Hi Darren.  Have you managed to keep up your lunchtime jogs?  Yes, this weight maintenance or loss is not easy even when we run - it seems to be a matter of getting used to eating the right amount to suit your lifestyle and how much you exercise, and then if that changes it can be a problem.

As an interesting point, a friend of mine who has done a lot of gym training came out with me trail running a few weeks ago. Now, he's 2 stone lighter than me, and a lot fitter, and yet was struggling a lot with the difference in terrain, etc. For 3 days after the run, he described his lats/obliques as 'agony' and couldn't do any gym work at all. Fast forward to now, a few more trail runs later, and he's put on about 4 lbs, and is keeping up with me.

His view : he's been so used to a controlled landing platform in the gym, that his core muscles weren't getting any real use on a treadmill. He's not changed his training or diet at all, (put in 7 miles trail, taken out 7 miles in the gym) that the only way he can see it is that the weight gain is from building core muscles.

So no, weight gain isn't all bad.

Aye, I am fitter now and can run for longer (even with the extra weight) so will hold on to that.  Thanks.

Hi,

Just to add to this topic, I've been running outside now since October, prior to that I was running in the gym due to an injury.  Since October I've gone up a trouser size and 3kg.  A fitness instructor friend said this is because I have increased my mileage and amount of times I run so I will naturally put on muscle on my bum and thighs.  I don't think I've increased my food intake and I am doing strength exercises as well so could live with the increase on the scales but not the fact clothes no longer fit.  Does that make my pal right or am I in denial about how much I'm eating?

Hi

 Well done at losing 7 lb and I love adrians way of looking at the loss - I think I need to try that!

I have also tried the propoints diet and struggled to loose weight - I found that even though I was sticking to the "points" the actual calories I ate  could vary a lot from day to day - at the end of the day we dont burn points!. I think the key is to find a diet that suits you . I now use the nutracheck.co.uk site - its not a diet but you enter your weight etc and the speed you want to loose weight and it calculates the calories to have each day. you enter in the food diary and you can then easily see whether you are under or over. you do have to subscribe but v reasonable and some great tools for monitoring how healthy your diet is.

I can vouch for the weight watchers diet having lost 5 1/2 stone (two stone of which came off when I started running). Seven pounds is a good steady loss in the time you have been doing it.... I used to use a little trick when people said 'Ive only lost four pounds'.. I would say 'how would you feel if you had gained four pounds' the answer was always gutted or horrified etc... my reply...'take that negative feeling of weight gain and turn it into the same amount of positive feeling for weight loss'! Stick with it and keep up the running I guarantee you will get where u want!

I am also running to lose weight although not on a specific diet, more common sense, well balanced and healthy including protein and fewer carbs with slightly reduced portions and absolutely NO skipping meals! Although as yet I have not lost much weight at all (couple of pounds in month or so) I am very much aware of my shape changing and my body toning, which at teh end of the day is the desired result - we can so easily get fixated by numbers on scales. Its about health and fitness, the rest will follow. As to types of training a long slow run will eventually burn much the same as a short hard one but they improve you fitness in different ways so variety is definitely the approach. Althoug having done the first sprinting sessions since schooldays I think I am regretting that right now - where's the ice pack? And drink lots of water....

Fiona - you are right, a long slow run (LSR) helps the body adapt to burning fat as the primary source of fuel. That is why the LSR is the building block of marathon running. Stick with it and by all means mix it up but 70-75% of your runs should be slow - you should be able to hold a conversation. If you struggle for breath you are running too fast.

Dear All,

I am also struggling with weight loss and use running as my main form of exercise. However, from looking at the comments written for John I think I might have got the wrong end of the stick concerning the types of run to be doing. I had thought that doing a long run would be preferable as you would take longer exercising and would burn more fat. Therefore a long slow run would be better than a hill or fast run which would generally be shorter and quicker. I used to do more hill runs and fast runs when I was trying to increase my speed. Am I wrong?

Hi all,

Wise words. just would like a little more. Certainly lost inches so I will just keep at it. Think I will mix up my running and add a hill session once a week.