Will I run easier if I lose some weight?

i went from 6'1" 190lbs down to 170lbs and its a world of difference. Studies back this up as well. There is a good book I picked up as a reference a few years ago called " building your running body" that was pretty good.

Definitely.

I know of two studies into weight and running: both used treadmills, with one using bungee cords to make runners 'lighter', and the other added weights to make them heavier. If you look at the figures, both studies independently came to a very similar conclusion: for moderate increases and decreases in weight, the percentage of weight you gain/lose causes about half that percentage loss/gain in pace. Naturally, this also correlates to how easy a run feels at a given pace, thus answering your question. Obviously there are limits to this: namely surrounding muscle loss, because you need muscle to run, so we're assuming the weight loss comes from fat.

Op is 6'1", 190lb. Wants to know if he will feel better running if he drops to 175. Answer is absolutely yes, as long as he has a healthy diet, of course.

For 6'1", 170 to 180 is about ideal for a sprinter. 155 to 165 is about ideal for a distance runner. 190 is well above ideal for a distance runner. Every pound lost will make him a little faster and feel a little better running.

I'm 6'1", 200. But I'm also not trying to be fast, I just want to be healthy. Id prefer to be 15 or so pounds lighter.

Yes you will run easier with less weight. But you will run even easier with higher mileage. And if you run a bit more mileage and eat as are you, you will have a sustainable and healthy weight loss over time. Mileage (we become good and effective at what we spend most time at) is what make us run easier.

Great answer, thank you.

Very clarifying. I've gained these 6 or 7 kilos in the last few months that I'm struggling to lose, due I think to this COVID, staying home and increased anxiety. I'm noticing my runs are getting harder. I guess my heart is getting bigger too to adapt to my bigger weight. I must lose some weight if I want to keep on running.

Thanks for all your answers.

An increase in mileage and a decrease in your food intake should help with reducing those 6-7 kilos. You will definitely feel better running and your runs will be more efficient and with less effort.

how old are you?

Hopping on this thread to ask what the ideal weight would be for someone who is 193cm 81kg? Not particularly muscular if that helps

81 could well be your ideal weight. Seems very good to me.

Yes, but forget about ideal weight as some are mentioning on here. No one knows your body type. Lose weight until you like what you see in the mirror, that's it.

The problem with running with weight on is that it raises the intensity, so you spend very little time at lower intensities where the body relies on fat for fuel. Instead the runner burns stored carbohydrate and replace that after each run. No net loss of fat occurs. So adding some sports (like cycling, swimming, hiking or skiing) where you can keep your heart rate down around 70% of max will help you lose weight.

You could also try a plant based diet as well. You can find what works for you, by eating healthy most of the time.

Ironically, running harder than easy will make sure a runner does not lose weight.

Too bulky? wrote:

Hopping on this thread to ask what the ideal weight would be for someone who is 193cm 81kg? Not particularly muscular if that helps

Look in the mirror with no clothes on. Does it look like you could lose fat and still be healthy? If so, there's your answer. You should like what you see. It's your body!

Now that I’m in my 40s, I find it very hard to lose weight on anything less than 30 miles per week. It’s counterintuitive, but I find that when I’m injured and not running, I’m able to stick to a lower calorie diet and lose extra pounds. When I’m running 5 days a week with 2 harder days, the weight still comes off even though I eat more. At 3-4 days per week, some weight training or other cross training helps to lean up.

At 6’0”, I’ve been between 150 and 163 over the last year. It’s definitely easier to run at 150lbs.

Shoot. I'm in my mid 20's and about 6'0. Struggling to dip below 160. I only run 20 MPW at most right now, so it's all in the diet. Hearing that a ten pound difference is significant makes me want to push a little harder...

Will try to not end with an eating disorder.

Run6556 wrote:

Yes you will run easier with less weight. But you will run even easier with higher mileage. And if you run a bit more mileage and eat as are you, you will have a sustainable and healthy weight loss over time. Mileage (we become good and effective at what we spend most time at) is what make us run easier.

Be careful too. More weight is more impact on bones and joints. To avoid injury you may need to consider some weight loss before you aggressively increase volume.

Far be it from me to say running more is not the answer, but given the weight gain is relatively recent you could look at trying to clean up your diet or add in some strength or cross training to burn more calories, as well.

Yes but you will still be stupid.

Rodion15 wrote:

I’m thinking of losing those extra 6 kilos I should have lost long ago. I wonder if this will also make my jogs easier, any experiences?

Answer = Hell yes.

I recently went from a BMI of 27 to 20 and my running is so much better than before, it's unbelievable. I'm faster at less effort, I'm setting lifetime PRs (at age 47) and I'm able to handle 50% more mileage, which in turn has made me even faster. I now wonder why I ever bothered running at heavier weight.

How did I do it? Using the phone app "My Fitness Pal."

Rodion15 wrote:

I’m thinking of losing those extra 6 kilos I should have lost long ago. I wonder if this will also make my jogs easier, any experiences?

I jog 30 minutes 3 or 4 days a week. I’m 1.87m 86 kg.

Any advice much welcome.

I'm guessing that coverts to 9-12ish miles a week?

To loose the weight, I'd cross train and diet. Probably you get a stress fracture being a big dude running all those miles.