Does running burn off muscle?
- Thread starter luvmylbb
- Start date
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
Not if you are eating right! I am doing a fat burning phase right now and since I am eating well, I am also gaining some muscle and I run at least 5 miles a day, usually 8 miles because it feels so good!
Make sure you eat a protein with every single meal and don't allow much more thn 3 hours to pass between meals...4 MAX!!! Beyond that and your body will start to canabalize. Eating a protein at every meal is critical.
Also, make sure you get a few strength training sessions in per week, without them, you are garanteed to burn precious muscle!
Make sure you eat a protein with every single meal and don't allow much more thn 3 hours to pass between meals...4 MAX!!! Beyond that and your body will start to canabalize. Eating a protein at every meal is critical.
Also, make sure you get a few strength training sessions in per week, without them, you are garanteed to burn precious muscle!
naughtoj
Cathlete
Running a lot burns lots of calories and if you are not eating enough, you could lose some muscle, but you will also lose some fat.
Like Sarah said, she eats well. Make sure to get enough protein. Make sure to get enough total calories to maintain the muscle mass you have. If you are looking to lose 10-15 lbs of fat and want to add running into your routine then muscle gain at this time would not be my focus if I were you, only muscle maintenance.
I think when they say that "running burns off muscle" they just mean that if you are looking to gain a considerable amount of muscle mass than either do not run (minimize cardio in general) or make up for the number of calories you burn running in your diet. Remember, you cannot gain muscle without a calorie surplus. I know the opinions on this forum vary regarding this issue, but I honestly believe you cannot do a "leaning down" rotation AND gain muscle at the same time. Just doesn't make sense scientifically to me. If it is possible, obviously you would gain less muscle than if you went on a purely "bulking up" rotation. Running 40+ miles per week is obviously NOT the most efficient way of putting on muscle mass. LOL.
Anytime you are in a calorie deficit in the long term you will lose some muscle, however minimal, but you may also lost lots and lots of fat and look much better overall.
Odds are adding running to your routine will let you drop an additional 5lbs atleast without really even touching your diet. It is a great calorie burner!!
Like Sarah said, she eats well. Make sure to get enough protein. Make sure to get enough total calories to maintain the muscle mass you have. If you are looking to lose 10-15 lbs of fat and want to add running into your routine then muscle gain at this time would not be my focus if I were you, only muscle maintenance.
I think when they say that "running burns off muscle" they just mean that if you are looking to gain a considerable amount of muscle mass than either do not run (minimize cardio in general) or make up for the number of calories you burn running in your diet. Remember, you cannot gain muscle without a calorie surplus. I know the opinions on this forum vary regarding this issue, but I honestly believe you cannot do a "leaning down" rotation AND gain muscle at the same time. Just doesn't make sense scientifically to me. If it is possible, obviously you would gain less muscle than if you went on a purely "bulking up" rotation. Running 40+ miles per week is obviously NOT the most efficient way of putting on muscle mass. LOL.
Anytime you are in a calorie deficit in the long term you will lose some muscle, however minimal, but you may also lost lots and lots of fat and look much better overall.
Odds are adding running to your routine will let you drop an additional 5lbs atleast without really even touching your diet. It is a great calorie burner!!
What the other two said, also you may want to eat before running or right after, and get some really good protein in you, especially if your a morning runner. The reason way, is you sleep some where between 6 to 8 hours, and say you ate 2 hours before going to bed. that's that's 4 to 5 hours of being flat empty. If you run on top of that, it really makes it hard for your body to come up with enough carbs to burn fat, so then it switches over to protein, then muscle, if it runs out of the carbs to burn fat, and protein. So if your one of those and worry about burning muscle, get some protein and a little bit of carbs before you run. This will give you some fuel to break down and absorb while your running. I have two women right now who run on empty just so they can burn their muscle and not bulk up. Drives me nuts as they won't listen to how bad it is for them, they just too afarid of looking *bulky* and they look like they have no muscle, so I don't get it.
But really do make sure you eat good, as running burns a lot of calories, basically 30% more then walking so if you burn 70 walking distance X, you'll burn 100 running distance X. So that calorie burn adds up really quick, and you need to make sure you are eatting good food but enough calories, not to create a huge calorie defency, a little is good if you want to lose fat, but a big gap, is where you'll lose your muscle.
Kit
But really do make sure you eat good, as running burns a lot of calories, basically 30% more then walking so if you burn 70 walking distance X, you'll burn 100 running distance X. So that calorie burn adds up really quick, and you need to make sure you are eatting good food but enough calories, not to create a huge calorie defency, a little is good if you want to lose fat, but a big gap, is where you'll lose your muscle.
Kit
icklemoley
Cathlete
Sadly yes. Cardio does nothing to maintain or build new lean muscle mass. Sure if you eat right you can spare almost all of it,
Cardio is so overrated that it hurts.
As we age we lose muscle mass naturally. Why would anyone want to enchance this?
Cardio is so overrated that it hurts.
As we age we lose muscle mass naturally. Why would anyone want to enchance this?
I run about 25 miles per week and I've never noticed loss of muscle. People have been commenting on my toned arms, back and legs lately so I do have them. Then again, I pay attention to what I eat and make sure I get in enough protein (I don't eat meat).
I do have a hard time increasing my muscle mass though, I think.
Dutchie
I do have a hard time increasing my muscle mass though, I think.
Dutchie
macska
Cathlete
What I recall from my marathoning years that runs that are over an hour are the dangerous ones when it comes to muscle loss. You have plenty of glycogen for less than an hour but after that slowly but surely the body will have to rely on other fuel and it is sometimes muscle not just fat -- unfortunately. Eating 200- 300 cals before a longer run definitely helps. Mari
naughtoj
Cathlete
Dutchie....
I don't think at your level of running too much muscle LOSS would occur, especially if you eat enough. But, honestly, I think people get defensive (not you) when they hear this stating the same, like "People tell me that I am much more toned now" or "I am in better shape than ever". They equate leanness with lack of muscle loss and that is just not so. The only way for you to really now is through body composition testing...and ACCURATE TESTING more particularly.
I think if we were to measure you muscle loss/gain you would, when training at higher levels with running, not experience any gain and most likely show some small losses. Again, if you body fat is dropping and you have lost half a pound to two pounds muscle you are still going to look better. You'd only start really noticing the loss at upwards of 5lbs muscle loss.
That is why I say scientifically running just does not jive with muscle gain BUT you can add it in to your program at the right weekly mileage with the right diet and not lose any muscle mass. It just takes attention to details.
I don't think at your level of running too much muscle LOSS would occur, especially if you eat enough. But, honestly, I think people get defensive (not you) when they hear this stating the same, like "People tell me that I am much more toned now" or "I am in better shape than ever". They equate leanness with lack of muscle loss and that is just not so. The only way for you to really now is through body composition testing...and ACCURATE TESTING more particularly.
I think if we were to measure you muscle loss/gain you would, when training at higher levels with running, not experience any gain and most likely show some small losses. Again, if you body fat is dropping and you have lost half a pound to two pounds muscle you are still going to look better. You'd only start really noticing the loss at upwards of 5lbs muscle loss.
That is why I say scientifically running just does not jive with muscle gain BUT you can add it in to your program at the right weekly mileage with the right diet and not lose any muscle mass. It just takes attention to details.
Bobbi
Cathlete
For very lean people who under eat, muscle could be sacrifced but overall running is a great fat burner. When I ran, averaging 35 miles a week and up to 50, I weighed 10 pounds more than I do now. I ate! It helped me with my appetite which is really off now. Eat to run and run to eat and you'll meet your goals and enjoy your appetite! A balanced diet and a great running program is divine to my mind!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
macska
Cathlete
As Bobbi said, probably I under ate. I did most of my long runs on empty stomach thinking that " early morning runs on empty stomach burns more fat..." as you can read in some magazins. Yes, maybe if you run for 20 minutes and not for 3 hours. Today I'm sure that I lost muscle on those long runs when I was only drinking some Gatorade. Lifting maybe once or twice a week didn't make much of a difference.
Today I'd do things differently, but I'm not marathoning anymore. Yes, we get wiser as we get older.... But hey, you don't marathon to have a great body, you marathon because you have a mental disorder...
Today I'd do things differently, but I'm not marathoning anymore. Yes, we get wiser as we get older.... But hey, you don't marathon to have a great body, you marathon because you have a mental disorder...
Bobbi
Cathlete
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de//laugh.gif
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif "Chick's rule!"
Tell me, what it is you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? -Mary Oliver
Mckmain
Cathlete
>.... But hey, you
>don't marathon to have a great body, you marathon because you
>have a mental disorder...
Mari!!! Say it isn't true...http://bestsmileys.com/angry1/8.gif[/img] I always thought the mental disorder came into it after about a 50 mile run! http://bestsmileys.com/lol/12.gif[/img]...Carole
>don't marathon to have a great body, you marathon because you
>have a mental disorder...
Mari!!! Say it isn't true...http://bestsmileys.com/angry1/8.gif[/img] I always thought the mental disorder came into it after about a 50 mile run! http://bestsmileys.com/lol/12.gif[/img]...Carole
I agree that diet is more than 50% of the equation, but on Brant's training, I've read several interviews of her where she states that she does a lot of sprint training. Sprinting seems to promote muscle building. Sprinters generally seem to be a lot more muscular (I'm thinking of the Olympic sprinter Joyner and some others here).