Why Aren't You Losing Weight?

If you’ve taken up running but the pounds aren’t dropping off, here are the most common weight-loss pitfalls – and how to overcome them.

- Jane Murphy

Running has a wealth of physical and mood-lifting benefits. But the one thing many new runners tend to overestimate is its effectiveness as a calorie-burner. While top athletes and marathon regulars are super-lean without an ounce of fat on them, the rest of us may find we’re plodding round the local Parkrun every week without ever disturbing the needle on the scales. So why is this – and what needs to change?

YOU’RE OVERDOING THE REWARDS

You’re pretty pleased with yourself, not to mention exhausted, after your weekend run – so now you can afford to tuck into a big fry-up or chocolate muffin, right? Wrong. ‘People often significantly overestimate how many calories they’re going to burn while running, especially when they’re first starting out and only jogging for a few minutes each session,’ says keen runner and personal trainer Angela Ioannou from Everyone Active Leisure Centres (everyoneactive.com). ‘So they treat themselves to a post-run snack that can be more than double the number of calories they’ve just burned – leading to weight gain, rather than loss.’ The solution? Cut back on sugary snacks and simply savour the post-run feel-good factor instead!

YOU’RE NOT MOVING ENOUGH AFTERWARDS