The Long Green Tape Measure......

Hello folks,

As we seem to be chatting about weight loss on the GNR thread a lot, I thought I would start a sub-thread so that we can chat about weight loss here, and not drive everyone crazy about it.

I read somewhere that for every pound in weight you lose, if you are a regular runner, then it could be worth 2 seconds off each mile if you run a marathon, or up to 6 seconds off each mile if you are running a 10k.  I have to try and find that information again so I can see how accurate that was.  If anyone can help me out there I'd be grateful.

I personally would like to shift 2 stone if at all possible.  This would give me nearly 15 minutes off my best marathon time, if the information I have read is correct.

How much weight would other people like to lose?

I do not believe in faddy diets, where you are only eating one or two items of food at every meal, so any of that chat can be taken elsewhere.....  Slimming World and Weight Watchers chat is ok though.....

Wipe your feet on the way in.

Hi Vixx (not a GNRer)

 It was in RW sometime last year, I remember reading it.

I've been HM training all winter and having lost about 8lbs before Xmas, it has all snuck back on and then some, so I'm back on WW to lose some b4 my next HM (5 weeks) to try and knock another few mins off. Despite the weight gain I did manage to knock 14 mins off my time for RHM from last year so something must be going right. Am trying a total embargo on chocolate and dried fruit (my personal foibles) so I'll see if that helps the will power, which ultimately is what is required, along with sensible habits and persistance.

Good Luck.

Hi Foxy,

I know what you mean about weight gain - it just sneaks up sometimes.

I worked out that I am 2 stone 4lbs heavier than when I ran in Edinburgh in 2006, but have knocked nearly 40 mins off my marathon PB since then.  I am starting to get muscle strain now though after various races and I feel it is because of the extra weight I am carrying.

I need to get my body fat stats done so I can see where I am at, and how much fat weight I need to lose.

Well done on your 14 minutes - that's still excellent effort

And you are right - sensible habits are important in the long run, to get it off and keep it off.

The weight that is......

Found it

There was a nice little table in Runner’s World this month that illustrates how much faster you could be if you lost weight. Of course, this would not take into account speed increases due to training.

Pounds Lost 5k10k1/2 Marathon Marathon2:12.4:25:521:455311:022:114:22101:022:044:228:44202:044:088:4417:28

According to RW author Amby Burfoot, the table is based on research that runners, on average get 2 seconds per mile faster for every pound they lose. The times you see above are the amounts a runner can shave off his/her race times by losing weight.

Feel motivated?
Note: Weight loss is for people who are overweight - not for people who are already slim. Losing weight when you are slim means you are losing muscle tissue and that means you are losing strength which in turn makes you slower. If at all in doubt, discuss with a professional (a doctor or your coach).

Taken from http://completerunning.com/archives/2007/06/08/lose-weight-get-faster/

Hmm ! Wonder if I could crack a sub 1hr 10K then -

lose 2 stone that's 28lbs = 56 seconds per mile (almost a minute!) so almost 6mins off my 10k pb of 1:04:54 - Cool ! !

Is that right  ?

Bugger - I didn't notice that the table came out like that....

RLTW - that's about right......

My 10k PB is 1:04:48......

We could both go sub-60 on that basis......

Ah yes, but when?  How long do your reckon it should take us to lose that much (in a reasonably healthy fashion) ? 

Haven't actually been on the scales for months  . 

 I suppose it also depends on how much I weighed when I got the PB.

Best of luck with the weight loss ladies!

Posted this on GNR thread before I noticed Vixx had started this! 

Haha! just done that calculation Martin posted last night!

To be at the ideal weight for a non-active person, I'd need to lose over 30 lbs, and the 10% goal would see me losing 45lbs!    Not on your life! 

That gives you an indication of my weight, but given that the scale used by WeightWatchers puts me at 'only' 10lbs overweight , I'll stick with my 1 stone goal for now - anything more than that will be a bonus!

Try this:  Calculator for pace gained vs weight - just 3lbs loss should see me cracking my HM PB   (although I should just do it anyway based on recent training....)

If you want the weight loss to stay off then it should be lost at no more than 2lb per week, unless you really have it to lose.

Thus GNR at this point, with approximately 20 weeks to go, would be the appropriate time frame to lose between 1 and 2 stone, and get a new PB into the bargain......

Hi Rodeo CLownz - what's your injury?  How long are you likely to be out for?  It's good that you can still use the bike as it'll give you some cross training.

Welcome to the thread

Foxy - are you wanting to lose weight?

I think we should have Friday as weigh-in day.  What do you think?

Hi Vixx - great idea this thread

Don't have lots of weight to lose, but a few pounds off would be good.  Not going to lose any before Edinburgh marathon though.  Just want to eat more healthily, and in smaller quantities .

Tanita body fat scales say my fat percentage is 24.2  - is that good or bad?  BMI is 22.

Friday- because it's before the weekend blow-out, very sonsible!

I have several weight goals- need to lose about 6 to get to last year's RHM weight (although was very ill just b4) , another couple to get to where I blipped down to before Xmas blow-out, and another 5 to achieve the dream/fantasy weight (pre kids/running etc.) So a total of about a stone.  Would like to lose about 6 over next 5 weeks before Wokingham HM and then steadily shed the rest which I know will be really hard to achieve- they've been there a while now so will be the hardest to lose!!

Just run 11.5 miles so that was about 1200 cals, however ate 70 cals of jelly tots on route!! 3 runs like that is a lb/week,  but want to do it without impacting some fairly full on HM training.

RtG - you are pretty much good to go.  Body fat is in the right range for age, and your BMI isn't anything to worry about.  At this point it is how YOU feel that matters.

Foxy - how did you work out your calorie burn? The adage of 100 cals/mile is based on a 55kg woman, so if you weight less you will have burned less and vice versa.  The 70 cals of jelly tots were necessary, and if it is anything like when I had jelly tots on a long run you will have lost most of the sugar into your pocket....

Mick - 13st 6lb is certainly do-able, even with your injury, but at the moment you should be focussing on healing first - plenty of calcium for you.

I might do a 'Tip of the Week' to put on here on a Friday too......

Great idea Vixx !

Friday it is !  Just need to find the scales . .  I think my eldest nicked them.  Haven't weighed myself for ages but I feel like I;ve put on weight over the last few weeks (since the kids started asking for crisps to have with their school lunches )  

Foxy - How did you lose your 2lbs?

So 2 stone weight loss by GNR = knocking off 12+ minutes =  a sub 2:30 half marathon - oh yeh!

Do you have 2 stone to lose RLTW??

Was it you or RtG who started the Long Green Ribbon thread? I have to give correct respect to whomever I have partially plagiarised from.....