A Warning to Runners
What comes to mind when most people think of runners are smiling, fit people. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many runners may be doing more harm than good and although I do enjoy my runs, there can be some negative side effects if that’s the only form of exercise you do.
- Skinny Fat – Excessive running can break down muscle tissue leaving individuals with a “skinny fat” appearance… When a person is slim, but not fit… they remain small, despite the obvious lack of tone or strength. We’ve all seen it. If you don’t incorporate resistance training and eat enough protein, you could lose valuable muscle which gives you the firm, fit, lean body you so desire. (I consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight).
- Slowed Metabolism – Remember that the speed of our metabolism is primarily based on the amount of muscle mass we have. The more muscle on your frame, the more calories you burn at rest, just by being alive. Resistance training is a great way to build muscle and boost metabolism. Excessive running breaks down muscle tissue which can slow metabolism.
- Cellulite – If you don’t have plump, tone muscle behind fat, it has no support and may be more noticeable. Younger runners may still enjoy the benefits of looking fit from running because they have natural muscle tone. As we age however, we lose a great deal of that muscle. A great way to fight visible cellulite is to incorporate weight training into your exercise program and implement a clean diet.
- Broken Down – For individuals who run every day, they do not give their bodies enough time to rest and recuperate. Individuals who train with weights typically train one or two body parts a day, which gives the other muscle groups time to rest and rebuild between workouts. Those who run every day however, have not given their lower body a chance to recover. This can lead to increased injuries.
Don’t worry… there are perks! Running improves your cardiovascular system and can help lower blood pressure. Running strengthens your heart and lungs and burns calories which aids in weight loss. It is convenient, affordable and enhances depression-fighting hormones. It can also help smokers improve their lung health and air capacity!
Lily Bea says
June 24, 2012 at 4:53 pmLove this article! Thank you! I will definitely remember the muscle thing.
savannahroseneveux says
June 24, 2012 at 7:42 pmYay! Good! =D
Chris Vigil says
June 24, 2012 at 11:28 pmThis is very informative. I love to run but also want a muscular tone look.
I need to incorporate supplements to help maintain what I’ve worked for in the gym.
Emily Strange says
June 25, 2012 at 3:50 pmI am about to start training for the TN Warrior Dash in September so these are great things to remember now that I’m adding the dreaded “cardio” to my routine
Mary says
June 26, 2012 at 9:38 pmBeing a runner myself (and not just a casual jogger, but someone who ran for high school and college as well as competitively in middle/long distance), I agree with a lot of the things you say – you do need to do some resistance training as well, and you have to be careful not to overdo it.
But running definitely does not slow your metabolism. I’ve been told that it does too, so I looked into the research behind it. Running – and this is not jogging, but moving at a fast enough pace to push yourself – increases your metabolism. Obviously, you’re working some of the largest muscles in the body by moving your legs. But running also works arm muscles as well as back muscles and abdominal muscles, which are the two other large muscle groups in the body. Moving all of these muscle groups at the same time naturally builds lean muscle and therefore increases metabolism. Then there’s the fact that as you get stronger, you naturally go faster. And as you go faster, your body will burn more calories because it requires a lot more energy to move at a higher pace. Add onto that the fact that running is a full-body, high calorie burning exercise, and your body’s metabolism has to rise in order to maintain its efficiency. The body simply burns through calories at a faster rate, so you have to replenish them. Look at runners. Every person on every team I’ve been on (who took the sport seriously) eats like a pig. And the fastest people are the people who eat the most.
Also, one day of recovery is plenty of time for your legs to recover – granted you aren’t trying to run a marathon every day or do some kind of a running workout every time you run. Your legs are huge muscle groups – they recover quickly, just like your abs do. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t be able to walk after doing dead lifts and squats at very heavy weights. Running requires very different levels of energy depending on what you’re doing. And I agree, excessive running is bad for you – so don’t go do a 13 mile long run and expect to do the same thing again the next day. Most runners train using a workout-easy day-workout-easy day-easy day-race-long day/off schedule, or some variation. It’s fine to run every day, but you have to modify length and pace to be safe. I think that’s a more technical look at your fourth point 🙂
But number 3 is a killer! I can’t tell you how many older people I see running races who look horribly out of shape and yet still run fast. Even if you don’t lift weights to get muscle tone back, you have to at least do some plyometrics or body resistance training!
ericathevegan says
July 4, 2012 at 9:35 amReblogged this on ericathevegan.