does losing weight = running faster?

Dontworryeathappy wrote:

This is a dangerous area to tinker with. DO NOT ask for weight related advice on this board. PLEASE.

Use your brain.

This message board full of experienced runners, from all over the world, is one of the very best places to look.

People telling a 5'3" high school girl running 5:12 to lose 22 pounds doesn't seem like very good advice to me.

The only advice I'd take is to search elsewhere or be extremely cautious. There are some great, experienced posters on here. There are also some world class idiots and trolls. I wouldn't take advice from the average poster on these boards, and a high school girl definitely shouldn't.

Listen to your coach, trainers, doctors, etc. They know you and care about your well being. People reading a message board while taking a crap really don't.

Peace out.

xenonscreams wrote:

I have visible, highly defined abs, not a "spare tire."

No, you do not. You may have "healed" your body image problem but going to the opposite extreme is not healthy either.

Captain Oblivious wrote:

xenonscreams wrote:

I have visible, highly defined abs, not a "spare tire."

No, you do not. You may have "healed" your body image problem but going to the opposite extreme is not healthy either.

When was the last time you saw her shirtless? LOL

Captain Oblivious wrote:

xenonscreams wrote:

I have visible, highly defined abs, not a "spare tire."

No, you do not. You may have "healed" your body image problem but going to the opposite extreme is not healthy either.

This

Sorry Xenon, but no one that is 5'3'' & 120 pounds has "highly defined abs"

stalker wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

No, you do not. You may have "healed" your body image problem but going to the opposite extreme is not healthy either.

When was the last time you saw her shirtless? LOL

Highly defined abs show through typical running gear.

Like college Runnergirl and Experienced female runner said and I keep trying to tell people this I run in College and there are guys who aro 6 feet and 130 on my team and I am 6 feet and 150 and they can not get close to me in any distance events. It is about body fat not about weight. If a girl weights 110 pounds but has 20 percent body fat versus a girl who is 135 pounds who has 12 percent body fat then the girl who is 135 pounds and the 12 percent body fat will win because it goes by how much body fat you have. There are a lot of crazy people who just want to have there 15 seconds of fame on here and need to shutup. Like the people who said you are more muscular and those are the people who usually succeed better in track in the long run because you have something that most of these skinny people here want. If you get into the weightroom and run you will see the bodyfat decrease and most likely you will beat your teammates and I guarantee you can get to college. The reason you will beat your teamates is because they have to put on muscle to get quicker. I do not care what anyone tells you if you weigh 110 pounds and have no muscle in college you will get beaten up just by the workouts. I know what some world class women distance runners weigh, but that all comes down to VO 2 Max Just look at Chris Solinsky and you will see what I mean. Who said you could not be the woman version of Chris Solinsky. Good Luck with your Running and do not listen to these uneducated people.

Give it a rest, internet pigs.

Runners are the best wrote:

If a girl weights 110 pounds but has 20 percent body fat versus a girl who is 135 pounds who has 12 percent body fat then the girl who is 135 pounds and the 12 percent body fat will win because it goes by how much body fat you have.

That's the dumbest thing that I've ever seen.

Based on your own advice, you should be weighing 190 pounds.

Rund al'Thor wrote:

Give it a rest, internet pigs.

Just because they want to lose weight is no reason to call them pigs.

5:14 1600 and 19:15 5K? Sounds like you need more miles. And you need to lose weight. Match made in heaven.

This supposed 5'3" 132lb girl has a serious motor to be able to run 5:14 at that height/weight. Most girls that fast at 5'3" are about 100lb give or take 5lb. That, in addition with the too-good grammar for a HSer screams troll.

If you aren't a troll, I can only recommend you aim for about 105 long term. Get used to being hungry when you go to sleep. Don't eat if the sun isn't up. If you can go 5:14 at 132 you'll be sub 4:40 at 105 if you don't crack first. Some risks are worth taking. High performance endurance athletics ain't a health contest.

fan of US distance running wrote:

Sorry Xenon, but no one that is 5'3'' & 120 pounds has "highly defined abs"

I'm sure a bunch of top Africans would disagree

isisj wrote:

fan of US distance running wrote:

Sorry Xenon, but no one that is 5'3'' & 120 pounds has "highly defined abs"

I'm sure a bunch of top Africans would disagree

Not female Africans.

Here is a great example of a top African runner of 5' 3".

http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/tu/derartu-tulu-1.html

Yes, you should try to drop some weight. No, you should not try to lose 22lbs over the course of a single summer. Consider 3-4 lbs per month, that's two fewer pop tarts and one more mile per day.

Cut out crappy food and reduce your portion sizes. Take a multivitamin. Eat slower. Run more. You will lose weight.

Also typical female runners aren't much taller than 5'3"

Captain Oblivious wrote:

Here is a great example of a top African runner of 5' 3".

http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/tu/derartu-tulu-1.html

Tulu was 99 pounds.

a great example wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

Here is a great example of a top African runner of 5' 3".

http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/tu/derartu-tulu-1.html

Tulu was 99 pounds.

Most girls can't get down to 99 pounds without losing their periods and getting stress fractures. Those who can won the genetic lottery for running.

As with all questions, it depends.

In your case, I need to know your body fat %. If it's all fat, then, yes. You need to lose weight. If it's muscle, not so much. If someone was underweight, losing weight would not increase performance. If someone was overweight, yes.

Furthermore, if you DO have low body fat, going TOO low would lead to poor performance. It's a funny thing to think about, but important.

In your case, as always, body fat % is the most important piece of info needed.

If you do have a lot of fat, then It's important to focus on HOW to lose weight. Most stupid girls go at it with the attitude of not eating as much (which increases fat and sheds muscle), so you would lose weight but get slower. Eating the same (or probably more) and increasing your metabolism by upping activity would be the best way. You would shed fat even though you would be eating more - look at some of Covert Bailey's stuff. Then your performance would improve.

a great expectation wrote:

Most girls can't get down to 99 pounds without losing their periods and getting stress fractures. Those who can won the genetic lottery for running.

That's a normal weight for 5'3" women who aren't fat.