is what I'm trying to do now) two stone is not a huge amount to lose (wish to get down to 136lb).

I'm never really sure what weight I'm supposed to be, all these calculations from height etc don't seem to work. I do a bit of light weight trainning once a week so have some muscle build up from that which adds to the weight.

A size 10 in clothes will do me!

2 stone is nothing. I lost 5 and a half stone in 2 years.

Great stuff JBBury that's very encouraging for anyone just getting into this and hoping to lose a bit of beef.

Wingfinger, there is no better form of exercise than running to lose weight, keep at it and you'll soon be sheding the poundage

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Hi WingFinger..

I've just joined the forum and I'm trying to lose a bit of weight with my running. I've been running for about a month now. I hated it at first but (although I never thought I'd say this) I'm actually starting to enjoy it.

The hardest bit is dragging myself out the door.. then the rest is very enjoyable on the whole.

When I started running I was 16st 3lb (I'm 6' 2" and quite a broad build) I'm now 16st 5lb !!

I'm comforting myself that muscle weighs heavier than fat (apparently 3 times heavier?!)

I'm certainly getting fitter though which is encouraging. I started by running/walking 2.4 miles (mainly walking). Now I'm running the first 1.2 miles non-stop and only stopping 3 or 4 times on the last 1.2 miles...

Early signs are encouraging but I think if you try and watch what you eat as well you'll only enhance the effects of the running.

Hmm hehe well I refuse to cut out the things I really like which are bad for me but I'll try and have them only on occassion, it's crisps, chips and cheese that do me in.

This week I should be able to do a fair bit of exercise anyway if I manage to do the 3 sessions of walk 1.5min, run 1min. Went out on an hour walk today to check out the start of a hill walk I intend to do soon and will go swimming later.

Was going to try a session today but feeling rather sore after my weight training at the gym last night, a good swim should help that though and I'll do the running in my lunch break tomorrow and one on Saturday as well. So far have lost 2lb but I think I'll measure success in dropping of clothes sizes rather than weight.

Sunday = gym
Monday = running
Tuesday = gym
Wednesday = walk, swim
Thursday = running
Friday = gym
Saturday = running

Might be done in by Monday and will need a rest heh!

I lost best part of 2 stone in about 3 months (went from just under 14 stone to just over 12 stone) last summer. Running for half an hour 3 or 4 times a week plus a diet that was fruit for breakfast, plain chicken/ham/tuna salad for lunch and something sensible in the eve with lots of veg. Put about half of it back on over Christmas :eek: but I'm less depressed about that than most years because I know that I have the key to getting it off again. And since crimbo and making sure I get out 3 times a week it's coming off again. Or at least it would if I left the biscuits at work alone.

If you stick with it, it will happen.

One of the reasons I run is so that I can eat loads of what I love and have a few pints without having to worry to much about puting weight on.

Works for me, so stay with the exercise and continue to treat yourself to the things you like.

Best of luck....

I started running at 15st 7lbs and got down to 12st 7lbs, after the Christmas binge I weighed myself at 13st and back down now to 12st 11lbs... Though I think i'm going to struggle getting past 12st 7lbs as I really seemed to plateu there last time.

I know everyone has their own sort of 'natural weight' but i'm sure mine can't be 12st 7lbs! I used to be pretty darn skinny - and if I want to improve enough to reach my 2008 goals by the end of the year then I'm going to have to get my jacksy under the 12st mark at least! Have made a start by improving by cutting out all the calorific foods I indulged in over xmas, and also I've cut the booze completely - If that doesn't work the I'm stumped! lol.

In answer to your original question though, I did start with the main goal of losing weight and getting into some shape that wasn't 'round'. I noticed an improvement not long after starting (perhaps a fortnight when I started to drop weight). You should soon see improvements on the scales and with a bit more time you'll start seeing a physical difference too. (in my experience the numbers always dropped before my appearance seemed to change)...

Running is definitely as good as it gets for losing weight (with 100-125 calories burnt per mile for your average person), BUT you will only lose weight if you are fairly sensible with your diet too. If you think about the calories in common snacks and treats you'll realise running can only help so much:

Mars Bar = 330+ calories or 3 miles
A standard yogurt = 120 calories or 1 mile
A pint of Lager = 240 calories or 2 miles
A std packet of crisps = 180 calories or 1.5 miles

So if you had a Mars Bar a day you would have to run 21 miles a week just to come out even for a week!!!

...and that of course if before you even start to think about meals! I often get criticised (especially by the other half) for taking an interest in how many calories everything has, but it's only so I know what's going into my body and I can keep a mental note of it. Some may call it calorie counting, i'd just call it common sense!

In 2006 I think I started a diet of sorts though it wasn't really a diet at all I just tried to exercise more and eat healthier. as a result I dropped about a stone and a half but got seriously discouraged when any more flab refused to drop. Ever since then I slowly went back to where I started.

I suppose I'm quite lucky in a way as I can't stand the taste of alcohol so drinking booze isn't a problem. Have managed to go without crisps this week so far too though I'm afraid I don't intend to cut them completely out.

Will see how we go from here I suppose

Sorry haven't read the previous replies, but my story is much the same as yours. I am 5'2" and weight almost 13 stone, coming on for a size 16! Now in all honesty the diet was the first thing to change, and I lost about 2.5 stone (dunno if you're male or female, but coming off the pill probably helped too :P ). Anyway, I then took up running in the January (couple years ago now), and definitely definitely by July I was a size 8, 9 stone. BUT I was going to the gym atleast 3 times a week to start off with and slowly phased into running 5 days a week and a long gym session once a week, and then chucked in bouldering 3 times a week and cycling to and from uni (you could say, once I got going there was no stopping me!). In all honesty, it really takes quite a bit of time for you to really notice any real change happening, or atleast it seems like that, and you really have to stick at it, but once it gets going I'd say it happens quite quickly. Another thing is that you really shouldn't be too preoccupied with your weight and should just go with how you feel! Like you said, lean mass is heavier then fat, you'll might even find you put on weight before you lose any. So if your clothes are feeling looser and you feel better.. then that's great! That's the true signs

It is very important not to go toooo crazy though, like I have just seen above, it is very good to treat yourself! You'll resent it if you don't allow yourself the odd treat. Hell, I'm trying to lose my xmas pounds, but I still allow myself the odd bit of dark chocolate (mmmm *drools* greens and black maya gold...)! And I eat cheese quite a lot, but yeah... it's just moderation. If there was one bit of common sense advice about nutrition it would be "everything in moderation"... and if anything it's the highly processed carbs that will make you pack on the pounds, although obviously fatty foods will do it too... so first try switching to brown bread, rice and wholewheat cereals (they fill you up for longer too!) and try to decrease any REALLY sugary foods, and instead of having a huge handful of grated cheese on pasta or something, just put a sprinkling over it... you'll still be able to taste it. I'd have to say cheese is my biggest issue though, I love it in all its forms! But then again, if I don't eat it that often it makes it taste EVEN better!! I haven't had pizza in ages actually... *licks lips* heh.

Anyway, all in all it's great what you're doing, and highly achievable, me and many others are proof of this, but I won't lie... it does take will power... but like I said, allowing yourself a little means you'll be able to resist a lot!

(sorry for the long rant!)