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To think I’ll lose weight running 5km 5 days a week?

73 replies

Dontknowwhattodo123456 · 07/02/2024 07:32

Even if I’m not dieting?

would I still see results?

thanks!

OP posts:
Wittyname10 · 07/02/2024 07:35

Depends if you’re expending more calories than you are taking in.

If you consume 2000 a day and expend 2200 normally then you will lose weight, doing a 5k might use 4/500 calories so your deficit will be higher.

viridiano · 07/02/2024 07:35

Well it depends how much/ what you're eating, and how much excess weight you have to lose, what your normal activity level is, etc.

Syndulla · 07/02/2024 07:35

Depends on how much you are eating. My Fitbit tells me I burn off 300 calories for a 5k run, roughly.

If I recall correctly, you need a 500 calorie deficit per day to lose a pound a week.

GallowsHumous · 07/02/2024 07:35

They say you can't outrun a bad diet. So if you currently do no exercise, start your runs and eat exactly the same calories as current you would lose weight. If it's less exercise or you then eat extra calories, you won't lose weight.

HGC2 · 07/02/2024 07:35

Probably not to the extent you'd like plus your legs will be tired!

I do see a difference when I run 5K 3 times a week but only because I watch what I eat too

Zanatdy · 07/02/2024 07:36

Maybe a little but not a huge amount given running 5k won’t burn a huge amount of calories and you need a deficit of 500 cals every day to lose 1lb a week. As they say most weight is lost in the kitchen, exercise has its place but I don’t think you’d lose much if you don’t change your diet at all.

Gherkingreen · 07/02/2024 07:36

Weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume, so it depends what you're eating and whether you eat more than you're using.
You'll get fitter though, running every day, and stronger, which are both as/more important than weight loss .

GreyhpundGirl · 07/02/2024 07:36

You can't outrun a poor diet. You need to be eating a properly balanced diet at a calorie deficit. Exercising alone isn't enough. Plus doing 5x5km per week if you don't normally exercise that much is risking injury.

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 07/02/2024 07:38

My Garmin tells me my fairly high pace 6km run on Sat burned 325 calories.
It will help, but watching what you eat will likely help more

twoforj0y · 07/02/2024 07:38

Yes, I think you will.

There's a reverse psychology to running, cycling etc IMO. Once you start exercising it makes you hungry you start to give a crap about what you eat because you really want something good - and you drink kids more fluids. It has always naturally dampened down my less favourable eating habits without trying. Maybe just me!

Katieflake · 07/02/2024 07:39

5k is only about 300 calories which isn’t a very big dent especially as you’re likely to be a bit more hungry.
It will be good for you though and improve your fitness and mental health which might make you less likely to eat crap.
Id do 2 runs and a weights session personally

DelilahBucket · 07/02/2024 07:41

I lost weight in the run up to my wedding without specifically watching what I was eating. I did exercise daily though and I was already a seasoned runner. I was doing 8-10km four times a week and then fast hill walking at least 6km on the days in between.
If you are not a seasoned runner you will struggle to run 5km a day for five days and if you then fill yourself with huge amounts of food you won't lose a thing. In fact, you may put weight on as there's the mentally of "oh I'll have extra I've been for a run today".

InsomniacA · 07/02/2024 07:41

How old are you?

Running 5 or 6 days a week kept me slim in my 20s and 30s. Early 40s, not so much. I really have to make an effort to limit portion size and count calories as well now.

Yazzi · 07/02/2024 07:43

Yes, running 3-4 times a week (every second day) and no other changes resulted in considerable weight loss for me.

However if you are not fit running 5 times a week will just result in injury, and no chance to exercise at all.

And if you are fit, this additional exercise is unlikely to have such a profound effect.

StuntNun · 07/02/2024 07:45

If you're a man then maybe; if you're a woman then no, you would have to run much more than that.

midgetastic · 07/02/2024 07:45

Not necessarily
You may eat a little more in compensation
You may do a little less movement for the rest of the day
You may do both and gain weight

youveturnedupwelldone · 07/02/2024 07:56

Lots of people put on weight when they start running as it makes them hungry. Not all forms of exercise suit all people, and you need to be in a calorie deficit for it to work anyway.

jeaux90 · 07/02/2024 07:59

It's maths, calories in and out.
Also depends on your age.
You are better off doing weights if you are late 40s or over.

kcchiefette · 07/02/2024 08:00

I used to be a long distance runner (think marathons etc)

I never lost weight. In fact, I was heavier than ever before when I ran as I had a bigger appetite from the cardio and wasnt in a calorie deficit.

Dont get me wrong, I wasn't fat. But I didnt lose weight either (put on about a stone overall in 2 years!)

Would you maybe reduce 5k runs to 3x a week and do a couple of gym based weight sessions 2x a week instead? Maybe just be more cautious of what you are eating, without counting?

gannett · 07/02/2024 08:09

Don't run 5 days a week, especially if you're starting from zero. You'll just injure yourself. Rest days are important.

I think good exercise is much, much more important than calorie-counting and buying into diet culture if your goal is to be as healthy as possible (rather than as thin as possible). I've never watched what I eat and am happy to indulge in rich food and drink, but I also exercise a fair bit and have visible abs. But then I suppose it depends what your diet is to start with. Like, I eat all sorts of rich home-cooked food but I don't eat anything processed.

StamppotAndGravy · 07/02/2024 08:29

kcchiefette · 07/02/2024 08:00

I used to be a long distance runner (think marathons etc)

I never lost weight. In fact, I was heavier than ever before when I ran as I had a bigger appetite from the cardio and wasnt in a calorie deficit.

Dont get me wrong, I wasn't fat. But I didnt lose weight either (put on about a stone overall in 2 years!)

Would you maybe reduce 5k runs to 3x a week and do a couple of gym based weight sessions 2x a week instead? Maybe just be more cautious of what you are eating, without counting?

Haha, I thought I was the only person ever who got heavier during marathon training! I was too tired to diet but dragging the extra kilos round the course was a nightmare. The finish photos with all the typical marathon runners in sports then solid me in leggings against the thigh rub. I found triathlon worked a bit better, probably because I spent so many hours on the bike that I didn't have time to eat

Notimeforaname · 07/02/2024 08:31

Probably not. Your diet makes the biggest difference.

Umph · 07/02/2024 08:41

Probably not. I train loads and have steadily put on weight over the last couple of years (and subsequently have got shitter at running as a result). 30 mins of running doesn’t actually burn that many calories but does tend to make you ravenous!

Wishicouldthinkofagoodone · 07/02/2024 09:35

It depends.

ime it goes like this: you start running will all the intentions. The cardio ramps up your appetite like no one’s business.

so for the first few weeks you’re tired, sore, hungry as a horse. You find you need more recovery days or are too tired to do much else. So you put on weight, or at least stay the same.

after about 3 months your body acclimatises. Appetite becomes controllable, runs are easier so you miss fewer days, can increase work slowly, and you are able to do your normal
activities as well. This is the point where you start to see weight loss.

problem is, it’s fucking hard to get through those 3 months. You are working your arse of, are sore, tired and miserable, and see no results for it. Mentally it’s tough- especially when you stop running for a few days, feel better, lose water in your muscles, and see a sudden weight drop.

then there’s injury, dark nights, all the other things that make running hard…

Ansjovis · 07/02/2024 09:35

We need a lot more information here. What's your current diet like? How active is your lifestyle currently?

Unless you are eating at your maintenance calories or a slight deficit you won't see results. In addition, running 5k 5x per week is not something you should attempt if you don't already have 1 year plus experience of running regularly.