Running burns more calories than Cathe? Seriously?

[PinkMom]

In my experience, running is far and away the best way to lean out. Even Cathe has said this is what she does if she wants to "jump start" things -- look at her post at #73 in this thread -- http://www.thecathenation.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1801612&highlight=running#post1801612

I can also tell you from experience that your body will adjust to running (like anything), and you'll hit a plateau. This is why I went searching and found Cathe. So keep the variety even if you decide to run more!

 

[maddiesmum]

Everyone keeps mentioning that running "stresses" joints, but I'd just like to comment that according to all the research, as recently published in runnersworld magazine, running actually promotes healthy joints and strengthens them. A person who has run for their exercise experiences less problems with their joints as they age than a person who has not run much or at all.

Overuse injuries occur with all sports. The trick with running is to vary your running days, intensity, distances, using some steady state, some intervals, etc, and to do specific lower body exercises that strengthen the pelvic area/glutes/hip flexors/core and maintain muscle balance between the quads and hamstrings to prevent injury.

Don't forget also, the perception that running "stresses" the joints may owe much to the fact that running can be hard when you first start out. The trick is to take it slow and gradually increase distance covered and speed of running, never increasing your weekly mileage by more than 10%. In this way, your joints and muscles have a chance to adapt to the new exercise and high impact.

Running definitely torches calories: more than a Cathe workout. High impact work with Cathe can also lead to injuries, a fact to which my achilles can testify!

I wonder how many calories I burned yesterday during my 10 intervals of running for 5 mins interspersed with 1-2 min power walking intervals, for a total of 7.5 miles?!?!?!? Up to about 800 I bet.

Clare

 

[carres1973]

Clare - good point about running and injuries. I tend to agree that if running is something you are used to doing and have been doing it, the joints become used to the "stress." It is people like me, who try to get into running to quickly, that hurt ourselves and create a bad name for running! Of course, there are always the freak things that can happen no matter what the exercise or activity.

Carrie

 

[Govtgirl]

Again, thanks everyone! And Clare, thanks for clarifying about running and stress on joints. That makes total sense. When I tried running years ago, it was outside on cement, no iPod, and cheapo shoes. Now I've got decent shoes (need to get even better tho!) a treadmill, and a DVD player so I can watch movies while I run.

Now that I see the number of calories being torched with running, I have to keep myself from going overboard and hurting myself. I did 30 minutes nonstop yesterday, then started walking uphill, then alternated for 60 min total. Today I did the smae thing, and I'm already at 2400 burned today, so it will be close to a 3000 calorie day today by midnight! Whee!