What has running done for you?

[JohnnyEnglish]

Last year I started running and alongside calorie counting lost 2.5 stone. I’ve put half a stone back on coinciding with a tough period at work. I really enjoyed running and eating well and need motivation to stick to it and get down to goal weight (a stone to lose). So wonderful MNetters tell me what running has done for you and inspire me please.

I'm maybe in the minority, but my body definitely lets me outrun my bad diet. I lost two stone in eight months when I first started (after several years of not running) and I wasn't even near to overweight to start with. I still snack constantly, have pudding every day, and have a couple of takeaways and pizza every week.

I do definitely think running for an hour most days stops you properly binging though. If you've run for that long, the attitude of 'well, I've fucked up the day and I'm useless so might as well just eat the whole packet of biscuits now' just doesn't really happen because you've already done something so good for your body it's not tempting to self-sabotage.

This applies to any exercise for me, but running makes me thankful for my functioning body and to appreciate what it can do, not how I wish it looked. I’m not fast, or the fittest at the gym, but I’m there and I’m moving.

I guess feeling connected to myself in a good way.

I love running. I restarted C25K towards the end of last year and, as others have said, it gives me a sense of achievement. 5 years ago I never thought I'd be able to run outside longer than 2 minutes but I finished C25K in August 2019 and managed to run for up to 35 minutes. I started trying to get better pace and everything.

I started when I trained to run a 10k on my 40th birthday and just carried on. At one point I was running 35 miles a week and doing a race every weekend - 10k, 10 miler or half-marathon. It kept me at the lower end of my ideal weight, which was good, but I'm sure its given my face saggy jowls from the impact and deep frown lines.

Even worse, I'm now 60 and have had to have one hip replaced 18 months ago. The other needs doing too. Plus I have no cartilage left in one knee.

I loved running and I miss it so very much

I love running ! It feels good . I feel better about myself ( stronger ) and I have been consistently losing weight too . I’ve run for years though and it’s not usually to lose weight but if you don’t eat back the calories you can drop weight .

Number one for me by far and away is the improvement on my mental health and mood.
It’s nice to get out and enjoy the sunshine.
My legs, bum and stomach has toned up and I’ve lost a bit of weight but I wasn’t overweight to start with.
You get a sense of achievement especially on those days when you nearly don’t go out because you can’t be bothered but you do it anyway.

I've been running on and off for three years. I get up to 5kms, stick at it for a few weeks then winter comes so I stop until things get warmer and drier again! And so the cycle continues.

I've found it worked wonders for weight loss. I lose a stone every time I stick at it for three months.

I don't race. I plod.

Time for me to work up to 5kms again......

Thank you so much everyone who has posted! So inspiring. @lonel I ran in 2018 and lost about a stone in maybe 2 months. Then stopped due to unexpected illness and piled on a lot of weight. June 2020 started running regularly and calorie counting and went from 12 stone 3lb to 9 stone 7lb (77.6kg to 60.3kg) within 5 months. I’ve put on some weight coinciding with a tough time at work/lack of childcare. I was weighing everything I ate and never “eating back” my running calories. Days I didn’t run I went for a walk. I run outside in hilly countryside between 5.5km to 10.5km each run. Hope that helps.

As I lost weight I got faster. Now I’m heavier I’m slower and that’s irritating me and motivating me to choose fruit not biscuits.

Thanks to all you lovely MNetters and your inspirational posts I’m back on track. I’ve done three runs this week. Have enjoyed the benefits so much although at the time I really struggle through them. Am definitely going to try and stick to a regular running schedule.

Well done you! I’m doing my third run this week after a big hiatus and loving it. The weather is definitely helping :)

@GrandPrismatic well done to you too! The sunshine definitely helps. Weekend off from running for me. Back on it Monday.

Been running regularly for 20 months. Very gradually improving. Started out run/walk for about 3k and can now run non stop for 4.5k in 32 mins. Aiming for 5k in 30 mins. I like that it gets me out in the fresh air and in nature and it's easy to slot into the day. It's given me more energy and a general fitness level. I'm not looking for major weight loss, it's more about general wellbeing.

I don't run to lose weight even though that was the main reason why I started.

Now it's about being outdoors, exploring new places, meeting new people, seeing good friends, feeling that air in my lungs, keeping my mental health in check and time to myself. Its a way of life for me now.

Originally the plan was to run 5k 3 times a week. Then I joined a club (beginners sessions) and I entered a race and that was it. Then parkrun started near me. I started to meet people and joined the running community. Even though most of my runs over the last year have been solo I still love them.

I have bad runs, I have good runs, but each one makes me feel better about myself.

for my friend: knackered knees and suddenly very weathered skin as well as a permanently sunburnt neck.
I'll stick to brisk walks, thanks.

Since lockdown running has been my new saviour. I used to run about 5 years ago but had trouble with my knees and gave up. I had no choice this time so I've worked with a physio, got some orthotics and (touch wood) my knees have been no trouble at all this time.

And the benefits are just amazing. I have lost weight .... about one stone. I have watched calories at times but it hasn't been difficult. The difference in the way I look is amazing. From having thought I had really short stumpy legs they're now quite lean and athletic looking. And because of a pp I looked at them a bit more closely and have discovered the slight cellulite and stretch marks I used to have seem to have gone entirely.

I always feel better after a run, regardless of how I felt before I started.
Definitely fitter, stronger, leaner and more chilled.

I wish I felt like this after a run. I just started after having my first child. I don’t enjoy it and wish it felt easier so I would want to do it more often! How many times a week should I run for and how long before you saw any results?

@wineandshine It took me about 3 months going at least twice a week to start to like it and feel some benefit.

Wineandshine you probably want to go slower or mix in walk intervals until you end the run feeling like you could run further. Most people leave school thinking running is all about pushing as fast as you can, which of course isn't fun, and never learn how to do an easy run where you have enough breath to have a proper conversation.

@Wineandshine - look into JEFFing.

www.facebook.com/groups/504366983051330/?ref=share

www.mariapali.co.uk/what-on-earth-is-jeffing/

@Wineandshine I would aim for twice a week if you can. I looked back at my running pattern and noted on days I didn’t run I would go for a walk. I was overweight but lost a stone in 6 weeks running (slowly) twice a week, walking 5 days and calorie counting. I then lost another 1.5 stone over 4 months. So total loss was 2.5 stone in a little under 6 months. In terms of change in body shape so firmer bottom, better leg shape that took the full 6 months really.

Inspired by you all I’ve done my first run of the week.

I'm 64 and hadn't run for 10 years until I started again 4 weeks ago. I'm doing the Noom diet and needed other goals apart from weight loss, so thought about the running as after I got to 10 k last time I simply gave up. I'm doing couch to 5k again as I really don't want to injure myself in the early days and have to stop. It is strange that I never want to set out, think of load of excuses, decide to go anyway and then come back totally exhilarated and want to go again, until it is time to go again that is. My target at the moment is to get up to 10k by September, maybe I'll start to do Park run when they start up again.I hope I carry on this time as my overarching goal is to be fit and healthy for my retirement, which will start next August.

It’s great for my ...

Mental health
Blood pressure
Arse
Ability to eat cake

In no particular order of importance there 😂😳

I can lose weight by running and sticking to a calorie deficit. It certainly works in a calories in calories out kind of way and exerice for me curbs appetite for a couple of hours after. I'm careful not to overeat and I can stop myself binging quite easily. I now run to maintain and I "eat" my run calories mainly in the form of evening snacks in front of the TV ( I weight things to make sure it' s not excessive). I'd rather run every day and have 250 or so calories to snack than not run and no goodies to eat in the evening. So I run most days. On the days that I don't I walk at least 20K steps.